Traveling to Kiev with JDC

Kiev is a vast city of nearly 3 million. JDC's work feeds impoverished Holocaust survivors and other elderly, and helps families in need. It is also about building a caring community, and we felt an integral part of one during our visit.

by Rebecca Neuwirth, Director, JDC Ambassadors

Before leaving for Kiev, someone told me that the city was beautiful, all orthodox churches and Dostoyevsky. And in JDC reports, I read about the immense poverty and dire living conditions of families with troubled children and the elderly.

Not surprisingly, on the first day of our staff mission in Kiev, it seems all of this is true. A city of contradictions, a vast city, vital, sad, moving, with a future that is very uncertain.

Preparing Immigrants for Army Service - And A Brighter Future

JDC works with immigrants, ultra-Orthodox, at-

risk youth, and other population groups to help

them smoothly integrate into army service

because the IDF is such a critical rite of passage

for all Israelis.

Photo: JDC Website

When Malash A., 21, an Ethiopian Israeli, received his draft notice from the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) three years ago he was filled with shock and worry. His family had moved from a rural village in Ethiopia to Jerusalem only a few years before and was still struggling to adapt to the cultural realities of life in Israel; his parents did not have the personal experience to advise him through the recruitment process.

Malash's instinct was to wait until his friends received their notice and follow their lead. Little did he know that not showing up to the army base on his assigned recruitment date could land him in jail. That's when JDC stepped in to help, bringing Malash in an army preparedness program that would change the course of his future.

Because civilian life in Israel tends to naturally separate into distinct cultures—with separate neighborhoods, communities, and schools—disadvantaged new immigrants, impoverished Israelis, and others from vulnerable backgrounds have little chance to understand the role of army service in Israeli society. JDC's army preparedness programs aim to fill this critical knowledge gap.

Two decades from war, a new fight to save Bosnia

JDC Ambassadors will be holding an important lunch marking 20 years since the start of the siege of Sarajevo, which ironically is April 6, the start of Passover this year.

The discussion centers around an extraordinary Jewish response to the breakdown of ethnic trust and cooperation in this diverse city.

But there are also clear lessons to be learned today, when ethnic strife in Bosnia, the Middle East and virtually across the globe seems to be heating up, not cooling down. We'll feature some very unique and meaningful efforts that the Jewish community has undertaken to lead in the rebuilding of trust and the solving of shared challenges across the globe.

And stay tuned for information about the Ambassadors trip to Sarajevo to participate in this work of rebuilding.

More info? Contact Rebecca At rebeccan@jdcny.org

Two decades from war, a new fight to save Bosnia

Better Together: A Professional's View

Working in Israel's most disadvantaged neighborhoods, JDC's Better Together program strives to address the most outstanding risks to children and youth in the community by mobilizing residents, identifying and utilizing community resources and responding to unmet needs. In Neve Alonim, a neighborhood in the city of Ashkelon, Better Together is making a difference through the support and partnership of the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County.

Maya is Better Together’s Local Coordinator. A veteran Better Together staffer since 2004 in Haifa, Maya came to Ashkelon in 2010.

Maya employs her professional skills and experience – she holds a Masters degree in Human Resources in addition to her social work training – to all aspects of her Better Together work, in particular some of the more delicate issues involved.

Such situations range from bringing local authority staff into coalition with non-profits and encouraging their collaboration, to helping residents overcome their widespread suspicion of professionals, or convincing staff that the effectiveness of their work would be increased by involving parents.

Maya talks about the program and its progress to date:

"I see a critical need for new services in the neighborhood for pre-school children and for youth.

I am acutely aware of the need for support, such as the help we receive from the Jewish Federation of Middlesex County. It’s enabling essential change-processes and the introduction of a new approach. We are seeing its impact already as more and more people take part in programs.

The Community Center has become a focal point for the neighborhood, a place where residents can express their needs and get actively involved. The Local Professional Forum and Residents Forum are based there, which facilitates collaboration. The two groups are already working in harmony such as when they organize events that engender a sense of belonging. They are also helping to improve services while indentifying those which are lacking. This means that we are able to develop new programs and services in the most effective way.

I believe deeply in cooperation, and it is a source of daily satisfaction for me to see smiles returning to the faces of children and parents in the neglected Neve Alonim neighborhood."

Working Together for a Good Start in Life

Working in Israel's most disadvantaged neighborhoods, JDC's Better Together program strives to address the most outstanding risks to children and youth in the community by mobilizing residents, identifying and utilizing community resources and responding to unmet needs.  In Neve Alonim,  a neighborhood in the city of Ashkelon, Better Together is making a difference through the support and partnership of the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County. 

The following personal story of a young mother's progress, as she ensures the development of her young children while furthering her own career, encapsulates the community involvement that is the cornerstone of Better Together's success.

Young mother Sarah regularly attends Neve Alonim’s Early Childhood Enrichment Room with her two children, aged three and six. Although she has a full-time job caring for babies at a day care center, the family's financial position is still precarious.

Sarah first heard about the room through the neighborhood's Community Center. When staff conducted interviews with residents prior to setting up the room, Sara stepped up and joined the Mothers’ Forum, which was established to ensure that Better Together's early learning programs fit the needs of the neighborhood's preschoolers.

Three times a week, Sarah brings her children to family literacy programs at the Playroom, and they both already feel at home there. While there, she formed a close bond with the staff, who have become a source of much needed support.

Moreover, Sarah is now employed there to run regular creative activities for parents and children. She has also recruited several new families to the Playroom, and as a member of the Mothers' Forum she is now participating in the course to develop community leadership.

As a result of her involvement with Better Together, Sarah is rapidly becoming a key figure in the neighborhood. While making an invaluable contribution to activities for very young children and their parents, she is increasing her family's income and gaining valuable, career-enhancing skills.

Empowering Young Adults: Young Adult Parliaments

Although nearly 40% of Israelis are young adults, few opportunities exist for their social and civic involvement. JDC's Young Adult Parliaments aim to change this situation by providing young adults with the means to take effective action to improve their communities. Dimona is just one community that has benefited from this injection of young energy and compassion.

The residents of Dimona – an impoverished town in the south of Israel – struggle to cope with the limited local resources and services. The town’s young adults who choose to build their future in Dimona find it hard to improve their environment, leaving them feeling powerless and disconnected.

Dimona’s Young Adult Parliament has changed this. As the town’s young people have come to understand community needs and how to work with local leadership, they have led focused lobbying and civic action campaigns and brought about concrete solutions.

For example, in less than a year they have transformed local transport services – solving a longstanding obstacle for residents. When the parliament set out to address the lack of bus routes offered in the city it faced indifference from the management of the national bus company and opposition from local taxi drivers. Ignoring these obstacles, young parliament members engaged the public, obtaining over 3,000 signatures of support from local residents in a petition sent to the National Minister of Transportation. Their lobbying effort resulted in a five-fold increase in the number of bus lines and routes, saving impoverished residents significant costs in taxi fares.

Young Adult Parliaments empower and engage 18-30 year olds to take active roles in the social, economic and political life of their communities. Parliaments bring together a representative group of local young adults from a given geographical area to address key issues on the public agenda, from education and employment, to housing and transportation. Parliament members act as a lobby and social action group to improve the quality of life for themselves and their communities.

Innovative Employment Program Empowers Haredi Families

Find out how David, one of the 55% of Israel’s Haredim living below the poverty line, took a leap of faith with JDC and attained the job skills to support his wife and six children.

A Community of Support: All in the Family

Families of children with special needs have little support or community: the majority of available services focus on the child. There’s little help for other family members who face social isolation and constant deferral of their own needs. JDC's All in the Family Program strengthens families by offering guidance, community and leadership skills.

Lena, an Arab-Israeli woman from Acco, is a mother to five children. Her eldest child, 18-year old Raya, is mentally retarded, with ongoing medical needs that require frequent hospitalizations. Until recently, Raya was a source of shame to her family. Lena describes the difficulty she had in holding her head high in Arab society. Moreover, she did not know how to access information regarding social benefits and services that could help Raya. Distressed by the lack of support from her husband in helping with child care, Lena was on the verge of divorce.

"All in the Family" turned Lena's family around. Lena describes the support and empowerment that she’s received just in the last half year as "a warm home that took us in." In a mothers’ group, she learns from the experience and tips shared by other Arab and Jewish mothers coping with special needs children. It helps her to be more accepting and supportive of Raya.

Lena sees that her other children are following her example, improving the entire family dynamic. For example, one of Raya's sisters stood up in front of her class and spoke about Raya, her disabilities and the importance of accepting her and her special needs. Another younger sister comes with Lena and Raya to attend weekly "family playroom" activities, a positive shared experience that has enhanced the relationship between the sisters. "Family fun days" have fostered enjoyable experiences for the entire family.

All in the Family is designed to be a "home" for families of physically, developmentally, and mentally challenged children and youth (from birth to 21), offering them knowledge, positive experiences and a supportive peer community. The program serves 150 Jewish and Arab-Israeli families in and around the city of Akko, with plans to expand to three additional locations.

20 YEAR AFTER OPERATION SOLOMON, JDC HELPS IMPROVE ETHIOPIAN-ISRAELI LIVES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



New York, May 22, 2011 – Twenty years after the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) took a leading role in the miraculous airlift of more than 14,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel, the humanitarian aid organization continues to support and help integrate Ethiopian Israelis into Israeli society. With dozens of nation-wide programs strengthening the lives of Ethiopian Israelis of all ages, JDC - through the support of the Jewish Federations of North America - helps ensure advancements in early childhood education, employment, and national service.

"Two decades after we helped bring this ancient Jewish community to safety, we're proudly working everyday to fulfill the promise of the startup nation for this and future generations of Ethiopian Israelis," said JDC CEO Steven Schwager. "Just as we praise the many individual successes from this vibrant community, JDC also addresses the challenges it faces in partnership the Government of Israel and together with the laudable efforts of the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Ethiopian National Project."

One of JDC's flagship programs, Parents and Children Together (PACT) works to enhance Ethiopian-Israeli children's literacy skills and educational performance to improve their academic success by addressing the unique cultural and language barriers they face. Today, 11,000 children and their families benefit from PACT. Additionally, JDC helps Ethiopian-Israeli high school students overcome language and other academic disadvantage so they can successfully graduate and earn their matriculation certificates.

JDC also helps Ethiopian-Israelis successfully serve in the Israel Defense Forces by guiding these youth and their parents before, during, and after their enrollment. JDC has developed numerous employment services to help Ethiopian-Israelis obtain the skills needed to thrive in a modern workforce. JDC also helps restore dignity and pride among elderly Ethiopian Israelis through a program where they restore run-down communal gardens and transform them into vibrant centers of neighborhood life.

View a slideshow of JDC's work with Ethiopian Israelis - from pre-Operation Solomon to today - and watch a video on JDC's role in the historic airlift celebrated on May 24.

Personal Impressions Part III - Israel

Gary Geller, Vice President and Campaign Director of the United Jewish Federation of Greater Stamford, New Canaan and Darien, recently returned from a Jewish Federations of North America mission to Hungary and Israel. In this final travelogue entry, he shares his impressions and insights about his time visiting JDC programs in Israel:

Israel
Today was such an action and information filled day. It will be very tough to capture in this short piece.

Our first site visit of the day was to the JDC Supportive Community for the Elderly at Moshav Nir Galim. The goal for this program is to allow individuals to age in place/ to provide emergency health care, home assistance and maintenance and social activities for the elderly (including an adult day care center) without their having to move. It sounds very similar to programs already in place in many Jewish communities in America and this is true. But it is a fairly new idea in many parts of Israel. Here, it is a partnership of the municipality, the moshav, the individual and JDC helps out in a few of the activities. There are 240 of the Supportive Communities around Israel.

Here we met three people who use the program: Shlomo, Duggo and Yonah. Shlomo and his family made Aliyah in 1969 from Chicago. In 1944 he fought with the US Army in the Normandy invasion. Sitting right next to him was Duggo who was originally from Hungary (a theme that continues to show up). In 1944 Duggo was sent to Birkenau (Auschwitz) and came face to face with Dr. Mengele. As a 14 year old he both survived (through some trickery) Mengele's selection process and the death march. We had not expected to meet Duggo so we were not fully prepared to hear his complete story, which was not easy to hear, but serves as another reminder of what took place over 60 years ago. Yonah was a hidden child in Germany and France who eventually made her way (at the age of eight) to Switzerland and then was reunited with her mother in Belgium. What does this have to do with Supportive Communities you ask? There is an intergenerational program there called Holocaust Theatre where teens hear the stories and then act them out on stage. It is a way for the survivors to connect with the next generation, the third generation.

From there we drove further south to Kiryat Gat where we learned about Garin Kehillati. Here we learned about a program for Ethiopian Jews by Ethiopian Jews. Not all immigrants are initially fully 'absorbed'. Those Ethiopians, usually older adults, who have not mastered Hebrew and have no trade beyond agriculture are left behind. What is found are often households where the 'alpha male' stays home all day with nothing to do which causes both financial and social problems. Domestic abuse is not unseen in some of these families. Here in Kiryat Gat a community garden was created to give some of these families a place to go during the day. The group reclaimed some unused land from the Ministry of Agriculture and split the plot between 12 families. Our lunch included vegetables we picked there. Moshe, the leader of the Garin gave a full explanation of the theory behind what is being done and why.

Our final stop for the day was in Netivot where we met a group of incredible teens. When asked about their volunteer activities, they each rattled off four or five different places they volunteer, whether it was running a blood drive or organizing a 'Happening' for the city or packing and delivering weekly vegetable packages for some 350 families. For these teens, volunteering is about the values they were brought up with; it is their chance to give to others and to help to build themselves up. It is a social activity. They come together in different small groups to be together and to have fun, though through doing a lot of hard work. For one girl, Moriya, her summer is spent working and when not working volunteering, with little or no 'free' time. These kids were truly amazing.

I could go on and on, and I will, about what I saw today. It was an exhausting though exhilarating day.

Unexpected Outcomes

From Steve Schwager, CEO

As you know, PACT (Parents and Children Together) was established to reduce the educational and social gaps between Ethiopian-Israeli and veteran Israeli children by the time they reach first grade. But the following story reminds us that in practice, PACT accomplishes much more—it creates an open channel of communication among kindergarten teachers, parents, and the municipality, while also reflecting a cadre of caring and dedicated professionals who are prepared to go beyond their job description to strengthen—and sometimes save lives in—the Ethiopian-Israeli community. Irv and I want to take this opportunity to thank the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles for their support of PACT in Beit Shemesh, which is creating small miracles like this one every day….

Anat, the PACT Coordinator in Beit Shemesh, received a phone call about a month ago from one of the kindergarten supervisors; she had just witnessed a troubling conversation at one of the kindergartens between the parents of an Ethiopian-Israeli boy, the teacher, and Edna, the PACT Ethiopian-Israeli Liaison.

The kindergarten teacher was telling the parents that their child was very unsettled, wasn't able to sit and concentrate, and was being disruptive; the teacher wanted to hear from the parents how the child behaved at home. Edna facilitated the conversation by translating between Amharic and Hebrew.

Edna immediately visited the family in their home. She found a broken family in distress.

The mother and father explained that one evening, five years ago while they were still living in Ethiopia, the mother was bathing her baby son and asked her 12-year-old daughter, Avinu, to go down to the local shop to buy more baby oil.

Avinu went on the errand and never returned. The mother searched everywhere for her, but she had simply disappeared. After a few weeks of constant searching, the parents decided to seize the opportunity to make aliyah to Israel with their other children, but without Avinu or knowing what had happened to her.

From the moment they arrived in Israel, the parents told everyone the story of their daughter and of her disappearance in Ethiopia—but no progress was made.

Every day life in Beit Shemesh was unbearable: ridden with worry about the fate of their daughter, the parents couldn’t sleep at night and therefore struggled to function during the day. They explained that the stress and distress were affecting their son—and so he had become disruptive in kindergarten.

As for Avinu, no one knew her fate. Was she still alive?

Anat, the PACT Coordinator, immediately turned to a contact at the municipality. He, in turn, shared the girl's plight with his contacts in Israel and abroad, urging them to do everything in their power to facilitate Avinu’s return to her family.

A week passed and the kindergarten teacher contacted Anat to say that the parents had shown up at the school elated, hugging her and saying "mazal tov, mazal tov." She didn’t fully understand what had happened because they didn’t speak any Hebrew; Edna, the PACT Liaison, was contacted immediately to translate.

Edna explained that their daughter, Avinu, had been found in Ethiopia. She had been transferred to Addis Ababa and would soon be reunited with her family.

On May 14, 2010 at 1:00 am, the delegation left for Ben Gurion airport where the emotional reunion took place. After so much suffering and heartache, everyone’s sheer joy was palpable. Avinu safely made aliyah. And her little brother, whose involvement in PACT played a transformational role in the life of his family, was thrilled that his big sister had been found!

Avinu’s mother asked to share one thought with the media:

"I wish to the mother of Gilad Shalit that she will be able to feel what I feel at this very moment. I send you my thoughts and wishes, and I am praying for your son, Gilad, that he will return to you like Avinu was returned to her mother."

He who saves one life, it is as if he saved the whole world.

Centers for Young Adults: Helping Young Immigrants Forge Succesful Adulthoods in Israel

The transition from youth to adulthood can be traumatic. Decisions made during this time – army, family, work, studies, vocational training – are extremely significant and usually determine an individual's future path. For some 260,000 immigrant young adults ages 18-30 who live in Israel this period can be even more difficult. Their families, who are often still not well integrated into Israeli society and face their own social, economic and cultural challenges, are unable to provide them with the support and guidance enjoyed by their veteran Israeli peers.

Lack of support services for immigrant young adults during this life-shaping period has led to a high rate of chronic unemployment – over 30% – among this group. As a result, instead of succeeding these potentially contributing Israeli citizens are falling to the margins of Israeli society.

In response to this service gap, JDC established Centers for Young Adults in cities which are home to large immigrant populations and have low socioeconomic levels. Open to adults aged 18-34, centers serve as a platform for launching projects to help young immigrants. Centers bring together all the services required by young adults seeking to be independent and self-reliant. They provide a wide range of counseling and orientation services under one roof, including guidance regarding higher education and vocational training, job readiness and search skills as well as workplace advancement, and life skills, such as money management and housing advice. Social involvement and volunteer projects encourage participants to enhance their growth by giving to, and taking leadership roles in, their local communities.

Masira - A Journey

In line with its mission of developing social services for Israel's vulnerable populations, JDC-Israel invests approximately $10 million annually in the development of social services for Israeli Arabs, Druze and Bedouins across every JDC-Israel Division (with the exception of the Immigrant Integration Division). 

For Israel’s Arab disabled population, one program that JDC has established is Masira (“journey” in Arabic), an initiative to improve and advance the status and integration of people with disabilities in Arab society in Israel.


Video by JDC-Israel, the Unit for Disabilities and Rehabilitation.

Since 2006, Masira has made a deep impact in Israel’s Arab communities. Created to help overcome the societal stigmas Israeli-Arabs face in their own communities, and in general society, the program now operates 15 programs in 20 towns and villages, serving some 4,000 disabled adults and 130 professionals working with the disabled.

"A Working Model"

From The Jerusalem Post
by Sam Ser
October 15, 2009

In their down time, the unemployed play charades. They laugh, they mingle, they pour each other coffee. But they also dress in formal office attire and carry copious notes from their latest meetings. After all, just because they don't have professions doesn't mean they can't be professional.

Their coffee break over, a group of participants in the latest STRIVE employment program file into a classroom to simulate a confrontation with an employer. Miri, a tall and plump woman in her late 20s, plays a nurse who has administered the wrong medication to a child in her care.

"How could you have made such a grievous error?!" barks an instructor, playing the role of the supervisor in a scolding via telephone. Miri refuses to admit her mistake and demands a face-to-face meeting to review the evidence, as her "boss" becomes increasingly agitated. A two-week suspension had been in the cards - and, the boss hints, avoidable had Miri handled this correctly - but now she is a whisker away from an outright dismissal.

After a heated exchange, the instructor steps out of character and turns to the class, asking, "How could Miri have done that better?"

Miri and her classmates have been in this kind of situation before - and usually come out of it badly. The goal of today's class is to learn how to communicate in a manner that reflects responsibility and character, and to learn as well how to defuse an explosive workplace situation or prevent one altogether. Some of the students need to learn how to defend themselves without becoming defensive. Others need to learn how to stand up for themselves. And others are still working on not simply giving up and walking away from a job that will feed their families.

"What we're trying to do is to get people to stop saying, 'The system screwed me,' and start taking control of their lives," explains Naomi Krieger, STRIVE's general manager.

The Associated and JDC in Ashkelon: PACT Field Update

The latest update from The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore's Israel and Overseas Blog features a report on a JDC program focusing on Ethiopian-Israeli children, Parents and Children Together (PACT).   

A literacy enrichment program, PACT assists more than 10,000 Ethiopian-Israeli preschoolers throughout Israel to acquire Hebrew language skills and minimize gaps between them and their veteran Israeli peers while working with their parents to acclimate to Israeli society. 

Check it out THE ASSOCIATED & JDC in Ashkelon: Pact Field Update. 

Eshet Chayil: Helping Immigrant Women Achieve Financial Independence

High unemployment rates among women in Israel's Ethiopian and Kavkazi communities have led to widespread poverty and social alienation among these immigrant groups. Cultural differences, child-care responsibilities, language difficulties, and a lack of workplace skills – rather than actual potential – all represent barriers to employment. Yet, entering the workforce can contribute greatly to women’s integration into Israeli society. Workforce participation can expose them to the wider community, aid them in learning Hebrew, transform their self-image, and improve their families’ chances of becoming financially stable.

The Eshet Chayil (Woman of Valor) program helps Ethiopian and Kavkazi women secure and maintain employment by creating a complete support framework to overcome the barriers preventing their integration into the job market. This includes addressing issues such as psychological readiness for work, family adjustment, employers’ expectations, and interview skills. Participants also benefit from emotional support, help in child-care arrangements, and opportunities to improve their Hebrew skills.

The program operates in three stages: job-readiness workshops; individual mentoring; and an Eshet Chayil Job Club, which provides ongoing support to employed program graduates, motivating them to remain and advance in the workplace.

READ MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Gov't signs $6 million deal with private family foundation, JDC

From The Jerusalem Post
by Ruth Eglash
September 8, 2009

The government on Monday signed a $6 million deal with the US-based Ruderman Family Foundation and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee to create new services aimed at improving the lives of Israel's disabled population.

JDC Israel-director Arnon Mantver, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, Minister of Welfare and Social Services Isaac Herzog and President of the Ruderman Foundation Jay Ruderman met Monday to finalize details of a partnership to improve the lives of disabled adults in Israel.

Called Named Masad Nehuyot in Hebrew - it has yet to receive an official English name - the project involves a $2m. investment from each of the parties, both of which will be involved in the decision-making process along with representatives from the disabled community.

"We have brought together many Jewish foundations to work with the Israeli government on projects here but none have been involved in such a high level of partnership," Alan Gill, executive director of international relations for the JDC, told The Jerusalem Post on Monday. "This is the first time we have created a national contractual partnership in this manner."

The four-year partnership, which will directly involve the Ministries of Health and Welfare and Social Services, will initially focus on supporting and developing seven centers for independent living countrywide. It is estimated that 700,000 people between the ages of 20-64 with varying types of disabilities currently live in Israel. Each year, more and more disabled people opt to live independently.

"We've been involved in working with special needs children for many years," explained Jay Ruderman, executive director of his family's multi-million dollar charitable trust, regarding the decision to enter such a partnership. "We wanted to be involved in something bigger in Israel, and this initiative will have so much impact on a specific area of society."

Ruderman, who made aliya with his family four years ago and now lives in Rehovot, even though the foundation is still based in Boston, added: "Bringing together the government and the JDC to improve the lives of people with disabilities is already a great achievement. We hope this project will raise further awareness in society."

According to Tamara Barnea, Director of the JDC's Unit for Disabilities and Rehabilitation, who will head the Masad Nehuyot project, the main aim is to allow individuals with disabilities to impact both their own community and the wider non-disabled community. It will focus on adults with any type of physical, mental or emotional disability.

Speaking at the Jerusalem Center for Assisted Living, which Ruderman visited Monday; Barnea said the initial goal was to develop additional centers around the country.

"The center in Jerusalem is the first of its kind in Israel," explained Barnea, adding that the center, which opened five years ago in the capital's Katamon neighborhood, was peer-led and provided advice, support and practical training to people with disabilities living independently.

"There is one other center in Beersheba, and a new center in Haifa is slated to open this week," she added. "The JDC and the government are strategic partners in this program. We know how to turn pilot projects into long-term sustainable services, but the goal is to include representatives of the disabled community in all our plans."

Barnea explained that the Ruderman Family Foundation's experience in developing projects for the disabled in the US would also be an important contribution.

"This partnership is vital," commented Moshe Yosef, who sits on the steering committee of the charity Disabled Now, which founded the Jerusalem center. "However, what is more important is that the disabled community is included in the decision-making process."

The wheel-chair bound university graduate, who also met Monday with Gill, Ruderman and Barnea, pointed out the charity's slogan, "Nothing about us - without us," and added: "We know better than anyone what is good for us and nothing should be decided without us."

Minister of Welfare and Social Services Isaac Herzog, who met earlier in the day with Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, Gill, Ruderman and JDC-Israel Director Arnon Mantver to finalize the deal, touted the arrangement as a "revolution in the treatment of people with disabilities in Israel."

"It will also give us the chance to progress professionally with the knowledge and understanding of how to work with and assist the disabled community."

You can also read our official press release about this wonderful new partnership HERE

PACT Pre-School Brings Ethiopian Culture to Life

Parents and Children Together (PACT) is a comprehensive initiative addressing Ethiopian-Israeli preschoolers' educational and developmental needs by working to close critical educational and social gaps between Ethiopian-Israeli children under the age of six and their veteran Israeli peers.

By promoting the enrollment of every Ethiopian-Israeli youngster in a preschool framework and providing culturally sensitive support, PACT helps the children acquire the social and cognitive skills that Ethiopian-Israeli parents—raised in a rural, oral-based society—cannot provide.

JDC's partnerships with American and Israeli communities have made PACT a pioneer among efforts aimed at closing immigration-related social gaps.

In this short video from JDC-Israel, pre-school children dance to traditional Ethiopian music and learn traditional Ethiopian style of dance at at a kindergarten participating in the PACT program.

Delet P'tucha - Opening the Doors to Employment for Ethiopian Israelis

Today’s modern workforce can be an intimidating place for any job seeker but for Ethiopian Israelis, it is at least 10 times as daunting. Cultural differences, language barriers and literacy issues are just a few reasons why even the thought of finding a job for many Ethiopian Israelis is a terrifying idea.

In order to address this issue, JDC introduced the Delet P’tucha curriculum and website in 2007 for teaching Ethiopian-Israeli adults Hebrew and how to enter the workforce.

Website URL: http://opendoor.cet.ac.il/index.aspx

Utilizing culturally appropriate materials and a uniquely designed website that is sensitive to Ethiopian-Israelis cultural background and learning styles, this program focuses on content that is relevant to job seekers and to the newly employed seeking to advance in the workplace.

The Delet P’tucha (Open Door in Hebrew) program is geared towards Ethiopian-Israeli adults that have a wide ranging level of education. After learning Hebrew in class, students are encouraged to use this new website to further their language skills in their own pace at home or in public libraries.

Most websites on the internet today are overflowing with text, links, videos, advertisements, along with all sorts of bells and whistles. All the choices, distractions and such can be very intimidating to someone whose Hebrew reading (and speaking) skills are rudimentary at best. Compare this picture of the Ma'ariv website, one of Israel’s more popular news publications:

or something a bit more familiar like the front page of The New York Times website:


with the front page and menu page of the Delet P’tucha website:

When entering the Delet P’tucha website, the user encounters a calm atmosphere. Each box is a clearly marked link and the entire site utilizes both text and sound so users at differing reading comprehension levels can navigate the site easily.

The website also has a series of short video clips, short texts and other relevant vocabulary that is useful in the workplace. Topics discussed in the clips and text include: ‘Why work?’, ‘Why be punctual?’, ‘How to look for a job’, ‘What to expect in an interview’, ‘How to work together’, and ‘Being paid for overtime’.

The Delet P’tucha program, launched in partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Education’s Adult Education Department, Israel’s Adult Education Association, and Israel’s Center for Educational Technology, is currently running in 17 cities and thus far 450 adults have completed the program. Though technically still in the initial stages of implementation, Delet P’Tucha has been well received by both students and teachers.

'HaMasad': National Initiative for Israelis with Special Needs

In this briefing, Steve Schwager, CEO shares some exciting news about a new partnership that will benefit Israelis with special needs.

People often ask me what I like best about working at JDC. I respond with the following observation: JDC is large enough so that there is much to do for our people, but small enough so that with a little effort, you can change a single person’s life wherever on the globe they live. My well-used example is Klara Kogan, a 102-year-old woman in Kishinev, Moldova who is alive today only because of JDC.

Recently, Alan Gill, the head of our Global Resource Development efforts, sent me his story. I share it with you below:

A number of years back, I was walking down Emek Refaim St., the bustling little artery of our Jerusalem neighborhood of Baka/German Colony, when I saw a woman about my age coming towards me, strapped into a motorized wheelchair. As we approached one another, our eyes met and we smiled; then, for some reason, we slowed down and stopped to chat. We introduced ourselves—her name was Daniella. We learned that we both lived in the neighborhood and she asked me where my children went to school. When I mentioned the name of my daughter’s high school, Daniella started grilling me in not atypical Israeli assertive fashion as to the quality of the school’s education, the nature of the student body, the passion of the principal and teachers.

I asked Daniella why she was so interested in this particular school. She told me that she had a daughter and was thinking of sending her there when she reached high school age. I must have looked a bit surprised for she then said something akin to, “You didn’t know that a quadriplegic woman could have children, did you?” I was embarrassed and apologized for possibly offending her. Daniella just laughed and said, “If I could, I would give you a hug.”

Daniella and I went over to a bench so that we could both sit and talk. And then she told me the story of her life—an inspirational account of courage and determination to live in mainstream Israeli society. I told her that her story was close to both my heart and professional interests because I worked at “HaJoint”. Daniella’s eyes lit up and she said it was b’sheirt that we had met, for she was meeting later that week with JDC representatives to check out rental space for the newly initiated Center for Independent Living, a program that we were piloting for Israelis with special needs, in partnership with local authorities.

Since our first meeting, Daniella and I have talked many times, either during my walks through our neighborhood, at JDC offices, or at the now permanent site of The Zusman Center for Independent Living in Jerusalem. The Zusman Center, sponsored by our Honorary Life Board Member, Larry Zusman and his wife, Leonore, is one of the flagship projects for Israelis with special needs that have been developed by JDC over the years.

As a result of the pioneering work of JDC professionals Tammy Barnea and Avital Sandler-Loeff, and the vision and leadership of JDC-Israel’s Director, Arnon Mantver, we now have a National Initiative for Israelis with Special Needs. Known in short Hebrew as “HaMasad” ( NOT to be confused with the Mossad), there is now a national headquarters for planning and program development for the many thousands of Israelis with special needs. The Center for Independent Living and all the programs that JDC has developed—and those that will be initiated in the future—will hereafter be housed under one national roof partnership, HaMasad, with Tammy as its director. The founding partners of HaMasad are JDC, the Israeli Ministries of Finance, Social Affairs, Health, the National Social Security Institute, and a major American-Israeli Jewish foundation.

And this leads me to the latest and very exciting part of this story. I am very pleased to announce that the Ruderman Family Charitable Foundation has become a founding partner in HaMasad with a commitment of $2 million over the next four years (2009 through 2012).

I met Jay and Shira Ruderman soon after they moved to Israel from Boston a few years ago. Since then, we have spent many hours together building both a strong professional relationship and a good friendship. Together with my JDC colleague, David Zackon, we have traveled to Ukraine and Russia. We have worked closely as partners in two innovative and successful programs in Israel, one for families with special needs children (Amit L’Mishpacha) and a new education and training initiative (Excel-HT) for young Druze men and woman. The Ruderman family has a deep and demonstrated commitment to helping people with special needs. Through their vision and major philanthropic support, they have made it possible for special needs children to attend Jewish day schools in the Boston area. And upon making aliyah, they began exploring the best way to advance the cause of Israelis with special needs.

Jay Ruderman, who now serves as President of the Ruderman Family Charitable Foundation and whom I hope you have met at our recent Board and RD meetings, has made it a point to get deeply acquainted with JDC and its professional team. Jay epitomizes the promising changes in the philanthropic arena. He is not a “donor”, per se. He is an “investor”. Jay and his Foundation’s trustees want to insure that their philanthropic resources are invested strategically and wisely. He wants a return on their investments so that he can know that those precious philanthropic funds truly are bringing real results to those in need. He wants to be a partner in both funding and governance. And we at JDC say “amen!” as we embrace Jay’s philosophy and strategy of partnership with our major funders. In this time of economic turbulence and massive losses of Jewish foundation assets, we call upon the Jewish philanthropic community to emulate Jay and his peers who invest their resources as strategically as possible. This can only serve to stretch a limited pool of funds that much further while enhancing the lives of those of our People who are most in need of assistance.

I will end as I began, with Daniella, whom I recently saw once again in a neighborhood ice cream shop. We reminisced and laughed about our first encounter; then she proceeded to tell me about her daughter. She’s done superbly in school and, with tears in her eyes, Daniella spoke with great pride about her daughter being able to do what Daniella could not—serve in the Israeli Army.Daniella then thanked me—as a member of the JDC community—for helping to enable her to live independently and make it that much more possible for her to raise her precious daughter with dignity and pride. And this is what HaMasad is all about.Mazal tov and Yasher Koach to JDC, the Government of Israel, Jay Ruderman and the Ruderman Family Charitable Foundation, for having the vision and commitment to insure that our Israeli brethren with special needs live lives of dignity and purpose.
Irv and I want to thank the Ruderman family for this generous gift and hope it is the new start we urgently need for our 2009-2010 fundraising efforts. As you well know, JDC cares for the world’s most vulnerable Jews in Israel and across the globe. We are their safety net. Without JDC many would have no place to turn for the basic necessities of life (food, medicine, and shelter), while others would not or could not become productive members of society. With your caring and help, we bring hope and possibility—and we will continue our work until there isn’t any left to do.