Israel

In Israel, there are distinct differences in the situation regarding poverty between Israel and the Palestinian Territories. In general, Israelis enjoy a higher standard of living than the Palestinians living in the occupied territories.

In the Occupied Palestinian Territories, unemployment levels have increased from an average of 12 percent to over 38 percent in the Gaza Strip and 28 percent in the West Bank. Average income has fallen by over a third, and as a result poverty has tripled. It is estimated that 47-55 percent of Palestinians are poor and a further 16-22 percent are considered extremely poor.

For many, access to affordable, safe and nutritious food remains a daily challenge. This is a result of restrictions to movement, limited Palestinian control over natural resources, restricted access to both local and international markets, limited access of Palestinian laborers to their former work in Israel, and ensuing low rates of economic production.

Much of the human rights violations that occur in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are attributed to the construction of a “separation barrier” within the Palestinian territory. Consisting of fences, concrete walls, deep trenches and tank patrol roads, the Israeli government claims the barrier is necessary to ensure security against Palestinian terrorist groups. However, the imposition of this wall deep within the West Bank cuts the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians off from agricultural lands, work, adequate healthcare, and even water. Hundreds of military checkpoints have been arbitrarily erected, severely restricting Palestinian movement. The government declared the area between the wall and Israel as closed military areas, and wherein inhabitant Palestinians are required to have permits to move in and out of their own homes. The barrier also captures and seeks to legitimize 80 percent of the illegal Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territory, at the expense of Palestinian freedoms.

Palestinian armed forces have carried out numerous suicide bombings and shooting raids, sometimes deliberately targeting civilians while killing 100’s of Israelis. In response, the Israeli army is responsible for the destruction of sometimes whole villages within the Palestinian territory. On both sides, hundreds of innocent civilians, including children, have been killed. The Israeli army is also accused of often using Palestinians as “human shields” during military operations.

The government in Israel has also claimed prisoners of conscience—scores of Jewish Israelis who refuse to perform military service or serve in the Occupied Territories have been imprisoned for up to six months.

In a country of almost 6.5 million people, it is estimated that around 5,000 people are currently living in Israel with HIV/AIDs. Since the mid-90s there has been a slight but steady increase in newly diagnosed cases annually, mostly amongst new immigrants who came from a country with a generalized epidemic. The relative portion of women who were born in endemic countries among all people living with HIV in Israel is also increasing.

HIV testing is systematic, and done free of charge in clinics all over the country.

Rapid population growth, along with industrialization has depleted Israel of many of its natural resources.

The conservation of open space is a primary concern, as well as the preservation of the country’s scant water sources. As a result of accelerated demographic, agricultural and industrial growth, Israel entered the 21st century with one of its largest water overdrafts ever. All springs, groundwater resevoirs, aquifiers, and the Jordan river system have been exploited; moreover, the coastal aquifier has been increasingly threatened by contamination from chemical and microbial pollutants, salination, nitrates, heavy metals, fuels and toxic organic compounds. The combination of severe water shortage, contamination of water resources, densely populated urban areas and highly intensive irrigated agriculture, has made it essential to increase development of treated wastewater. Consequently, Israel has emerged as a world leader in recycling wastewater, and is increasing efforts aimed at desalinating hundreds of millions of cubic meters of seawater.

Israel has a literacy rate of over 95 percent, and has four universities within the country. However, pervading Jewish-Arab tensions have prevented all children from obtaining equal educational opportunities.

Aid Without Borders (AWB) - Raises awareness about the needs of inhabitants of regions in distress and provides meaningful, long-term assistance to residents of those regions.

Association For Arab Youth-Baladna - Baladna is an Arab youth organization founded to give Arab youth in Israel a non-partisan, comfortable forum for youth activities and informal education, centering on a discussion of identity. A registered non-profit organization, Baladna aims to strengthen Arab youth's understanding of democracy and gender equality, to foster pluralism and tolerance, and to enable a discussion and debate about Arab Palestinian history, grievances and culture.

Beit Al Musica - A non-profit organization in the Galilee, which works on developing musical culture among Palestinian Arab children in Israel. We focus on locating young people who have musical talent, but are unable to afford a musical education.

Chabad’s Program for Victims of Terror and their Families - Provides emergency emotional, spiritual, social, financial support and long term, community-based assistance to survivors of terrorist attacks and victim’s families.

Ezarat Avot of Jerusalem - Ezrat Avot is a non-profit community and charity agency relying completely on private donations from individuals and foundations in Israel and abroad. There are few situations that arouse more pity and a desire to help than seeing elderly persons living out their "golden" years in abject poverty. Usually the desire to help is not fulfilled due to inertia, or because of a lack of direction, or due to the absence of an appropriate framework in which to put good intentions to use. The Ezrat Avot organization has overcome these obstacles and more, and since 1976, has been operating a community center in one of Jerusalem's oldest and poorest neighborhoods.

Haifa Women Crisis Center - The Haifa Women Crisis Shelter has opened its gates on the summer of 1995 in order to provide cultural-sensitive and feminist care for women and children survivors of domestic violence. The cultural sensitive care and empowerment is provided 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in Arabic, Hebrew and Russian by referring to our clients, both women and children, as equal participants in the decision making process of healing.

Israeli Association for Immigrant Children (IAIC) - IAIC deals with the protecting the rights of immigrant children/youth in Israel. Our goals are to position the needs of immigrant children on the public agenda, conduct community education programs that promote multi-cultural tolerance and combat discrimination, and establish relationships with local and international organizations to share information and work together to promote common values.

The Jaffa Institute - The Jaffa Institute is a private non-profit organization serving approximately 4,000 disadvantaged Israeli children, of all ages, without reference to religious or ethnic background. The mission of the Institute is to provide a wide array of educational, recreational and social enrichment programs that provide severely disadvantaged children with a sense of self worth, while furnishing them with the skills needed to succeed and to reach their full academic and social potential.

SHAMESH: Jewish-Arab Friendship and Coexistence in the Galilee, Israel - SHEMESH began in 1987 as a grassroots, "good neighbors" organization. We build trust, respect and understanding between Jews and Arabs in the Galilee Region of Israel. We do this through our "people-to-people programs" that create friendships and impart skills for coexistence. SHAMESH is dedicated to: building friendly relations between Arabs and Jews of all ages in the Galilee, nurturing understanding and respect for cultural differences, operating cultural programs, and establishing model programs for communities throughout Israel.

BUSTAN L’Shalom - BUSTAN L’Shalom is a partnership of Jewish and Arab eco-builders, architects, academics, and farmers promoting social and environmental justice in Israel/Palestine. BUSTAN welcomes both interns and volunteers for semester or year-long internships. We are seeking partnerships with creative individuals who define themselves as impassioned, skilled, self-starters who are eager to help manage proactive, tangible and environmentally conscious projects to catalyze social change.

Israeli Sea Turtle Rescue Centre - International volunteers are needed to assist the challenging work of the Israeli Sea Turtle Rescue Centre. Work includes protecting and rehabilitating the Loggerhead and green turtles in the center itself and nearby beaches. Trips will also be organized for the volunteers to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the Dead Sea.

JICI - Jokobovits Torah Institue of Contemporary Issues is looking for a legal assistant to oversee the legal aspects of the Institute’s public policy Research Projects from the academic aspect, and give general legal advice. Volunteers can be located internationally and will work with distinguished scholars and thinkers associated with the institues. JICI is also looking for a volunteer to help get the JICI’s website listed in search engines, web portals, indexes, and relevant sites. Make our website as known as possible over the web.

Shekel Israel - Shekel is a non-profit, volunatry organization that develops and operates services and programs for 4500 children and adults with physical, mental and emotional disabilities from all sectors of society, regardless of nationality or religion. Shekel operates 45 group homes, 4 sheltered workshops and leisure activities in Jerusalem, Petah Tikva, and other localities in Israel. Volunteers work in all projects: housing, sheltered workshops and leisure activities, assist in all jobs in para-professional capacity, 40 hours a week, with a minimum commitment of six months.

Student World Assembly - Promoting Global Democracy, one student at a time! We are looking for volunteers with a strong interest in Global Democracy and Human Rights for research schools in their area and recruit members for the organization.