Achoti - for Women in Israel

Achoti (My Sister) - for Women in Israel was established in 1999 in order to advance Mizrahi (Oriental) feminist ideology, politics, culture and activism in Israel. The organization's general goal is to draw public attention towards socio-economical and cultural struggles of marginalized women in the region. Rooted in the ideological foundations of Mizrahi feminism, Achoti's activities tackle various multi-layered oppressions in Israeli society, focusing specifically on gender discrimination based on ethnic origin, skin color, culture and nationality.

During its years of operation, Achoti has succeeded to change the Israeli public discourse by bringing Mizrahi feminism and culture to the forefront. It significantly expanded third sector and feminist theory in Israel by creating a national and grassroots dialogue, engaging in socio-economic action, and promoting political awareness amongst various excluded populations. As a result, Achoti has become a leader in the Israeli feminist-social movement and is now an important resource and a center for dialogue between various groups of marginalized women. Most of Achoti's projects are designed to bring communities of women from the geographical, political, economical and cultural peripheries together and to attract attention to their life histories, work, creations and cultures. The overarching goal of these projects is to generate an intercultural community of women that can execute effective social, economic, cultural and political change in Israel.

WebSite: www.achoti.org.il

"Discovering the Boundaries of Memory: Women Creating a Language of Peace" is a socio-cultural project designed to create a fertile ground for cooperative and personal creativity amongst women with different backgrounds and biographies. In doing so, it seeks to create a social network of women from the periphery, from South Tel Aviv, Yahud and Rahat. During the workshops and meetings the participants learn creative writing, develop communication skills, discuss feminism, and interact with women artists, poets and writers. The project will conclude with the production and publication of a book that will include articles, artwork, photographs, discussions and the life stories prepared by the women throughout the duration of the project. Ultimately, this project seeks to place marginalized women and their life histories into the public national discourse in Israel - histories that until now have been largely overlooked and silenced.