Rachel Aspir
Posted on | March 3, 2009 | No Comments
Chair of NAAMAT for the Jerusalem area
I was born in Iraq, and arrived here at age four or five. It was traumatic, my parents fled from Iraq secretly. If I have a recollection of that aliyah, of that journey to Israel, it is of my father being separated from my mother. The men had to leave on their own, and my mother stayed behind with my brother and me. My brother was a baby in her arms. My parents never spoke badly of Arabs. Abdullah—I remember him as a nice uncle who brought us sweets—helped my mother cross the border to get my brother and me where we needed to go.
Is peace possible?
We didn’t grow up believing Jews were superior, and that is not what’s written in the Torah—and I know something about the Torah. So, is peace possible? I can pray it is, but it’s hard to say “yes” or “no.” If it depended on me, and other mothers and grandmothers and Palestinian women’s organizations, there would be peace. But the policymakers are not women, so I can’t say whether there will be peace or not.
My oldest granddaughter enlisted in the army but I hope when my grandsons’ turn come, they won’t need to. Perhaps I succeeded some with my daughters to live among others without hostility, to understand another person’s distress. Perhaps because I’m their grandmother and I’m supposed only to love them and not educate them …. Well, at school or in the neighborhood, the atmosphere for my grandchildren is fairly right wing and not to my liking. Every mother feels the pain of her children. Whether they’re Palestinian or Israeli is irrelevant.
You work with mothers and children in NA’AMAT?
Our two main areas of work are daycare centers for young children and fulfilling community needs by helping women not only to take care of their children but to make sure they can keep their jobs—that they suffer no discrimination and are given consideration through affirmative action. We have legal offices around Israel and provide emotional support with a psychologist. Women, particularly single mothers in crisis, can get advice without the high fees charged by psychologists in Jerusalem.
I have risked my livelihood out of regard for the employees. I had indirect threats I might be harmed personally if I continued a particular action. I gathered my courage based on the truth that no one could hurt me if I’d done nothing wrong. I was shaking in my boots, I lost my breath, but with a bit of courage, I continued and succeeded. If you work out of love and faith, you can do anything, you can say at the end of your term that you succeeded.
Do you work with Arab women?
Coexistence is another element I hope to expand. It is important to recruit Arab women, those with blue Israeli identification cards, of course, as we’re required. We conduct joint activities now with Armenian women in East Jerusalem and with Muslim and Arab women from Abu Ghosh, Ein Nakuba, and Ein Rafa. It’s easier in Jerusalem than in other parts of the country.
However, as far as employment law is concerned, there are absolutely no differences between Jewish and Arab women. Throughout my career, I received more than a few requests from Arab women who felt they were being discriminated against. I addressed the matter, wrote their supervisors, and, thank God, succeeded in some cases in which there were attempts to illegally dismiss them after they got pregnant or gave birth.
I have no problem with having Arab friends. I sense that there’s a lot more openness on my part than I see on the other side in their willingness to accept us. And I’m certainly willing to give my all to fight discrimination in Arab-Jewish relations.
What makes you happy?
My family. I have three wonderful daughters and ten grandchildren. I relish my role as grandmother. The smile of a baby, the smile of a child, and the laughter of a child fill me with happiness. I am happy when I see my employees proud and happy in the work they are doing. I am happy when I know I have the tools to solve their problems—not only theirs, but those of anyone who needs help.
If you could say one thing to the women of the world, what would that be?
My wish for the women around the world is that whatever they do, they should be proud, stand up tall, and enjoy their work. I advise them never to show weakness. They should be strong and not show weakness even when they should feel it because if you feel even slightly weak, you stoop down. I hope they will always stand tall and believe in what they do.
Aspir, originally from Iraq, has directed the Jerusalem branch of NAAMAT, Israel’s largest women’s organization, the past five years. She has also worked with the National Insurance Institute, including 20 years as chair of the Employees’ Committee. NAAMAT, established in 1921 by young working women and with more than 200 daycare centers plus legal offices across Israel, helps women achieve equality in the work force.
