ליסאן
لسان
Lissan
Lissan, Arabic for language or tongue, advances a vision of a bilingual Hebrew-Arabic Jerusalem by promoting linguistic justice and equal access to basic rights and services for all Jerusalem residents through Hebrew language instruction to East Jerusalemites.
67
Groups
600
Students
75
Volunteers
3,000+
Alumni
In 2013, a group of women from East Jerusalem neighborhood Issawiya approached a group of young West Jerusalemite students in search of Hebrew studies that would suit their pressing needs. These women from Issawiya faced a language barrier, particularly in their attempts to navigate Israeli bureaucracy, access health care, and integrate into the job market, higher education, and trade and leisure activities in the city. They also expressed how their lack of Hebrew caused them feelings of low self-esteem and dependency on others.
As a result, we began to hold informal weekly meetings to teach and learn Hebrew…
