Nazareth

Nazareth Citizen Rights Center

The Citizen Rights Center in Nazareth opened in 2002 in order to provide the area's Arab, Bedouin and Druze residents with both innovative and much-needed programs. Wahbi Shani, who is currently studying his Master's degree in social work, directs the Center with the aid of 15 volunteers and a number of local students.  

The Center is located in Nazareth's eastern district—a downtrodden neighborhood, not far from the city center.  The Center is wheelchair accessible.  The Center's client base reflects Nazareth's young population, with 71% of clients being aged 50 or under (see pie chart).   

Recent Activities

The Center assisted in 1,154 new client cases in 2010.  About one-third of clients require assistance in accessing their rights and benefits from the National Insurance Institute.  Another large group request assistance in debt management. 

The Nazareth Center is currently running two Let's Get to Work! employment readiness courses for chronically unemployed women currently subsisting on welfare benefits. The courses are being run in partnership with the local National Insurance Institute.  In addition the Center runs periodic Hebrew language tuition courses that empower targeted groups, such as single mothers, through promotion of Hebrew literacy. The Center also has an active Communities Organizing for Change group. 

The Nazareth Citizen Rights Center is generously supported by

The Joseph and Sally Handleman Charitable Foundation

and the Carl Marks Foundation