Mixed Cities

The October 7th horrific attack on southern Israel left the cities, villages and Kibutzim of the Western Negev area with tearing grief, loss and trauma. The 2024-2025 art calendar, produced by hbs's partner Umm Culture association, provides a glimpse to personal, symbolic interpretations of the local reality before and after October 7th, as well as a space for reflection and rehabilitation.

A closer look at the Jewish population in Israel’s Mixed Cities reveals a complex image of migration, disconnection, and concrete challenges faced by women, mostly single mothers or elderly. Unfamiliar with the details and history of the ethno-national conflict, new immigrants from weaker backgrounds are situated in these contested spaces.

The article explores feminist social work conducted during May 2021’s violent events in the mixed city of Haifa. Linking experiences of marginalization and processes of community building, the article outlines the possibilities embedded in women’s only spaces against a backdrop of hostility and aggression.

Although mixed cities provide greater opportunities for Arab women, the unique character of these cities is largely to the detriment of the Arab population living in them. The impact of these conflicting trends on women in Israel’s mixed cities is presented through various data and analysis.

Taking a different gender perspective, the article centers on young men who are not active in any employment or educational framework. The events of May 2021, it is argued, were expected as policies and programs relevant to the distresses suffered by these youths are lacking or not put in place.

The city of Lod found itself at the heart of the violent aggression of May 2021. Through documented interviews, the article outlines six themes through which the traumatic events were reflected in the lives of the women of Lod and their families.

The city of Jaffa was a central point of conflict during the violent events of May 2021. The article, based on interviews conducted 6 months before violence broke out, outlines the ways in which gender, class, and ethno-national hierarchies, together with the violent and public character of protest, position both Jewish and Arab women at the margins of the events.

 Taking a different gender perspective, the article centers on young men who are not active in any employment or educational framework. The events of May 2021, it is argued, were expected as policies and programs relevant to the distresses suffered by these youths are lacking or not put in place.