# Ahoti – for Women in Israel

Part of a series on :
Feminism :
History
Feminist history
History of feminism
Women's history
American
British
Canadian
German
Waves
First
Second
Third
Fourth
Timelines
Women's suffrage
Muslim countries
US
Other women's rights
Women's suffrage by country
Austria
Australia
Canada
Colombia
India
Japan
Kuwait
Liechtenstein
New Zealand
Spain
Second Republic
Francoist
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Cayman Islands
Wales
United States
states :
Intersectional variants
Fat
Lesbian
Lesbian of color
Radical lesbianism
Separatist
Sex-positive
Transfeminism
Postgenderism
Vegetarian ecofeminism
Socialist
Anarchist
Queer
Jineology
Marxist
Critical theory
Standpoint
Materialist
Ecofeminist
Postcolonial
Global
Transnational
Xenofeminism
Multicultural
Africana womanism
Black
Hip hop
Lesbian
Ratchet
Chicana
Lesbian
Indigenous
Native American
Multiracial
Romani
Womanism :
Other variants
Anti-abortion
Equity
Femonationalism
Maternal
Postfeminism
Neofeminism
Reactionary
State
Carceral
Imperial
Embedded
Gender-critical or trans-exclusionary
Victim
White :
Religious variants
Atheist
Buddhist
Christian
Mormon
New
Womanist
Asian
Neopagan
Dianic Wicca
Reclaiming
Ecofeminist
Hindu
Islamic
Jewish
Orthodox
Sikh :
Movements and ideologies
Analytical
Anti-fascist
Anti-pornography
Cyberfeminism
HCI
Networked
Ecofeminism
Eugenic
Individualist
Lipstick
Stiletto
Liberal
Difference
Equality
Social
Labor
Libertarian
Post-structural
Postmodern
Radical
Cultural
Political lesbianism
Separatist
Technofeminism
Women's liberation :
Concepts
Cognitive labor
Complementarianism
Literature
Children's literature
Discrimination against transgender women
Diversity (politics)
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Effects on society
Equality
Female education
Female genital mutilation
Femicide
Feminationalism
Feminism in culture
Feminist movement
African-American women's suffrage movement
Art movement
In hip hop
Feminist stripper
Formal equality
Gender equality
Gender quota
Girl power
Honor killing
Ideal womanhood
Invisible labour
Internalized sexism
International Girl's Day and Women's Day
Language reform
Feminist capitalism
Gender-blind
Likeability trap
Male privilege
Matriarchal religion
Media
Men in feminism
Misogyny
Oedipus complex
Opposition to feminism
Pro-feminism
Protofeminism
Purplewashing
Racism
Reproductive justice
Sex workers' rights
Sexual harassment
Sexual objectification
Substantive equality
Toxic masculinity
Transmisogyny
Triple oppression
Violence against women
War on women
Women's empowerment
Women-only space
Women's health
Women's rights
Women in the workforce :
Outlooks
Bicycling and feminism
Criticism of marriage
Views on BDSM
Views on pornography
Views on prostitution
Views on sexual orientation
Views on sexuality
Views on transgender topics
SCUM Manifesto :
Theory
Feminist method
Gender studies
Gender mainstreaming
Gynocentrism
Kyriarchy
Male gaze
Matriarchy
Women's studies
Men's studies
Patriarchy
Écriture féminine
Areas of study
Anthropology
Archaeology
Architecture
Art
Art criticism
Literary criticism
Film theory
Science fiction
Biology
Composition studies
Criminology
Pathways perspective
Economics
FDPA
Geography
International relations
Constructivism
Legal theory
Pedagogy
Philosophy
Aesthetics
Empiricism
Epistemology
Ethics
Justice ethics
Existentialism
Metaphysics
science
Political ecology
Political theory
Pornography
Psychology
Therapy
Revisionist mythology
Sex wars
Sexology
Sociology
Technoscience
Theology
womanist theology :
By continent/country
Africa
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Egypt
Ethiopia
Ghana
Mali
Nigeria
Senegal
South Africa
Albania
Australia
Bangladesh
Canada
China
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Republic of Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Latin America
Argentina
Brazil
Chile
Haiti
Honduras
Mexico
Paraguay
Trinidad and Tobago
Lebanon
Malaysia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Northern Cyprus
Norway
Pakistan
Philippines
Poland
Russia
Saudi Arabia
South Korea
Sweden
Syria
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Vietnam
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
History of women :
Lists and categories
Lists
Articles
Feminists
by nationality
Literature
American feminist literature
Feminist comic books
Feminist songs
Conservative feminisms
Ecofeminist authors
Feminist art critics
Feminist economists
Feminist philosophers
Feminist poets
Feminist rhetoricians
Jewish feminists
Muslim feminists
Feminist parties
Suffragists and suffragettes
Women's rights activists
Women's studies journals
Women's suffrage organizations
Categories
Women's rights by country
Feminists by nationality :
Feminism portal :
vte :
Ahoti – for Women in Israel (in Hebrew: אחותי – למען נשים בישראל‎, known as "Ahoti") is a feminist social movement, founded upon the principles of Mizrahi feminism. The movement works to promote issues of economic, social and cultural justice, and to empower and create solidarity among women of the lower socio-economic classes in Israel.

## History

The Ahoti movement was officially founded in 2000 by a group of Mizrahi feminist activists, including Henriette Dahan Kalev, Vicki Shiran, Neta Amar, and Shula Keshet, who is the executive director of the organization. The movement was founded upon the principles of Mizrahi feminism, and was born of the perspective that the feminist organizations in Israel were created and run by Ashkenazi women, mostly middle- and upper-class, and academics, from the center of the country, who worked to promote issues of interest and relevance to them. The Ahoti movement does not dismiss these issues, but contends that they are neither singular nor universal, and that they marginalize from the public consciousness the existence of large communities of women who are struggling for their everyday existence, and not for equal pay at executive levels or representation at senior levels of government.
In 2007, Ahoti published the anthology To My Sister, Mizrahi Feminist Politics, which is a collection of articles, essays, speeches, personal stories, prose and poetry dealing with Mizrahi feminism. Included are issues such as class, identity, memory and alternatives. In 2012, Ahoti published From A to Z: A Dictionary of Peace by Women in Israel, the culmination of a 3-year project by 60 Jewish Israeli and Arab women from South Tel Aviv, Rahat, Yehud and Kfar Kera, who each contributed her personal perspective on peace. The book, which includes both prose and poetry, was translated into both Hebrew and Arabic, as needed.
In 2003, Ahoti was a partner in the struggle of Vicki Knafo and the single mothers against cutbacks in child stipends. In 2008, Ahoti took part in the struggle against ethnically segregated schools in Immanuel. Together with the Tmura center, Ahoti sued on behalf of some of the parents in the settlement for violation of the law prohibiting equal use of public facilities. Concurrently, an appeal was made to the High Court of Justice, and protests were held in front of the Ministry of Education. In 2014, Ahoti founded the "Mizrahi Feminist Madrasa", an educational program offering courses and workshops.
The Ahoti movement is a member of the Shutfut (partnership) Coalition, a coalition of women's organizations working together to promote equality and justice for women, with an emphasis on lobbying and advocacy. Other organizations in the coalition include Itach-Maaki Women Lawyers for Social Justice, Adva Center, Ruach Nashit (women's spirit), Kol Ha Isha (women's voice), and more.
In 2009, Ahoti opened the Ahoti Fair Trade shop, the first and only of its kind in the Middle East. The store is operated in cooperation with 16 social organizations from around the country, and employs women on fair wage terms and sells handicrafts from more than 200 manufacturers from a variety of cultural groups, including cooperatives such as Ahta in Kiryat Gat, and Women Brewing a Business from Jerusalem. All the products are made by women who need economic empowerment, and through the store women can find new markets for their products, without the costs of middlemen or advertising.

## Ahoti House

The movement's headquarters was established in the south Tel Aviv neighborhood of Neve Sha'anan, and serves as cultural and community center for Mizrahi feminism. It houses an information center, multi-disciplinary counseling, art shows, lectures, workshops, courses, and other events geared to residents of the neighborhood and the public at large.
Ahoti house hosts the annual "Black Night" festival, which is held in protest of the Tel Aviv municipal "White Night" festival. Ahoti, together with other representatives of south Tel Aviv neighborhoods (which are largely Mizrahi, and more recently also Black) claim that "The White City", as Tel Aviv is known, is also the "White" city – that the municipality serves the Ashkenazi neighborhoods, and elevates Ashkenazi culture, at the literal expense of South Tel Aviv residents, whose neighborhoods have become slums, rife with drugs and prostitution, as well as pollution; and who in addition pay the cultural and social prices of this discrimination. "Black Night" events have become a target for police action, particularly in 2013, when the festival began.

## Staff

Actor and director Ronit Alkabetz served as president of Ahoti, until her death in 2016. Shula Keshet is the executive director. The chairwomen of the executive committee is Oshri Hayon, and the head of projects is Carmen Elmakias. Past and present members include Smadar Lavie, Flora Sasson, Esther Eillam, Henriette Dahan Kalev and Pnina Motzafi-Haller.