Boston-Haifa NGO Networks

Boston-Haifa NGO Learning Exchange & Network

In cooperation with the Haifa-Boston Steering Committee in Haifa, the JCRC committee includes efforts to empower NGO leaders and strengthen the third sector in Haifa through the Boston-Haifa NGO Leaders Network.

In Boston, Jewish and non-Jewish community leaders and involved lay leaders participate in this project. The Committee seeks to expand the network of involved Boston NGO leaders to others who are interested in connecting with Israel by sharing their skills and connections in the area of nonprofit leadership to address economic and social justice issues in Haifa.

The Boston-Haifa NGO Learning Exchange Research Project brought together 10 NGOs to develop the partnership between the two cities, to support the growth of the organizations and NGO sectors, and to empower NGO leaders. The participating organizations, listed in Haifa-Boston matches, are Yedid and the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization; Hiyot and Centro Presente; Yeladeinu Betnufa and The City School; Kayan and Project Hope; and the Council of Volunteer Organizations and JCRC. Sixteen (16) Boston and Haifa NGO leaders, plus staff and Jenny Cohen and Donna Haig Friedman as researchers were involved in the Learning Exchange Research Project.

The Learning Exchange kicked off in December 2006 with a videoconference, followed by the Haifaim coming to Boston in January. During the four days of the January seminar, the Boston organizations hosted the group in their agencies where paired NGO leaders from Boston and Haifa co-facilitated workshops on community empowerment, the balance between social change and service work, being a learning organization, and sharing successes and failure situations, among other topics from which all of the participants could learn.

"The differences lie in culture and language and the similarities are that we are engaged in breaking through barriers that extenuate differences. We are connecting with humanity and celebrating differences. We have and need to continue to create safe spaces where we are free to be ourselves at the heart level and in creating relationships."

The same group reconvened in Haifa for two days in March. The Bostonians had the opportunity to see the Haifa organizations' agencies and co-facilitate group workshops with their Haifa partner. In Boston and in Haifa, there was time for one-on-one exchange and learning where participants had the opportunity to better understand their partner organizations through attending board and staff meetings, meetings with constituents, and observing programs. While in Haifa, the Learning Exchange organizations participated in and presented at the Conference on Social Responsibility at the University of Haifa, along with other Mission participants.

The project's focus on 1:1 matches created a way to empower the participants to jointly facilitate conversations and/or workshops and share skills, challenges and opportunities, and discuss similarities and differences in the context of their work with one another. This learning from the participatory action research approach, including the one-to-one correspondence and in-person group learning,has been documented as part of Donna Haig Friedman's research. It will also be available to the Council of Volunteer Organizations in Haifa and other organizations and stakeholders who have the power to change policy, allocate resources and advance social and economic security on behalf of the communities served by the NGOs in Haifa and in Boston.

The effects of these experiences and organized programs have been substantive and long lasting. In addition to bringing together skilled and experienced NGO leaders in Boston and Haifa this Research Project has created meaningful and sustained personal and professional relationships. It has strengthened the work of each of the participants in both cities toward closing social and economic gaps and creates a civil society through social change work.

The five Haifa NGOs have built strong bonds through learning from each other's experiences, challenges and successes. Though geographically located in the same neighborhood most of the Haifa organizations had never met one another, let alone worked together. As a result of the Learning Exchange, they have gone beyond their walls organizationally (literally and figuratively) and have begun to work together to create social change in Haifa. This exemplifies and builds on the work which the Council of Volunteer Organizations is doing to strengthen the leadership and the work of the NGOs in Haifa, and will serve as a model moving forward.

Donna Haig Friedman, left, and the Learning Exchange Research Project participants presented at a conference at the University of Haifa in March 2008.

In 2007-2008, we have expanded the group in both cities to include more NGO leaders in this learning exchange as part of the Boston-Haifa NGO Network. There were quarterly videoconferences and a seminar in Haifa in March. The seminar in Boston will take place in September 2009. There will be continued opportunities to do shared learning and reflection, share experiences and expertise through co-facilitated seminar sessions and videoconferences, and build skills and understanding of the work and context of the work being done in both cities.

"I have gained a lot of strength from this experience while simultaneously experiencing the challenges of leadership. By learning with and from women that lead NGOs, I have received power of what it means to be a leader, and look forward to continuing to grow the Network." ~ Learning exchange participant