| OUR
PARTNERS IN SERVICE
MISSION
TEENS AND YOUNG
ADULTS
VOLUNTEER IN ISRAEL
- Currently in Israel
- Doctors
who want to help Israel
- Volunteers
for Israel helps send volunteers from the Pacific Northwest on a two-or-three
week program working in non-combat
bases with the IDF and at hospitals.
- Partnership 2000 [P2K] began in 1995 as an attempt
by the Jewish Agency and the United Jewish Appeal [now the United
Jewish Communities] to help the Jewish communities of the world
to connect to Israel in a new and different way—not as
donor and recipient but as partners who would face and try to
solve problems together. Communities in the Diaspora were connected
to regions in Israel like the town of Kiryat Malachi and the
rural area of Hof Ashkelon with the Western Region of the U.S.
with the expectation that a real relationship could be formed
and that specific projects would be implemented that would benefit
the residents in these depressed areas of Israel.
Our TIPS partnership:
A TIPS Partnership Community Success Story
Maariv
(Israeli Daily Newspaper)
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The Hope of Kiryat Malachi
By Asaf Zlinger
A new JDC Program makes wonders in an inner city neighborhood.
Crime is down, unemployment has decreased and the children have
gone back to school. Soon across Israel.
The residents of the Hertzel neighborhood
in Kiryat Malachi have been scratching their eyes disbelieving
what they are seeing in
recent months. In a very short time crime rates and vandalism
has decreased. There is new hope for the children in this neighborhood.
JDC-Ashalim, which developed the Better Together program, has
identified
13 potential neighborhoods for this initiative. Each neighborhood
has a special team whose goal is to assist residents and municipalities
to develop a comprehensive approach to the neighborhood.
Hertzel neighborhood
was chosen as an ‘early bird’ in
this initiative. The Hertzel Better Together team analyzed the
children’s whereabouts at each hour following this analysis
tailored responses including setting up an employment center, health
centers, welfare centers, gyms and playgrounds. In addition, several
committees were formed to actively involve neighborhood residents
in these activities. The results are remarkable. Within a short
period, crime has decreased by 40%, unemployment is down by 2%,
and vandalism has mostly disappeared. Residents are actively involved
in what has been happening in their neighborhood. There is an increase
in the number of students coming to school and in the number of
mothers entering the work place.
In other neighborhoods where the
program has been launched, committees have been established. City
staff that oversees Education, Welfare,
Health, and other children’s services has been collaborating
to develop special programs for children. “The program’s
goal is to enter the most challenging and run down neighborhoods
and for the first time address their root problems to bring hope” according
to Dr. Rami Suliminai, director of JDC-Ashalim. “We began
in the neighborhood with extremely high unemployment rates. Close
to 30 initiatives operated in the neighborhood, but none knew what
the other was doing. Today, after effective coordination, we are
beginning to see change.”
In light of its success, Better Together is now operating
in targeted neighborhoods in Migdal Haemek, Haifa, Jerusalem, and
Rosh Ha’ayin.
Currently Better Together is expanding to other cities. “The
plan’s main achievement is the development of neighborhood
leadership that can be proud of its accomplishments,” explains
Dr. Sulimani. These days, Better Together is entering a third neighborhood
in Kiryat Malachi, and in the city, residents cannot hide their
smiles. “For me, the main success here is that the residents
have begun to believe in themselves,” says Shimon Amar, Kiryat
Malachi’s Director of Education.
Notes from Dina Tanners, on her recent visit
to Kiryat Malachi: Posted July, 2008
 |
Click here to see more pictures |
In the past year Kiryat Malachi streets have become
more attractive. At the center of the kikarim (roundabouts), plants,
trees and pottery have been installed. The kikar near the center
of town will look fantastic when it is finished. An olive tree
has been transplanted to the center of the raised kikar. Workers
are still putting bricks and planting around the tree, but it should
look lovely when finished. Two murals are on adjacent walls near
that roundabout. Some of the narrow road dividers are not planted
too. The newest "paintings" in town are those on the
meter tall electric boxes. I enjoy discovering new ones when I
walk to different neighborhoods. Before they were painted, many
were covered with graffiti, but I have yet to see a painting one
scarred in such a way. I think the youth in town too take pride
in this beautification. When you come to town, check them out!
-Dina
7.22.08
Festival B'Shekel last night in Kiryat Malachi was an amazing
success.
From about 5:30 there were events in the park. A
famous comedian was on one small stage. Members of the youth theater
group did
improvs with crowds encircling them. Other members of the youth
theater (including Matan in Dor Sheni who broke his foot in Nov
in Seattle) were on stilts and were amazing...
Read more on Dina's Israel blog at dinaisrael.blogspot.com.
Volunteer in Israel
Through the Western Region Consortium, Seattle Jewish
Community members have the opportunity to spend time in Israel
living and volunteering in our partnership communities of Kiryat
Malachi/Hof Ashkelon.
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS and LIST
OF VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES.
If you’re interested in this opportunity,
please e-mail p2k@jewishinseattle.org, call Amy at (206) 774-2212
or call Dina at (206) 963-4344.
Volunteer with Partnership 2000
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Israel
News Sources
JT
News
Haaretz Daily
Jewish Telegraphic
Agency
Jerusalem Post
Israel 21c
Consulate
General of Israel in San Francisco
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