A bilingual internet site providing news, information, and opinion to all the residents of the Galilee

(Dugri – "straight talk" in both Hebrew and Arabic)

Approximately 1,100,000 citizens live in the Galilee (not counting another million in the Haifa metropolitan area), evenly divided between Jews and Arabs. Among the constituent groups and communities comprising the Galilean mosaic, each has its own traditions, beliefs, language, cultural landmarks, national consciousness, and historical memories. These differences give each group its unique identity and social and spiritual strength. However, a society in which there is no uniting framework of shared interests, dreams, culture, and social action – cannot long survive. We believe that such a framework is lacking in the Galilee.

Hence, we have created Dugrinet, an internet newspaper, with Hebrew and Arabic sections. Specific objectives:

* broad readership among both Jewish and Arab populations
* large community of volunteer correspondents, columnists, topic editors
* a safe space characterized by openness, fairness, and balance – where all opinions can be expressed, civilly
* active participation by readers and community leaders in public discussion of issues of regional concern
* rich cultural content provided by active reader participation
* sufficient readership, after two years, to generate advertising revenue to maintain the operation.

We intend for Dugrinet to serve as a catalyst for bringing together people from throughout the region with shared interests and concerns, and thus for stimulating other communal initiatives (e.g., multicultural arts center, joint environmental action groups, etc.).

A steering committee of Jewish and Arab educators, community activists, and journalists (see below) has been meeting since the beginning of 2008 to refine the concept, build a network of volunteer correspondents, and seek funding.

We invite you to join in this exciting pioneering effort to build community in the Galilee – and thereby to build a strong future for Israel! Write for us, write to us, advertise here, send a donation…

We are grateful to the donors who have enabled us to get this far:

Founders ($2,500 or more)

The Foundation of the United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh

Marvell Semiconductor Israel Inc.

Partners ($1,000 – 2,500)

J. Zel Lurie

Dugrinet is a project of the Galilee Foundation for Value Education (www.makom-bagalil.org.il), which engages in various activities fostering pluralism and Arab-Jewish cooperation in the Galilee. Contributions to Dugrinet may be made to the Foundation. For information please contact Rabbi Marc Rosenstein (hmakom@netvision.net.il ). The foundation is registered to receive US tax deductible contributions through PEF and UJC.

The steering committee:

Hedva Livnat-Segal (Kibbutz Tuval), former regional coordinator of Adam Institute for Democracy Education, community activist and tour educator (publisher)

Ella Margalit (Yuvallim), educator, dialogue facilitator (co-editor)

Walid Yassin (Shefaram), journalist, graphic designer, translator (co-editor)

Moti Shani (Shechanya), journalist, former editor Tzafon Echad newspaper (editorial consultant)

Tali Eisner (Kibbutz Pelech), graphic designer (designer)

Bryan Meadan (Har Halutz), web programmer and consultant (webmaster)

Merav Gratz-Ronen, editor (copy editor)

Dr. Marc Rosenstein (Shorashim), director, Galilee Foundation for Value Education

Nisreen Morkus (Upper Nazareth), regional coordinator of the Adam Institute for Democracy Education

Ziad Halaila (Sachnin), educator, community activist

Yehoshua Ratz (Camon), educator, teacher trainer