About Us

Isha l’Isha Haifa Feminist center is a community of women building partnership and understanding among women in Israel, regardless of religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual preference, ability or disability or socioeconomic status.“Isha L’Isha” is a leading voice in the struggle for women’s rights in the country .It is the oldest feminist center in Israel founded in 1983 by the feminist women of Haifa who fought for women’s rights in the 1970s.

Our mission is to advance the status and rights of women and girls, and to promote peace, security, and socio-economic justice from a feminist perspective through dissemination of knowledge, advancing legislation, research, and public events.

Our Goals

To eradicate every form of discrimination, violence and oppression against women,
To protect our rights to make decisions about our bodies,
To create the conditions for understanding, commonality and dialog between women of different cultures and backgrounds.
To improve existing services and adapt them to the specific needs of women.
Social change by raising awareness to issues of equality,
To take action against any sexist expression in society and to spread the idea of equal rights and opportunities for all women.

Our vision is:

A society where all women enjoy equal rights in all fields.

A society without gender-based violence.

A society in which women’s voices are heard.

A society in which women have full and equal access.

Organizational Structure

Isha L’Isha is a non-hierarchical, member-based organization, governed by a Collective that is open to all women. With 100 active volunteers from diverse backgrounds including: Mizrahi and Ashkenazi Jewish women, Palestinian women citizens of Israel, LBTQI+ women, women with disabilities, women from all socio-economic backgrounds, academics, and activists. At the monthly meeting the Collective outlines policy and guidelines for the organization. Decisions are arrived at by consensus the Collective is a unique aspect of Isha L’Isha, which defines us as a grassroots and community-based organization.

The Board of Directors is made up of a committed group of 5-8 women. This body is responsible for implementing general policies and strategies, which are agreed upon by the Collective, and for the fiscal and executive management of the organization.

The day-to-day work is the responsibility of the paid staff. As a non-hierarchical, feminist organization, Isha L’Isha has never had an Executive Director. Each staff person has a volunteer mentor whose role is to be there to listen offer advice and support.

All projects at Isha L’Isha have a Steering Committee, which works alongside project staff. The Steering Committees discuss the projects’ progress, challenges and make decisions regarding activities and strategies. There are other committees as well including the Oversight Committee, the “Koach-Isha” Committee (mentoring to each employed staff) the Finance Committee, supervising fiscal matters and budgeting, and the newly formed Resource Development Committee. That support s the staff fundraiser and initiates fundraising activities targeting the local community.

Our Activities

Isha L’Isha is based in Haifa. However, many of our projects focus on implementing system-wide solutions to problems faced by women. As a result, Isha L’Isha has national influence, reaching target audiences throughout the country. We are active in raising public awareness campaigns, demonstrations, and coalition work. We provide a platform for action-oriented discussions on issues such as feminism and women’s rights, violence against women, reproductive and health rights, discrimination in work and society, sexual orientation, the economy, climate and environmental issues, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and healthcare.

Our staff and activists often participate in coalitions and meetings in the Parliament to provide input and insights derived from our broad experiences. We have the largest and only feminist archive and library in Israel, where we collect and document feminist activism in Israel from 1970 to the present. Through the feminist archive, we make a significant social and political contribution that can inspire further generations.

Isha L’Isha has more than 30 years’ experience in running grassroots projects and has a national reputation for professionalism and dedication to feminist causes. In addition, we are a social change incubator with projects that have spun off into independent organizations, including the Hotline for Battered Women, Kayan Feminist Centre, and Women’s Economic Empowerment. Our premises serve as a resource center for the entire community.