Language access as a path to equality in Jerusalem.
Lissan is a grassroots nonprofit organization promoting gender and social equality in Jerusalem through linguistic justice.
Their work focuses on practical and accessible Hebrew language classes for East Jerusalemite Palestinian women, designed around the needs of the women themselves. By strengthening Hebrew language skills, Lissan helps women navigate Jerusalem’s public spaces, access resources and rights, and pursue personal and professional opportunities with greater independence.
Their Role in Civil Society
Lissan plays an important role in Jerusalem’s shared society ecosystem by addressing language as a barrier to equality.
In a city divided by language, geography, identity, and unequal access to services, Hebrew fluency can directly affect a woman’s ability to communicate with institutions, use public services, seek employment, access healthcare, and advocate for herself. Lissan’s work advances a vision of a bilingual Hebrew-Arabic Jerusalem where language becomes a tool for dignity, mobility, and shared civic life.
Mission
Lissan-ליסאן-لسان, Arabic for “language” or “tongue,” is a grassroots nonprofit organization that promotes gender and social equality in Jerusalem.
Lissan seeks to bridge the gap between East and West Jerusalem and advance a vision of a bilingual Hebrew-Arabic Jerusalem through linguistic justice. The organization provides practical and accessible Hebrew language classes based on the needs of East Jerusalemite women, equipping them with the language skills necessary to independently navigate Jerusalem’s public domain and access resources, rights, and opportunities.