Culture of Solidarity is a fast growing mutual aid group based in Tel Aviv-Jaffa in Israel-Palestine, working to provide food security and social aid to underserved communities, as well as cultivating an environment for learning about the root causes of systemic oppression and organising as a resistance movement.
We build support networks that run food distributions, warm meals programs, home improvements, debt relief, phone programs for at-risk seniors and families, assistance and aid for asylum seekers, and more. We also have a very active food rescuing program that works with local wholesale markets, distributes food to aid centres, and operates community fridges.
The essence of “Culture of Solidarity” is not just about providing humanitarian aid; our work goes hand in hand with taking a political stand. At our community space, “House of Solidarity”, we create opportunities for our community to study the social, political and economic mechanisms that make up our oppressive systems, especially impacting the communities we serve. We believe knowledge is a call to action and the first step in building change.
Our “Solidarity Library” has been operating since 2021 at “House of Solidarity” and is run by a collective of volunteers who organise various events in which all are invited to participate. The books and activities that the library holds have been selected to make knowledge accessible on issues that are pushed to the political margins. We curate books and magazines and hold events on various topics such as direct action, gender, feminism, ecology, animal rights, anarchism, and, of course, anti-occupation and free-Palestine resources.
One of the main events we hold is the Jaffa – Tel Aviv Anarchist Bookfair. The fair is organised independently by anarchist groups and communities seeking to give a platform to radical texts and publications while creating an autonomous and cooperative environment as we recognise the importance of such events for the radical political community around us. This year especially, in the wake of the judicial overhaul and with the blitz of authoritarian legislation by a racist government seeking unlimited power, creating a space where we can freely and safely voice ideas that have been pushed out of the public discourse in Israel- Palestine becomes increasingly important. We aim to learn and to create alternatives to the order and institutions that we were taught to accept as fact and that connect to inequality, occupation, sexism, transphobia, racism and exploitation of the environment, animals, and such.
Solidarity Library and Culture of Solidarity operate as a mutual aid as a form of resistance to the non-profit industrial complex. We don’t accept government support or big corporate money in order to secure our freedom to criticise the systemic injustices we encounter through our work. Our events run on a sliding scale model, and all proceeds go towards our food security and aid programs. We’re proud to say we’re a self-sustained community supported by our shared resources of knowledge, skills and crafts.
Instagram: Culture of Solidarity and Solidarity Library.
