אייקון יוטיוב
יונה עפה

the kiverstein Institute

מכון קיברשטיין

معهد كيبرشتاين

proudly feminist

The Kiverstein Institute

Proudly Feminist

The Kiverstein Institute is devoted to supporting and strengthening the feminist arena in Jerusalem. Our goal is to advance the status and increase the influence of women in every field of activity and in all sectors of Jerusalem society. 

In Jerusalem, our complicated, colourful and beloved city, we see the full range of diversity  – political, religious and socio-economic – that can be found nation-wide. We believe that this diversity can be our strength but that it needs the contribution of women from every sector, their creativity and capabilities, to be harnessed to heal the present rifts and raise the city to its potential.

The Kiverstein Institute was founded in November 2018 by Melinda Jones, a human rights lawyer from Melbourne, Australia. It is named in honour of Melinda’s mother, Geraldine Jones nee Kiverstein.

 

Our Spheres of Activity

Women in
Jerusalem

Feminist Activism
in Jerusalem

Inclusivity, Values, Human Rights

Jewish Women in the Diaspora/ Women in Judaism

Women, Peace
and Security

Women in the
Political Arena

Our Projects

The Minhalim Project

The Challenge
The representation of women in communal administrations, a level of government which has a direct impact on peoples’ lives, is very low.
The Desired Outcome
To increase the representation of women to parity – 50%.
Our Plan of Action
o conduct research into the factors preventing appropriate representation of women and to make the results know to the public; to encourage women to run for election, to support them through their candidacy by providing them with tools and resources; to call to the public to vote in the elections and, particularly, to vote for women.

Surveying and Mapping the Feminist Arena in Jerusalem

The Challenge
The Challenge There is no overview of feminist organisations, initiatives and activists in Jerusalem and no umbrella organisation or activity to bring them together.
The Desired Outcome
Surveying and mapping the feminist arena and creating the forum for all organisations and activists to come together.
Our Plan of Action
To survey and map the field through research tools including questionnaires and interviews; to hold the first Jerusalem Feminist Forum.

The Network of Jerusalem Women Community-Builders

The Challenge
The ability of women to influence the public discourse in Jerusalem is limited by their activism being disparate and the lack of opportunities for collaboration and mutual support.
The Desired Outcome
Strengthening the influence of women in our city by creating synergy.
Our Plan of Action
Creating a Network of Jerusalem Women Community-Builders: building a website on which they can celebrate their achievements and share their visions; holding activities where they can meet, create alliances and learn together.

Cafeministi (Feminist Café)

The Challenge
Women are doing important work in isolation from one another; they need opportunities to share ideas, create alliances and feel supported.
The Desired Outcome
Activist women will have the opportunity to meet regularly in an informal setting, conducive to sharing of ideas and mutual support, where short-term and long-term alliances can be made.
Our Plan of Action

Resolution 1325

The Challenge
Women are largely excluded from the decision-making on matters of peace and conflict-resolution here, where the security situation is dire as long as the conflict remains unresolved.
The Desired Outcome
Increasing the representation of women in all fora where matters of security – personal security and national security – are discussed.
Our Plan of Action
Making a short documentary film about UN Security Council Resolution 1325 highlighting the work of women here; holding a series of events to raise awareness; participating in the national forum of feminist organisations working for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 at the national governmental level.

Our Team

עו“ד מלינדה ג‘ונס

Melinda Jones

Founder and Director

פיטה ג‘ונס פלח

Peta Jones Pellach

Senior Fellow

חמוטלגורי

Hamutal Gouri

Senior Fellow

יסכה בשיא אופנהיים

Yiska Oppenheim

Digital Media and Marketing

proudly feminist

proudly

feminist

לוגו ירושלמיות משפיעות

The Network of Jerusalem Women Community-Builders, an initiative of the Kiverstein Institute, is a platform for highlighting the incredible and diverse work of women in this city, for supporting women’s initiatives, for raising awareness, enabling collaborations and helping each other shine. 

Jerusalem women of influence on a national, city-wide or local level are all invited to join.

עדן2 - מעיין במדבר

עדן לוי

אביבה

אביבה ראייר בן שלוש

מלכה מזרחי-שראבי

מלכי מזרחי שראבי

כרמי-אור

כרמי אור

Adie Catarivas

עדי קטריבס

ניצן ברנשטיין

ניצן ברנשטיין

גלי כץ

גלי כץ

אמון סלים

אמון סלים

חני ברלינר

חני ברלינר

אילנה נלסון

אילנה נלסון

דלית-גהן

דלית גהן

בתאל אמסטר

בתאל אמסטר

סול רפאל

סול רפאל

אוואטר

עינת קאפח

שלוה וייל

שלווה וייל

Anat Mufkadi

ענת מופקדי

Tania Hammer

טניה המר

בסמת חזן

בשמת חזן

נועה בן סעדיה

נועה בן סעדיה

שלומית בוני

שלומית בוני

Maria Leppäkari

מריה לפקרי

אוואטר

תפארת אוריה

סונדוס אלחות

סונדוס אלחות

Rachel Pear

רחל פאר

חוה סרוסי
חוה סרוסי
מלכי מזרחי שראבי
מלכה מזרחי-שראבי
רויטל שמרון
רויטל שמרון
ניצן ברנשטיין
ניצן ברנשטיין
שלווה וייל
שלוה וייל
עדי וימר
עדי וימר
דקלה עדן
דקלה עדן
Nivine A. Sandouka
Nivine A. Sandouka
תפארת אוריה
אוואטר
חדוה אבוחצירה מרש
חדוה אבוחצירה מרש
אחוה יאלר צוריה
אחוה יאלר צוריה
אביבה ראייר בן שלוש
אביבה

The Minhalim Project

Advancing the Representation of Women in Communal Administrations

We undertook this project in order to radically alter the picture of women’s representation at the level of the communal administrations in this city. Jerusalem’s model for governance is unique. The city is divided into 31 communal administrations and through them, the City Council implements its decisions and governs. The administrations have responsibility for implementation of decisions on issues such as infrastructure, education, social welfare and use of public space. This makes membership of the administrations significant. Each administration has nine members elected by residents and a further six members appointed by and representing the City Council. After nearly a decade without elections, in 2020, three rounds of elections were scheduled for 2021-22. Prior to elections, the representation of women stood at just 14%.
Our goal was to significantly raise the number of women elected.
At the end of the three rounds, completed in April, 2022, we had made some progress towards our desired outcome. Although still a long way from 50%, we were encouraged by the incremental increase of women candidates and electoral turnout. We still have work to do.

events

The Time Has Come to Make a Difference

With the Van Leer Institute A meeting of minds of influential Jerusalem women to share ideas on how to change the constituency of the City Council after the November elections. This event is by invitation only and participants will think strategically about how to overcome the obstacles towards greater representation of women at the city level.

“Portrait”

Winner of the Best Documentary film at the Haifa Film Festival, 2021. In honour of International Women’s Day, we are partnering with Women Wage Peace to screen the movie and meet the subject of this harrowing and thought-provoking film, Kifaya Ayati, interviewed by Peta Jones Pellach. (The film is in Arabic and Hebrew, with Hebrew sub-titles). To receive a code for discounted tickets: Sue 052 – 238 4818
2023-02-27
6:00 pm
Jerusalem Cinematheque

"Why Peace is a Woman's Issue?"

Six Israeli and Palestinian women discussed their hopes and their challenges in peace-making in a short documentary on the 20th anniversary of UN Resolution 1325. The participants in the conversation will reflect further on the importance of women's involvement in peace-making here and everywhere.
2021-08-11
11:00
(6:00pm Melbourne)