The Israeli Forum
Re'ut (Frienship)
The Project
Project Re'ut's objective to contribute to the social absorption of immigrants in Israel is a natural by-product of the Israeli Forum's commitment to contribute to the shaping of the Israeli society as a society which incorporates in its existence the notion of a common destiny of the Jewish People, wherever they may reside.
This objective is achieved through a network of volunteers who operate in 50 locations throughout Israel. Local steering committee chairpersons head the steering committees which include 200 volunteers, who are in charge of approximately 5,000 volunteer families that accompany the immigrant families. The professional staff of the project includes a national director, 5 regional coordinators, two program coordinators and a secretary.
The project consists of several tracks:
- families who accompany immigrant families
- families who accompany youth with no parents in Israel
- social accompaniment of members of the Ethiopian community.
- families who accompany soldiers with no family in Israel.
- operation of clubs, English courses and other activities, according to local needs.
Project Re'ut has evolved over the years in accordance with the changing needs of society. The project's policy requires that its heads maintain contact with official government and other institutions in charge of immigrants in Israel, to join forces to generate the most suitable programs.
In 1996 the project celebrates a decade of activity. During this special year, Re'ut volunteers seek to bring the issues of social absorption and the importance of volunteer activity closer to the hearts of the Israeli society, to increase the number of volunteers in this field and to celebrate the project's 10th anniversary together with all Re'ut families.
The nature of a project such as Re'ut requires constant guidance and support for the families, who take upon themselves the rewarding but difficult task of accompanying immigrant families, opening the doors of their homes to youth or soldiers with no family in Israel, or being active within the Ethiopian community. A series of workshops lead by professional staff, periodical follow-up telephone conversations with volunteers, support groups, publication of written guidance material, meetings at volunteers homes, and joint events, are only a few of the means that must be employed each year to help the families and volunteers succeed in their task.
Family adopts Family
This initial track of Project Re'ut operates throughout Israel. The idea behind the track is that many immigrant families lack the feeling of being an integral part of the Israeli society, of being accepted by their new environment. This social need is almost, if not as important as the basic need for work and a place to live. While it is up to the government and other public institutions to provide for the latter, social absorption calls for the help of members of the society. One Israeli family who lends a helping hand, serves as a bridge to the Israeli culture and way of life. The principles which guide this track include an effort to forge long-term relationships, based on a careful matching process of the families according to age groups of parents and children, fields of work and other interests, and sometimes even geographical locations.
Families adopt youth with no families in Israel (Na'aleh Youth)
Thousands of children come to Israel without their parents, which creates a new and young channel of immigration and an incentive for families to follow. The youth arrive in Israel within the framework of Jewish Agency's Youth Aliyah program Aliyat Hano'ar who is responsible for their accommodation in boarding schools and for their education and other needs. The youth, who undergo a selective screening and compatibility process prior to being accepted to the program, are highly motivated in terms of educational aspirations and their desire to integrate into the Israeli society. Re'ut volunteers combined efforts to provide these youth with Israeli accompanying-host families, who open their homes and hearts to them, provide a warm home and base as close as possible to a real and supportive family.
The youth are hosted by the families during weekends, holidays and vacations. Through the families, the youth become acquainted with the Israeli way of life, Israeli social norms,
customs, and Jewish tradition. The accompaniment of teengagers is not an easy task. In order to provide the families with the necessary support and guidance, a series of support workshops are operated by Re'ut for both the families and the youth. In addition, Re'ut volunteers facilitate opportunities for unique joint events for the families and youth, day trips and other activities.
Social Accompniment of Ethiopian Olim
Upon the immigration of Ethiopian Jews to Israel, the Re'ut Steering Committee set as one of its goals to lend a hand to the social absorption of this community as it did with immigrants from other countries. Reality proved that a different approach was necessary in order to meet the unique needs of the Ethiopian community in Israel. In order to prepare itself, the Steering Committee conducted a series of studies in different parts of the country, in cooperation with local teams. It was found that different needs had to be met in different places. Based on this information, the project is being developed according to the needs of the specific locations:
- Integration of olim in industry - in the integration process of Ethiopian immigrants into industrial work places, each immigrant is accompanied by a veteran employee and provided appropriate professional training. This method demonstrates a concentrated and efficient effort to help the immigrant integrate into his/her new work environment and develop professionally. (Be'er Tuvia; Kiriyat Malachi).
- Support and strengthening of learning skills for young children - assistance for young children in obtaining reading, writing and other learning skills.
- Accompaniment of Ethiopian university student immigrants -educational and social support for Ethiopian olim students, especially those enrolled in pre-university courses. (Jerusalem, Bar Ilan, Zafed)
- Families accompany boarding school students - due to absorption problems of their own, some olim families find it difficult to provide their children with the necessary support system and place them in boarding schools. These children are matched up with Israeli families, whom they visit once a week and who give them special attention, unconditional support and assistance. (Neveh Amiel, Mitzpe Hoshaya, Beit Netufa).
Families adopt soldiers with no family in Israel
This track is operated in full cooperation with IDF military officials, who believe that Re'ut volunteers have the ability to provide for the needs of IDF soldiers with no family in Israel that cannot be met by the IDF. This Re'ut track differs from the existing IDF "warm home" project in that soldiers accompanied by Re'ut families need not waive their special rights as soldiers with no family in Israel.
This track took off in September 1995. Concommitantly, Re'ut volunteers are also involved with soldiers who came as youth to Israel within the framework of the Na'aleh Project. The same families that accompanied the youth in the boarding schools continue to accompany them as soldiers. In addition, Re'ut has connected with the GADNA with the aim of accompanying soldiers from project Marvah.
Special Re'ut Projects
Locally based projects designed to answer the needs of local immigrants (in accordance with the resources available to the Re'ut volunteers) include:
- English courses for olim - taught by volunteers from English speaking countries as a sequel course to the Israeli Forum's Yad BeYad project. (Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Kiryat Malachi).
- Cultural-social clubs for new immigrants and Native Israelis- run by a joint volunteer committees of immigrants and Israelis born in Israel. The clubs hold holiday events, lectures and other activities for the community. (Nazereth Elite, Ramlah).
Re'ut Cornerstones
Project Re'ut and its volunteers have received the recognition and praise of the Israeli public
establishment. In addition to support in the implementation phases of the project granted by the Jewish Agency's Aliyah and Klita and Aliyat Hano'ar Departments, the Ministry of Immigration, Local Authorities, and others, Re'ut volunteers have received many commendation awards for their outstanding volunteer work, such as:
The Knesset Spokesman Award of 1990, granted to Project Re'ut.
The President's Volunteer Award of 1991, granted to then Chairman of Re'ut, Mr. Eitan Adres.
The Ministry of Welfare and Labor Medal for Immigrant Absorption Volunteer Work, granted to then Chairman of Re'ut Kfar Saba, Dr. Eduardo Podjarny, 1992
The President's Volunteer Award of 1991, granted to volunteer Miriam Bisk of Re'ut Ra'anana.
Facts and Figures
50 Re'ut locations throughout Israel.
200 volunteers active on local steering committees.
5,000 families presently accompanying immigrant families.
over 10,000 immigrant families who have been helped by the project since its establishment.
1,000 youth with no parents in Israel staying in 45 boarding schools, are accompanied by Re'ut volunteers.
200 members of the Ethiopian community are assisted by Re'ut volunteers.
180 soldiers with no family in Israel are accompanied by Re'ut volunteers.
The Future
The project requires constant expansion of the pool of active volunteers and accompanying families. Present reality calls for intensification of involvement with the Ethiopian community. The Re'ut track designed for soldiers with no family in Israel is relatively new and requires further development and expansion. Re'ut volunteers have set as objectives for the near future: increasing the number of volunteer families, expansion of the project to additional locations, recruitment of volunteers to the local steering committees, training of leadership for the operation of additional programs, and continuous adjustment of the project in accordance with the changing needs of the immigrant population in Israel.
For further information please contact:
Billha Gordon - Chairperson - Re'ut
Nurit Shalev - Director
Tel: 972-3-6878834, 6878802
Fax: 972-3-6878814
email: moriah@israelforum.org.il
The Pedagogic Center
Director: Dr. Motti Friedman
Web site manager: Esther Carciente, esthers@jajz-ed.org.il.
Updated: December 23 ,1996