Montreal & Israel
Education
People to People
Community Development
Social Development
Support IsraelRingleblum Cafe
Goldberg Community Anchor Village
Adanim Youth Village
Youth Futures
Ringleblum Cafe
Photo : JAFI
“My social worker brought me here when I dropped out of school. They gave me a job washing dishes and taught me about the business. I became a waiter and then learned a little about cooking. Now I’m back in school and who knows? Maybe I’ll own my own restaurant one day.”
Dropouts and other teens who slipped through the cracks, aged 16-18, can work at Ringelblum. The café offers gourmet food and contributes to an important social program. It helps at-risk youth get on their feet.
Goldberg Community Anchor Village
Photo : JAFI
“I was 12 years old when I first got into trouble. I was always fighting with my parents, my sisters and friends. My parents couldn’t cope so I was sent to a boarding school in the Galilee because there was no place to go near my home in Beer Sheva. When the village was built and I came home, it was better because I could see my family and we could work out my problems together.”
As an “anchor in the community,” the village enables at-risk youth, aged 12 to 18, to weather turbulent periods and come through strengthened and equipped to rejoin mainstream society.
Adanim Youth Village
Photo : JAFI
“When I came to Adanim four years ago I was suffering with severe obsessive compulsive disorder. I’d been in a psychiatric hospital three times. I couldn’t concentrate and dropped out of school. With medication, counseling, and the support and stability in the Village, I was able to control my condition and return to school. Now I’ve graduated from school and I have a great job as an office manager, where my attention to small details is actually an asset.
Adanim provides a family structure for young people with emotional problems whose needs could not be met in their home environment. They find therapy, compassion and patience and are able to get a fresh start.
Youth Futures
Photo : JAFI
“I didn’t study much and I got into a lot of trouble. Nobody understood me. I’d always get into fights and didn’t get along with the teachers. Then my Youth Futures counselor connected me to Taekwondo. I worked hard and learned self control. I’m so happy I won 1st place in the Negev competitions and 4th in the nationals. And now I’m doing much better at school.”
Youth Futures provides at-risk Israeli children with comprehensive, tailored programs, interventions, and community resources to help them realize their potential, set goals and achieve them. It is based on the relationship between a child and their “trustee,” a young adult who serves as both a mentor and a coach.