We are looking for Part-time assistant (f/m/d) at the Willy Brandt Center

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Application Deadline: August 26th 2019

 

אנו מחפשים עוזר- צוות במשרה חלקית במרכז ווילי ברנדט בירושלים

مساعد/ة فريق بوظيفة جزئية لمركز ويلي براندت في القدس

Part-time assistant (f/m/d) at the Willy Brandt Center

Duties include (but will not be limited to):

  • Secretarial and administrative support such as answering calls, taking messages, handling correspondence and keeping track of pending matters
  • Organisational support, for example arranging meetings and events, preparing background material or making travel arrangements for delegations and other visiting groups;
  • Handling and follow up of visa and permit applications
  • Translations from English into Arabic and Hebrew
  • Preparations and support for bookkeeping and accounting
  • Event assistance (in-house and at other locations, incl. events in the Westbank)
  • Welcoming visitors and hospitality service for guests of the center
  • Car trips for supplies and logistics

Requirements:

Openness for the cross-boarder-approach of the WBC, excellent written and verbal communication skills in Arabic, English and Hebrew, ability to travel into the Westbank.
Residence: Jerusalem

Working hours: 3 half days days per week (65 hours per month)
preferably on afternoons with willingness to be available for events taking place on evenings and weekends if needed

To apply, please submit your CV and an informal motivation letter to

petra.klose@willybrandtcenter.org 

Further Information in Englisch, Hebrew and Arabic you will find here here.

 

 

 

 

New Project Coordinator for “Politics without Borders”

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Welcome Tobias!

Since mid-July, Tobias Pietsch is the new Coordinator of the “Politics without Borders” project in the WBC. Tobias has been committed to the work of the WBC for over 10 years. His involvement began in 2008 as a volunteer at the WBC, and since then he has engaged with this project, as well as with the region in general. He has been a member of the board of the WBC Support Association in Germany for many years, and supported the volunteers in Jerusalem. Throughout his work as a tour guide at Alsharq, he has become acquainted with almost every corner of Israel and Palestine. Tobi has gotten to know not only the places, but also the people that make these countries so special. We are more than happy to have Tobi as our project coordinator at the WBC, and expect with confidence the challenges that we will face together.

DE:

Herzlich Willkommen Tobias!

Seit Mitte Juli ist Tobias der neue Koordinator des Projekts „Entscheider*innen der Zukunft“ im WBC. Tobias ist bereits seit über 10 Jahren in die Arbeit rund um das WBC involviert. Sein Weg begann 2008 als Zivildienstleistender im WBC und seitdem hat ihn das Projekt, aber auch die Region allgemein nicht mehr losgelassen. Er war danach viele Jahre Mitglied im Fördervereinsvorstand des WBZ e.V. und betreute seinerseits die Zivildienstleistenden, später dann FSJler*innen. Durch seine Arbeit als Reiseleiter bei alsharq kennt er inzwischen wohl fast jede Ecke in Israel und Palästina. Er kennt aber vor allem nicht nur die Orte, sondern allen voran die Menschen, die diese Länder so besonders machen. Wir können uns mehr als glücklich schätzen, Tobias nun als Projektkoordinator im WBC zu haben und blicken mit Zuversicht auf die kommenden Herausforderungen, die wir gemeinsam angehen wollen.

Farewell of Judith

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EN:

Thank you for everything, Judith!

Judith Höffkes, project coordinator since 2016, has left the WBC after three eventful years. Judith has navigated the “Politics without Borders” project through exciting and challenging times. She has always been devoted to introducing young people with the WBC, and to explain the various narratives that parallel each other and allow for a mutual understanding. Judith has always been our anchor, and has left an important mark on the WBC. We would like to thank her for everything!

 

DE:

Danke für Alles, Judith!

Judith Höffkes, Projektkoordinatorin seit 2016, hat nach drei ereignisreichen Jahren das WBC verlassen. Judith hat das Projekt „Entscheider*innen der Zukunft“ sicher durch aufregende Zeiten geführt. Sie hat sich immer die Zeit genommen junge Menschen an das WBC heranzuführen und die unterschiedlichen Narrative die dort aufeinander prallen verständlich zu erklären. Judith war unser Fels in der Brandung, sie hat das WBC geprägt und wir möchten uns bei ihr für alles bedanken!

 

German teachers visit to learn about dealing with the past

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A group of ten German teachers, organized by the GEW – Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft (teachers union), visited the Willy Brandt Center on July 23rd. For many years, the GEW have been conducting joint seminars with their local counterparts on ways of dealing with the past. For this reason, they have been especially interested in the narrative work and methods we perform in our project. Aside from introducing our general activities, we focused on how young Israelis and Palestinians share their family histories with one another, in a framework which enables them to learn and understand about similarities and differences in biographies and narratives.

Ver.di Delegation visits the WBC

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On July 17th we hosted a delegation of 11 members of Ver.di, the German United Services Trade Union. The delegation members were introduced to the Willy Brandt Center’s work and activities, and were then invited to a Q&A session on Palestinian and Israeli politics, economy and society.

The visiting participants were particularly interested by the overview on the various political parties, elections and economic situation in Palestine, as well as the education system and vocal trainings for young adults. Discussing the roles and challenges of trade unions in both countries, the conversation also touched on divides and ongoing debates in Israeli society. Finally, there was an analysis of the Israeli elections in April, with the intention of providing an outlook on the upcoming elections in September.

Can entrepreneurship be a means of empowerment for Bedouin women? — Fieldtrip Negev/Naqab – July 13, 2019

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This June, the Willy Brandt Center organised a fieldtrip to the Negev/Naqab aimed at learning more about the challenges that Bedouin women face in their lives and in the labour market. The fieldtrip allowed us to meet these women first hand and to see what can’t be seen from Jerusalem, from afar.

First we met Ilham from Sidreh in the Bedouin village Lakiya, who introduced us to the businesses Bedouin women work in, such as embroidery and other handcrafts. Embroidery is one of the traditions that all Bedouin women learn, usually for the purpose of decorating dresses. Nowadays, these embroidery patterns are also used for bags and pillows, thus connecting this traditional art to new products intended for customers all around the world.

We met Dr. Sarab Abu Rabia-Queder (Senior Lecturer at Ben-Gurion University) at Ajeek, which is an Arab-Jewish Center for Empowerment and Cooperation in the Negev, aimed at promoting socio-economic development. Sarab presented her paper titled “The Economy of Survival: Bedouin Women in Unrecognized Villages” (2017), and talked about how Bedouin women rarely have the resources for agriculture, they have lost their productive roles within their families, and are not able to find jobs or work in the public workforce. Sarab further discussed the ways in which the lives of Bedouin women have changed following the Nakba and due to the current living conditions  – especially in unrecognised villages, where  land confiscations and the deprivation of housing rights and proper infrastructure are prevalent.

WBC joined 50th anniversary of Jusos’ “turn to the left” Congress in Munich, Germany – July 5-7, 2019

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In 1969, German Young Socialists decided during their federal congress in Munich to turn to the left, and became an independent youth organization of the Social Democratic Party. 50 years later, the present generation of young activists celebrated this historical step, which continues to influence the organization’s DNA. Activists and former and current coordinators contributed to the three-day congress.

In a “then and now” talk, former project coordinator Christopher Paesen, discussed with Judith Höffkes their experiences at the WBC in different points of time. Political team member Nilli Marderer and project manager Tobias Pietsch gave a workshop on the beliefs of Socialist Zionism, based on the notions formulated by Moshe Hess. Sitting under a Bavarian chestnut tree, Judith offered a Q&A session concerning current issues in Israel and Palestine, and attracted the interest of numerous participants.

“Mulu and Tsegay” – A Puppet Theatre Project for Schools – June 16, 2019

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In June, the Willy Brandt Center was happy to present a new puppet theatre project for schools, developed by the Israeli actors Moriya Benavot and Shaharit Yerushalmy. Their play, “Mulu and Tsegay”, is an adaption for the stage of a children’s book written by the Israeli author Tamar Verete-Zehav. It tells of courage, friendship and love, and is based on the true experiences of African refugees now living in Israel.

The audience follows the harrowing journey of two siblings, a brother and sister, who run away from their home in Eastern Africa after witnessing the burning of a neighbouring village.

Believing in the power of the arts, and specifically theatre, the artists aim to sow seeds of tolerance, open-mindedness and acceptance towards the so-called strangers living in our midst. Instead of perpetuating stereotypes infused with fear and hatred, they hope to create a sense of empathy, acceptance and compassion.

The play was performed at Beit Hakerem School in Jerusalem, where children and staff greatly enjoyed the lively performance of “Mulu and Tsegay”. The play was followed by a panel and workshops with Abdu Adam, the director Hadas Selbst, the author Tamar Verete-Zehavi, and the two actors.

We hope to have the chance to present the play to wider audiences throughout Israel in the future, and expect that “Mulu and Tsegay” will soon visit other schools as well as community centres, thus invite more kids to embark on this magical journey.

Stellenausschreibung Fachkraft für „Internationale Bildungskooperation”

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Bewerbungsfrist 31.Juli 2019

Für unsere Bildungskooperation in Israel und Palästina im Rahmen des Zivilen Friedensdienstes suchen wir ab September 2019 eine neue Fachkraft im WBC. Du übernimmst als Leiter*in eines Kooperationsprojekts palästinensischer und israelischer Jugendverbände mit dem Schwerpunkt politischer Bildungs- und Begegnungsarbeit eine spannende und verantwortungsvolle Aufgabe im Feld der zivilen Konfliktberatung.

Die vollständige Stellenausschreibung findest Du hier.

Political Café: Can entrepreneurship be a means of empowerment for Bedouin women – May 2, 2019

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On the 2nd of May, the Willy Brandt Center hosted a Political Café with Jamal Al Kirnawi, founder and executive director of “A New Dawn in the Negev” and friends of Al Bustan community center, Jabal al Jahalin.

This evening was dedicated to the struggles of Bedouin women – a subject which is rarely discussed, even though Bedouin women play a key role in the conflict and in the peace building process.

The displacement and forced urbanization of Bedouin communities in the Negev/ Naqab and the West Bank have deprived Bedouin women of their traditional economic roles. Jamal offered us insights regarding his work with Bedouin women, and explained what structural challenges these women are facing in entering the labour market. Jamal mentioned that one major issue is the disparity in education, resulting from a weak educational infrastructure: fewer than 30% of Bedouin students earn a full high-school diploma, and when it comes to women students, the statistics are even lower.

Apart from that, Bedouin women face many other infrastructural problems. For example, when promoting their businesses on social media, these women must struggle to obtain a stable and affordable internet connection.

During the event we also fundraised for the Al Bustan community center, and sold embroidery made by the women of the Jahalin community – a project which has been supported by the Willy Brandt Center for several months. This event aimed to create an exchange between people who are working on similar projects and to build in Jerusalem a community that will support the Al Bustan Center.

Based on the work with Al Bustan, we know how important it is to see the Bedouin communities, their living conditions and the infrastructural problems with one’s own eyes. That’s why the WBC is organising a follow up event at the end of June: a tour to the Bedouin communities in the Naqab that will give the people of Jerusalem the chance to speak with these women themselves and learn about their businesses.