Bringing Galilee Jews, Arabs closer

Singer Chava Alberstein donates paintings to support northern communities

Reuters | Published: 03.03.11, 07:39

When Carmi Ashboren, a fundraiser for the Dugrinet website which was established for residents of the Galilee, listened to Chava Alberstein's latest album "Baruch Haba" ("Welcome"), he noticed that she had attached to the CD two of her drawings.

Ashboren sent the singer an email and asked for permission to use the drawings for free as part of a calendar aimed at raising funds for the Galilee Foundation for Value Education – an association engaged in informal educational activity aimed at leading a social change in the Galilee and tightening the relations between the Jewish and Arab populations.

The very next day, he received Alberstein's positive response. But instead of a calendar, Dugrinet decided to go for greeting cards with Alberstein's drawings on them, which could be used for any purpose, from a birthday or wedding greeting to a romantic letter.

"Chava sent us a selection of paintings from which we selected the ones most suitable for our goal," says Chedva Livnat, the founder and initiator of Dugrinet.

"They include drawings of nature, women and circles of children. Her paintings are happy, domestic and colorful. They make you smile. Every day we are astonished by Chava's unstoppable giving. It felt like she was opening doors for us without any conditions, just for the sake of giving."

What does your activity include?

"Dugrinet was founded about two years ago by a group of Jewish and Arab partners for people who live in the Galilee and care about it. The website operates in the Shorashim communal settlement in Misgav.

"We called the site Dugrinet because this name has a meaning both in Hebrew and Arabic: Direct speech. We recently dealt with the poverty situation in Carmiel and hosted evening in which we let both the establishment and academia and the poor people express themselves.

"We also initiated a tour in Bedouin communities which are unrecognized and disconnected from electricity. With the help of the donations we raise, we'll give a stage to people with special needs and launch a journalism course. Its graduates will be able to increase awareness to the Galilee in the media."