Multi-Cultural Incubator for Civic Leadership
Promoting Sustainable Society in Sderot
The Multi-Cultural Incubator for Civic Leadership (MCCL) was established in the Israeli city of Sderot
in 2010 by young residents between the ages of 20 and 35. They founded the MCCL as a cooperative
that could wield civic influence and create a new social order. Sderot was first set up in the 1950s as a
tent city; it evolved into a depressed border town with insufficient employment opportunities or
social services, and large ethnically-polarized neighborhoods of poorly assimilated immigrants from
the Former Soviet Union, Ethiopia, Morocco, and Bukhara. The town was built next to the Gaza Strip
and since 2001 more than 25,000 rockets, missiles, and mortar shells have been fired at or over
Sderot, creating a harsh environment that thwarts economic development, strains family life, and
discourages social activities. Until recently, residents focused on survival. Sderot’s infrastructure is
significantly lacking in many fields, and many people have accepted this as the status quo. The MCCL
is challenging that paradigm; its members believe that, in spite of Sderot’s undeniable challenges, it’s
a wonderful city with huge potential and advantages including its myriad ethnic communities, its
small-town atmosphere, and the many families who are committed to staying in Sderot.
MCCL started with 30 members
representing four major ethnic
communities, and was mentored by the
local Young Adult Center. Today MCCL is
expanding, working with more local
residents and building collaborations with
municipal authorities and other
community leaders. MCCL is emerging as
an independent and influential civic
catalyst with leadership experience and
commitment to all the people of Sderot.
MCCL members are actively participating
in municipal committees and decision
making.
As a socially-committed cooperative, the main focus of MCCL is to create a strong qualitative
infrastructure in the fields of education, employment, culture, accessible housing, and quality of life.
In the five years that MCCL has existed, its members have worked hard to define and implement
improvement projects based on multi-cultural cooperation and interests. Their success is nurtured by
fertile collaborations with the municipality and other community organizations. Project ideas are
developed independently by MCCL subgroups to address significant issues that generally affect life in
the Western Negev and particularly life in Sderot. MCCL also supports new social entrepreneurship
projects like the Tarbush Cultural Collective, the Center for Promoting Tourism, educational programs
for youth, the Sustainability Center, and community gardens.
Examples of Recent Projects & Successes
1. The Social Contract: writing a social contract with the input and interests of Sderot’s residents,
in preparation for local elections.
MCCL’s greatest success so far has been, without a doubt, the Social Contract. This project was
carried out in the spirit of true democracy and social involvement. It was completed before elections
for local municipal seats. MCCL invested significant efforts leading discussion forums that collected
input from hundreds of locals about the needs and aspirations of the city’s residents as individuals
and as communities. MCCL members carefully documented the results, which were used as the basis
for the Social Contract. The Contract was presented to candidates in a public meeting for their
consideration and feedback, and
with the hope that bringing these
issues to the surface would
influence future municipal
decisions. The issues were fiercely
debated and the evening ended
when candidates signed the Social
Contract in front of hundreds of
local residents, expressing their
commitment to the important civic
process that MCCL led on behalf of
everyone in the city. A clip that was
filmed during the panel debate by
Israel’s Southern News channel can
be viewed at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw9PBRdY9x4
Another clip, called “Well Elected,” can be viewed at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgpNH_9IHyg&spfreload=1
2. Tarbush Cultural Collective
MCCL’s Culture subgroup’s vision was to establish a cultural center for young adults in Sderot. They
created a cultural startup, the first of its kind in Israel, that combines cultural activities, social
entrepreneurship, and a self-sustained business. They offer a variety of cultural events while
providing a platform for local talent. Tarbush promotes local culture and local businesses, and
provides cultural opportunities that for years have not been available in Sderot, mostly because of
the security situation. The Collective welcomes all interested residents to join their group. All
decisions are made democratically by the cooperative’s members.
Tarbush’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tarbushsderot
Tarbush’s website: http://shinuy.com/tarbush-cooperative-society
A clip from Walla news: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gyAq5gYAnU
3. Preparing for National Elections – Encouraging young adults to vote and get civically involved
While Israel prepared for another round of national elections, the MCCL took on the challenging task
of raising the voting percentage of young adults in the city and encouraging them to engage in nonviolent political debate. Pre-election activities also included producing clips for social media. On
election day, MCCL members hosted Salon Meetings, an open political discussion for the community,
where public figures and community members from every political trend were invited to discuss the
current situation and future of Israel.
A documentary clip about Salon Meetings: http://youtu.be/bdCyslOQ0ZQ
The “Dirty Bucket Challenge,” a humorous clip raising awareness that it’s possible (and desirable) to
talk about politics without curses or insults:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiOlyp-n6ZY
4. Activities during emergencies
For 50 days of summer 2014, Operation Protective Edge put Sderot back on the battlefront and
threw its residents into crisis with constant missiles and rockets flying overhead. Daily life was
completely disrupted as everyone retreated into missile shelters. MCCL members stepped up,
working around the clock with children and youth in community shelters, making home visits to
elderly and disabled residents, and setting up respite activities outside missile range for kids and
adults.
A clip shot in a community shelter where MCCL members were volunteering:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kkskac7lTUg