Name of Initiative: Mirkam in the Galilee Goal: To transform the Beit HaKerem Valley into a “coexistence zone”, a leading region in Israel driven by social and economic prosperity, safety and fruitful cooperation between the two communities. In cooperation with: The local councils of Dir Al-Asad, Majad Al-Krum, Be’ene and Nahef, Carmiel Municipality, the Northern District of the Ministry of Education,  Delta Galil Industries Activities: develop cadres of active local and regional leadership; strengthen and deepen emerging grassroots activities with an emphasis on formal as well as informal education and enrichment programs.

Background and Significance

Relations between the Jewish and the Arab communities in Israel greatly influence both the people in the communities themselves and the country as a whole. Events of the past few years, in particular the riots of October 2000, deepened the rift between Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel. This deterioration in Jewish-Arab relations has been felt most acutely in the Galilee region where most of Israel’s Arab citizens reside. Following the events of October 2000, business, social, and even personal connections between the two communities were seriously undermined.

In 2001, The Abraham Fund proposed the Mirkam in the Galilee Initiative, the goal of which was to develop the region of Bet Hakerem Valley in the Central Galilee as an exemplary model of regional cooperation and coexistence. The initiative was founded in collaboration with local authority leaders in the Beit Hekerem Valley and with the “Delta Galil” Company.

During the first two years, the initiative was implemented in the local authorities of Carmiel (a Jewish city), Nahaf and Alsajur (two Arab townships), concentrating primarily on educational encounter activities. Mirkam has now expanded to include an additional seven local authorities, both Jewish and Arab (Sakhnin, Misgav, Araba, Raama, Shaab, Kauchab Abu-Alhija, and Kfar Vradim). Today, the Initiative covers 47 Jewish and Arab communities, with a total population of 178,000.

Activities:

I. Inter-Municipal Collaboration:

In order to initiate cooperation between Jewish and Arab local authorities and to establish joint economic and infrastructural development in the region, The Abraham Fund set up a mechanism for regional deliberation, cooperation and consensus-building among decision-makers on the basis of mutual interests and inter-dependence.

The following inter-municipal forums have been established:

• Mayors Forum: A Jewish-Arab Mayor Forum serves as a sustainable body of elected regional leadership. The Forum establishes a permanent and active communication channel and grants legitimacy to activities in the other forums active in Mirkam.
• Environmental Justice Forum: This forum addresses issues of environmental justice and promotes a municipal responsibility for an improved quality of life for all residents of the region.
  This year, the forum's flagship project is the rejuvenation and development of the Sakhnin Valley, conducted in partnership with the Misgav Regional Council, the city of Sakhnin, and The Union of Cities for Environmental Quality, Agan Beit Netufa.
• Social Welfare Forum: This forum includes the directors of the Social Welfare departments in Carmiel and Alsajur. The forum provides a framework for discussing various social welfare problems on a regional basis.
  The flagship project of the Social Welfare Forum is the establishment of a shelter for individuals with special needs in Alsajur, in cooperation with the city of Carmiel, the National Insurance Institute, the Authority for the Development of the Galilee, the Deputy Prime Minister's Office and the Welfare Ministry.
• Tourism Forum – This forum includes representatives from participating local authorities, government ministries, economic development foundations, and other organizations dealing with tourism in the Galilee.  The primary goal of this working group is to develop an all-encompassing plan for the promotion of tourism in the Central Galilee.
  The flagship project of the Tourism Forum is a training framework for Jewish and Arab municipal coordinators in the field of Tourism, in conjunction with the Municipal Training Authority at the Ministry of Interior in Western Galilee (Mafam), the Jewish Agency, MATI Lev HaGalil (The Israel Small and Medium Enterprises Authority), Haifa University, and the Galilee Development Authority.
  In addition, the Forum will lead and implement a specific tourism project in the Hilazon River, in conjunction with the authorities of Arabeh, Sakhnin, Misgav and Sha'ab.  
• Regional Planning and Development Forum – This Forum serves as a framework for discussion and coordination between municipal planning bodies in the Central Galilee. The forum promotes joint alternative planning plans and discussions regarding justice and equality in planning.
  This year, the Forum will focus on the need to pave a connecting road between Shaab and the Misgav junction. In addition, it will promote dialogue between Misgav and Sakhnin regarding the joint industrial zone and jurisdictional boundaries. Finally, the Forum will advance discussions between Misgav and Arabeh regarding the Arabeh cemetery.
• Health Forum will map the health services and bodies operating in the area and the regional partnerships in this field. This information will be used to promote equality in accessibility and quality of health services in the region.
  The flagship project of the Health Forum is the establishment of an emergency room in Sakhnin: During the year, an intervention program will be formulated and partners for this matter will be recruited.

II. Partnerships in the Field of Civil Society: 

The Women’s Leadership Forum – Currently comprised of 18 local women leaders, the forum aims to increase the involvement of women in regional understanding and collaboration, while empowering local women and improving their status. In the future, the forum will expand to include all participating local authorities, and its activities will grow to include enrichment courses for women’s leadership, civic and political involvement, and Jewish-Arab cooperation.

In addition, the Women's Forum will create a partnership with the School for Behavioral Science at the Tzfat Academic College to promote women's leadership in the Mirkam region; hold a women's empowerment course for Jewish and Arab women in the region, and promote activities for the empowerment of Jewish and Arab women, such as the HILA BaGalil Walk for Health.

III. Education for Coexistence and Encounter Programs

In order to promote values of understanding, tolerance and acceptance of the other, Mirkam is conducting educational activities in formal and extra-curricular frameworks.

Eight pairs of Jewish and Arab schools in the region participate in formal and extra-curricular activities on issues such as music, arts, the environment, sports and culture. Activities involve students as well as school principals and teaching staff.

In addition to the school-pairing program, a Jewish-Arab Theater group and a Jewish-Arab Circus group meet weekly and hold performances in the region.

Another educational project focusing on coexistence and shared citizenship is taking place in cooperation with Merchavim. This is a three-year project which promotes the individual teacher as an agent of change.

Through this coordinated network of activities of Mirkam, The Abraham Fund aims to provide a viable model for wide-scale, systemic regional cooperation, illustrating that Jewish-Arab cooperation is an attainable reality. Eventually, The Abraham Fund hopes to replicate this model in other parts of Israel, such as Wadi Ara, the Carmel Coast and the Negev.