Keeping the Young in the North: A Multicultural View

On March 12, SHATIL produced a day on multi cultural leadership for young adults from throughout the North, as part of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee's (JDC) efforts to convince young people to stay in the North rather than moving to the Center of the country. On the agenda was transforming the Ethiopian, Kavkazi (from the Caucuses Mountains,) FSU, Haredi and native born populations into a cadre of young leaders that initiates social change.

The seminar took place in the new Young Adult Center in Tzfat, one of seven such JDC- initiated centers in the North. Each Center aims at creating a parliament of local young people that democratically decides on and advocates for the needs of young adults in their community. Participants spoke of the importance of recognizing and utilizing the unique treasures of each community. Masha Buman of Alma College argued that multi-culturalism is Israel's best chance to blossom and flourish.

In the area of economic development, SHATIL presented its Northern Exposure Project which has been helping micro businesses in the North to rehabilitate themselves after the Second Lebanon War by providing technical assistance and encouraging tourism to these businesses.