The Mizrahi Democratic Rainbow Coalition (Hebrew: הקשת הדמוקרטית המזרחית, Hakeshet Hademocratit Hamizrahit) is a social justice organization among Mizrahi Jews (Jews from Arab and Muslim lands and the East) in Israel. They describe themselves as an "a-political, non-parliamentary social movement whose goal is to affect the current public agenda with the aim of bringing a change into the Israeli society as a whole and to its institutions… [to] implement values of democracy, human rights, social justice, equality and multiculturalism." The organization describes itself as "Mizrahi in its goals, universal in its beliefs and open to all those who identify with its values." Known Activists are: Yehouda Shenhav, Ishak Saporta,Yossi Dahan, Mati Shemoloef and more.
Criticism
The movement enjoys little popularity with mizrachi jews. Part of which relates to alienation of religious values as opposed to the traditionalist attitude of most Mizrachi Jews. Another issue is the radical left-wing views held by the movement, as opposed to the generally right-wing views common among Mizrachi Jews. Yet another issue is the refusal of mizrachi jews to participate in the politics of identity, frequently referred to by the derogatory term "Tribeness".
References
- Katz, Sue, "What's Left of the Left in Israel", Z Magazine, December 2004, 16-19.
- English-language page on their official site
