My name is Daniella Hermon and I live in Dimona. I work as a book keeper at Phoenicia Flat Glass Industries Ltd. I am married to Reuven and am the mother of Omri and Chen who is a soldier in the Air Force – a wonderful family who stand by me and support me with much trust and respect at what I do for the society and the community.
I lost my mother when I was just 11 – a tragic event which has caused much pain and left a deep impact on me and on my younger sisters. I was brought up by my grandparents and have absorbed their values, ethics and the encouragement to get involved in working for the community.
I have been volunteering for over twenty five years in various areas – the parents’ association, Israel Cancer Association and with work for hard up families. Three years ago I came across the terrible reality of the housing problem, especially for the young couples of Dimona. I witnessed the removal from an Amidar flat of a family with three children who had nowhere else to go. I felt that I ought to do something to prevent such horrific events from happening again.
Together with my friend Keren Azulay, we founded the ‘Demanding Fairness for Public Housing in Dimona’ group, and together with another 170 families, we fought to have a roof over our heads. I keep receiving complaints against the Amidar Company 24/7. This is how I have been exposed to harrowing cases of hardship and poverty – neglected children, old people and sick people and families who live in dilapidated flats unsuitable for living. To this end, I have appeared in front of Knesset committees and meet high level politicians such as the minister of housing Yoav Galant, and Dimona Mayor Beni Biton. Through our struggles we have managed to achieve some substantial achievements such as – the easing of the criteria for receiving housing in Dimona and throughout Israel. But we still have a long journeyto go and I shall not stop until public housing is broader and its allocation is fairer. Apart from this on-going struggle, I push for economic, feminist and social issues such as unfair conduct of Water Corporations, women status and the strengthening of the weakest populations in Israel.
In the feminist arena I act to empower women who are degraded by society and by the establishment. Recently, I have founded a workshop of self-empowerment charities for single-parent women that run by women from Dimona. These women raise funds for old people and single-parent families. The help includes clothing, food and contact with the Association for Civil Rights which help us to stop electricity-cuts to families with low means and high debts. I am also a member of Kulanu party, headed by Moshe Kachlon, and lead the public housing activity of party.
Six months ago I joined Women Wage Peace and since, I act as its co-ordinator in Dimona. On Tu-Bishvat, we had an official ceremony ‘planting for hope’ with the mayor and his deputies when we planted trees in the public housing neighbourhood. During the Pesach holiday, we took The Peace Train to Beit Sh’an where I represented the peripheries and the South. Together with other 11 wonderful women we were 12 for the 12 tribes of Israel.
Women Wage Peace is a large grassroot movement of brilliant women from all walks of life; religious, secular, Arab, Jewish, settlers – Left, Right and Centre. Women who are not going to stop until there is an end to the conflict. women who are acting non-stop in the social arena. United women who are demanding a political agreement, women who know that just like other conflicts around the world – in Ireland, Liberia and Columbia, and even here with Egypt and Jordan – the Israeli- Palestinian conflict can be resolved by agreement too.
In conclusion: we all wish for a roof over our head, for peace and security- which together are the essence of my mother’s dream. I believe that each and every one of us has to volunteer in the community and to contribute our share. Whoever wishes for change should do something to bring it about. Change is possible when there is a clear aim and the determination to achieve it.
Women who act together have the power to change!!!!
Translated from Hebrew by Sarit Bloom
