In this week’s Israel Seminar, we studied the rise of the Third Sector in Israel and the decline of the centralized welfare state, specifically looking at social justice and environmental issues and the role of NGOs in effecting policy in Israel.

Here is our top 5 of the day:

1. Our first guest speaker, Naomi Schahter, from Shatil, spoke about the place of the Third Sector in the weakened welfare state and specifically about the organization she works for, Shatil, which is the New Israel’s Fund’s Empowerment and Training Center for Social Change Organizations in Israel.

2. For the second part of the day, we split up into two groups. We know everyone will be shocked to hear that Molly chose the group that discussed environmental issues and lobby work in Israel. This group met with Dr. Alon Tal of the Ben Gurion University of the Negev. Dr. Alon Tal is also a political activist and a leader of the Meimad/Green Party in Israel. Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHICEBGWrcE for a video introduction of Alon Tal.

3. Dr. Alon Tal solved the great mystery of what to do with our aluminum cans in this country…and no, the answer is not to throw them away.

4. While Molly was learning about the Green Party, Bess was learning about how the NGO BeMa’agalai Tsedek (Circles of Justice) works on issues such as disability and poverty in Israel.

5. The highlight of Bess’s group was when they took turns trying to navigate Emek Refaim (a popular street full of shops and restaurants) in wheelchairs. There were many obstacles such as cobblestone streets which sometimes had holes, but the most difficult obstacle turned out to be all the cars that park on the sidewalk - another charming feature of life in Jerusalem!