Last Saturday, 25/9/21, the community "Haifa for all of us", which was founded about two months ago, initiated an organized tour of the Al-Atika neighborhood (the Carmel station). The tour was led by Dr. Kamil Sari (a research archaeologist) and George Eskander (resident of the city and neighborhood, chairman of the Al Atika neighborhood committee, the well-known actor from the Fauda series in the character of Al Jabari!).
About the community "Haifa for all of us"
"Haifa for all of us" is a community of Arabs and Jews whose goal is to bridge the conflicts to build a common life, a respectful discourse and a rapprochement of hearts between Arabs and Jews in a city whose prominent symbol of its flag is a common existence for all its residents. The purpose of the tour is to connect the past and the present to a common future and to expose the residents of the city to the special texture of the neighborhood, where Jews and Arabs live in peace and brotherhood.
Many came for the tour
George tells us that he was surprised by the large number of participants who responded to the invitation and came to the event. At first, George did not believe that so many people would want to come to neighborhoods where Arabs live and especially after the events of May 2021... but there is no doubt that the goal that our community strives for has been achieved in a big way. Nearly 200 people attended this meeting. They came to get to know the secret neighborhood of Haifa. They toured the alleys of Al-Atika, the core of Haifa's neighborhoods, and topped it off with a small mini-festival with good music, modest stalls and a meeting with two elders of the neighborhood, an Arab and a Jew, who shared with them amusing stories and shared experiences!
◄ Watch: Musical activity during the tour of Al-Atika in Haifa
About the tour and the trauma of the Al-Atika neighborhood in Haifa:
George Iskander tells Live Here:
We showed the social trauma that the neighborhood went through when houses were destroyed there in the past. Most of the houses that were destroyed belonged to the Shikmona company, apparently, for the purpose of expanding the port as well as doubling the track. Arabs and Jews lived in the destroyed houses.
The meeting was intended to reveal the narrative of this neighborhood, which is painful, since most of the neighborhood was simply destroyed. This neighborhood is now Haifa's "backyard". The Haifa municipality is neglecting it. The neglect is reflected in neglected shelters, full of thorns, snakes and rats. We look forward to investment and development of shelters for the well-being of the residents. During Yahav's reign, a playground was established in the neighborhood and it is in good condition, but it is an investment that is a drop in the ocean compared to what needs to be done.
The condition of the roads in the neighborhood is also not good.
We expect that the Haifa municipality will expand the community events, such as the holiday festival, so that they also reach the Al-Atika neighborhood and not only Wadi Nisnas. During the Yahav period there were also decorations in the neighborhood for the holiday of the holidays and now this activity has stopped.
Since Kalish's rule, the connection between the neighborhood committee and the municipality has been severed. We contacted the municipal hotline several times. The landscaping department came to the neighborhood and cleaned only part of the area. They left the rest of the area and drove away. I feel like I have to call again and again to be addressed.
An acoustic wall was not erected:
Some of the houses in the neighborhood are about five meters from the railroad, but despite this no acoustic wall was built there. We are trying to understand why a wall was erected in the Bat Galim neighborhood and not in ours. Today there is a chain link fence that looks like a prison. We expect that alongside an acoustic wall, trees will also be planted there. Untapped potential
Al-Atiqah is an ancient neighborhood
This is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Haifa. It has several historical centers, among them a special church, an ancient cemetery, a number of ancient caves that are still not clear from which period they are. Today there is a trend in Judaism that claims that these caves are from the Ramban period. There are also a number of interesting alleys in El Atika.
Public Transport
There was a bus stop in Al-Atiqa neighborhood, but a few years ago they canceled it, claiming that there were not enough passengers boarding the lines. Since then the residents, some of them elderly, have been forced to walk to Kiryat Eliezer and catch buses from there.
Festival at the end of the tour
At the end of the tour, we organized a number of booths, a musical tent, a meeting with a number of elderly residents of the neighborhood (Arab and Jewish), who told about the common life.
Hundreds participated in the tour in the Al-Atika neighborhood in Haifa (Photo: George Iskander) 
The preparation of the music show - hundreds participated in the tour in the Al-Atika neighborhood in Haifa (Photo: George Iskander) 
The preparation of the music show - hundreds participated in the tour in the Al-Atika neighborhood in Haifa (Photo: George Iskander) 
George explains about the Al-Atika neighborhood - hundreds participated in the tour of the Al-Atika neighborhood in Haifa (Photo: George Iskander) Dr. Kamil Sari explains about the Al-Atika neighborhood - hundreds participated in the tour of the Al-Atika neighborhood in Haifa (Photo: George Iskandar) 
Hundreds participated in the tour in the Al-Atika neighborhood in Haifa (Photo: George Iskander) 
George Iskandar (Photo: Niva Ben-Ami) 
Hundreds participated in the tour in the Al-Atika neighborhood in Haifa (Photo: George Iskander) 
The church in the Al-Atika neighborhood in Haifa • Hundreds participated in the tour in the Al-Atika neighborhood in Haifa (Photo: Niva Ben-Ami)
It seems that there is an interest here for the Arab residents of the neighborhood to receive support from innocent people who are excited by this whole event. You see there is a political and economic interest here, I think it is more important for us right now to invest in unity and peace between the Jewish people and take care of us than to pity Arab property owners.
However, I take my hat off to the organizers who did it very elegantly without anyone noticing.
Is it "Haifa for all of us"? How is it possible that "all of us" do not include us, about a third of the city's Jews, those who observe Shabbat who cannot participate in the tour scheduled on Shabbat?? Would "Haifa for all" also schedule a tour on a Muslim, Druze, Baha'i or Christian holiday??? disappointing. This is not the success of a shared life but of stepping on a fundamental value of one side. Too bad.
I wish they would do more tours like this one. Does anyone know of a plan for another tour?
You forgot to mention that when the western part of the port will be a passenger terminal and will be open, the whole Azor will become a recreation area until Ben Gurion, this area will be worth a lot of money.
So there is no point in the municipality investing now. There will be time for the entrepreneurs to do so.
A great project and success and hope for the country of all its citizens
In this context, the statement of G.P. is relevant. Kennedy, the revered leader of the USA, who said: "Don't wait for the country to do it for you, get up and do it yourself for the country" (this is about it, but the meaning here is clear).
Nice neighborhood. The municipality has invested a lot in the area. A playground with unused facilities. Dog park without need. Unused sports field. What more?
Buildings where construction additions were made without considering the urbanity of the place.
The residents expect to be treated without their participation in the activity.
What do you want it to be Dania?
The houses that were destroyed were not maintained by the tenants and the teeth of time gnawed at them as in all the buildings in Israel that the tenants do not maintain.
Areas transferred to the port are like areas throughout the country that become roads or any other required use.
It's time..
What kind of wretched mayors and where are all the council members? What are they doing besides taking care of themselves and their relatives? The neighborhoods of the past are the basis of this city all over the world. They emphasize and cultivate the ancient past only in Haifa. Nothing is done.
Since not all residents of Haifa know where the El Atika neighborhood is, it's a shame that the names of the streets were not mentioned. There is no other mention of the neighborhood
When is the next visit?
You want a common life, you want coexistence, please, but don't take advantage of every opportunity to riot and burn property, because along the way, coexistence will also burn.
The Carmel station neighborhood has always been one of the most beautiful in Haifa. Its strategic location attracted many residents to live there. Jews and Arabs for many years
The renovation of the neighborhood will give Haifa another great tourist site
AD and Tsioni Sheva, you see racist comments like this every day, be surprised and write to the matter once and not just racism
We saw the coexistence in the recent pogroms. Why is the voice of the dear instructors not heard then??
Because those who caused a fratricidal war in Haifa are people from outside and not from Haifa!
Coexistence until the next outbreak of Arab violence. A short reminder to Allah... have you forgotten that only a few months ago, Arabs lynched the Jews?
Jews were also lynched in the Arabs, I don't forget that either