Women Building an Alternative
בונות אלטרנטיבה
Formation2020 (2020)
FoundersMoran Zer Katzenstein
Location
Services
  • Advocacy
  • Protest activities
Websitewww.bonot.org

Women Building an Alternative (Hebrew: בונות אלטרנטיבה), also known as Bonot Alternativa, is an Israeli social activist organization that seeks to promote social equality, empower women and raise awareness of violence against women. The group was founded in 2020 by Moran Zer Katzenstein, who brought together business women, entrepreneurs, female CEOs, media women, social activists and heads of women's organizations.[1]

History

Bonot Alternativa's first campaign was a women's strike in 2020 in response to the raping of a girl in Eilat.[2] Thirty demonstrations were held around the country with a central rally in Rabin Square, Tel Aviv in which over 5000 women participated.[3][4] Dozens of organizations and companies joined the protest. Commercial companies, including Pelephone, Yes and Bezeq International closed their branches in solidarity.[5]

Hadas Regulski serves as the organization's spokesperson.[6]

Hundreds of women from all segments of society have joined action groups affiliated with the organization. Through social media platforms, thousands have joined the organization's field initiatives and educational programs.[7]

Activities

In 2021, the movement led a viral campaign, "#Shavot_Mashvot" (Hebrew: שוות_משוות#), to raise awareness of bias against women in the business sector, encourage promoting women to management positions and reduce wage gaps.[8][9]

In January 2022, the movement initiated a campaign in partnership with other women's organizations calling for the incorporation of sex education in the school curriculum. The Ministry of Education convened a roundtable discussion that led to the formulation of guidelines on gender education. Beginning in 2023, this topic has been included in the school curriculum.[10]

In June 2022, the movement stood behind two minors who said they had been sexually abused at a party. A demonstration was held outside the venue of an Eyal Golan concert, attracting media attention and garnering support for the appeal of the two minors, which was subsequently accepted.[11]

Bonot Alternative has collaborated with other women's organizations to enforce the electronic tagging law, organizing a demonstration outside the residence of former Prime Minister Yair Lapid calling for strict enforcement of the law and ratification of the Istanbul Convention.

In June 2023, the organization protested outside the home of May Golan, Minister for the Advancement of Women, during which Katzenstein was briefly detained for questioning by the police.[12][13]

Handmaids' protest

Demonstrating against the judicial reform

In 2023, as part of the protest against judicial reform, the women of the movement led by Moran Zer Katzenstein initiated the "Handmaids' Protest" inspired by Canadian author Margaret Atwood's book, The Handmaid's Tale. Hundreds of women dressed in red robes solemnly marched in silence, symbolically representing slave girls.[14][15]

Atwood shared a video on Twitter of the women dressed like the handmaids marching in Tel Aviv, calling it astonishing.[16][17] The author added, "I have never seen so many 'Handmaids' protesters marching like this except in the @HandmaidsOnHulu tv series!".[18]

Activity during 2023 Israel–Hamas war

Following the unexpected missile attack by Hamas on Israel and the massacre in the southern region and the resulting outbreak of war,[19] the organization swiftly repurposed its entire infrastructure for relief efforts. To this end, Women Building an Alternative collaborated with Brothers in Arms and other organizations that had previously been primarily focused on protest activities.[20][21]

References

  1. ↑ Hadar, Tomer (5 March 2023). "When A Women Shouts, The Message Is Heard" (in Hebrew). Calcalist. Archived from the original on 15 July 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  2. ↑ Halbfinger, David (20 August 2020). "Vacationing Israeli Teen Says She Was Gang-Raped, Shocking the Nation". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  3. ↑ "Thousands protest nationwide over alleged gang rape of teen by 30 men in Eilat". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  4. ↑ "Thousands of Israelis Protest Sexual Violence After Gang Rape of 16-year-old Girl". Haaretz. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  5. ↑ "Israeli firms strike in support of nationwide protests over Eilat rape". The Jerusalem Post. 2020-08-23. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  6. ↑ "Israeli 'Handmaid's Tale' protests: Fight to save women's rights". The Jerusalem Post. 2023-03-17. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  7. ↑ "The Israeli Activist Leading a Women's Movement Against the Judicial Overhaul and for Equal Rights". Haaretz. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  8. ↑ Kropsky, Sefi (2 September 2021). "A Year Has Passed: This Is How We Formed The Massive Women's Protest". Time Out Magazine (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 25 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  9. ↑ Steinbuch, Yaron (24 August 2020). "Seven more suspects arrested in alleged gang rape of teen girl in Israel". New York Post. Archived from the original on 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  10. ↑ Trabelsi-Hadad, Tamar (2022-06-23). "Israel introduces mandatory sex ed for all school kids from next year". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  11. ↑ "Dozens of women demonstrate against Eyal Golan outside Bloomfield". Time News. 2022-06-18. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  12. ↑ "Protest leader arrested outside minister's home, then released". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  13. ↑ Gil-Ad, Hadar; Eichner, Itamar; Levy, Liran (29 June 2023). "Founder of 'Bonot Alternativa' Detained for Questioning At a Protest Near the Home of Minister May Golan". Ynet (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  14. ↑ Rose, Emily (2023-03-09). "Israeli women form human chains to protest planned judicial overhaul". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  15. ↑ Rubin, Shira; Hendrix, Steve (2023-05-04). "Israelis call out perks for ultra-Orthodox in latest protests". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  16. ↑ "'Handmaid's Tale' author nods at inclusion in Israel protests". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  17. ↑ "'Astonishing': Atwood Responds to 'The Handmaid's Tale' Becoming Israeli Protest Symbol". Haaretz. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  18. ↑ "Margaret Atwood responds to Israel's Handmaid's Tale protesters". The Jerusalem Post. 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  19. ↑ Times, The New York (2023-10-10). "Hamas Leaves Trail of Terror in Israel". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
  20. ↑ Meyer, Amit. "In war, Israel protest movement morphs high-tech expertise into relief effort". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  21. ↑ "How are the people of Jerusalem helping Israel's war effort?". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2023-10-14. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
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