Turning Obstacles into Stepping Stones
Shearim Netanya is a small non-profit organization dedicated to helping Russian immigrants of all ages in Israel. During the school year they operate a small day care center with breakfast and lunch for children ages 2 to 5 and run afternoon activities for school age children considered youth at risk. During the summer the age limit is stretched to 11 making it possible for parents to go to work without having to worry about their children. Shearim Netanya also conducts activities for seniors and gives out scholarships to musically talented Russian immigrants to advance their careers.
Our Involvement
We have visited the site in Netanya several times. It is a large room located on the second floor of a shopping center. Sometimes Shearim Netanya is lucky enough to get the use of two smaller rooms when the other tenants are not using them. When there, you see young children sitting in a circle singing songs with a teacher leading them in Russian and then in Hebrew. ‘Playground time’ is spent outside in the shopping center courtyard square. If it rains, then the youngsters stay inside and share the big room with a group of elders who have taken the room’s “vacancy” for a class. On our first visit, it was towards the end of the day and parents were beginning to pick up their little ones after work…young parents, all Russian, none wearing what we would call “business attire” but rather “blue collar attire.” We were told that most are from blended families – meaning the man or woman of the house in not necessarily married to the child’s mother of father. All fees are reduced and some cannot even afford that.
We have seen the difference HOT has made with the purchases of extras like tables and chairs, musical instruments and educational toys. We noticed that these small children are older and more well-behaved than their years indicate. The talent was amazing - a 5 year old girl went up to the piano and just started playing the tunes that the children were singing. This past school year, HOT paid for field trips, special programs and snacks and drinks for the children. We also funded choir uniforms for the middle school kids, arts & crafts and a small emergency fund for the families for necessities like food and clothing. Shearim Netanya also conducts activities for seniors and gives out scholarships to musically talented Russian immigrants to advance their careers.
Hands On Tzedakah made its fourth grant to Shearim Netanya for summer 2007 by underwriting the critical summer care activity for children of single parent families. The previous funder of this program passed away last year and the need for urgent help by the single parent families has only increased. Shearim Netanya is supporting new immigrants by helping them to be able to work. By giving them a protected environment for their children it enables the parents to seek employment and stay with it without having to worry about their children.
Youth at risk can be defined as young people whose background places them "at risk" of future offending or victimization due to environmental, social and family conditions. Through the partnership of Shearim Netanya and Hands On Tzedakah, these children have been given a place to be that counteracts the conditions that cause them to be classified as youth at risk. This is an immediate short-term method of prevention and much more help is needed.
Contact Information:
Shearim Netanya, Rabbi Professor Ervin Birnbaum, Director, PO Box 2695, Netanya Israel 42126, Telephone 972-9-882-6017
