JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE

Transcription

1 JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE

2 The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is the world s leading Jewish humanitarian assistance organization. Since 1914, JDC has exemplified that all Jews are responsible for one another and for improving the well-being of vulnerable people around the world. Today, JDC works in more than 70 countries and in Israel to alleviate hunger and hardship, rescue Jews in danger, create lasting connections to Jewish life, and provide immediate relief and long-term development support for victims of natural and man-made disasters. JDC Serves: The poorest Jews in the world, including isolated elderly, at-risk families, and vulnerable children Jewish communities around the globe building their future, wherever they may be Israel s most disadvantaged citizens, including at-risk children and youth, the elderly, immigrants, and people with disabilities Victims of natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies

3 Whenever and wherever there are Jews in need, JDC is there, providing urgent care. JDC s clients are the poverty stricken, struggling to survive without a safety net: These poor Jews turn to JDC for basic necessities food, medicine, home care, and winter heat and stabilizing assistance such as job training, school scholarships, and loans to keep roofs over their heads. JDC brings life-saving relief to hundreds of thousands of desperate Jews living in places where no other social services exist. Breaking the cycle of poverty and connecting these individuals to a caring Jewish community is vital not only for them but for the future of Jewish life in their regions. SAVE THE WORLD S POOREST JEWS

4 Famine, World Wars, Communist repression, political strife, genocide Jewish communities around the world have confronted the unthinkable over the last century. Today, Jews worldwide share a unique opportunity to reconnect to their cultural heritage and find unprecedented strength as part of a global Jewish people. JDC restores and rebuilds vibrant Jewish life in countries throughout the former Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe. As their trusted partner for nearly a century, JDC shares its expertise to empower local Jewish communities from Latin America to Northern Africa and Asia to develop and enrich their local communities. JDC facilitates enriching Jewish experiences such as intergenerational family retreats and pioneering children s camps JDC s centers of Jewish life and cultural continuity around the world are instrumental in connecting Jews to one another and to our collective tradition. REVITALIZE JEWISH LIFE

5 Today s Israel is a dynamic, diverse nation of 7.6 million people. Over 70 nationalities are represented it its vibrant population, and two out of every three Israelis are newcomers, or the children or grandchildren of immigrants. Israel has tremendous human potential but the gap between rich and poor the second largest of the OECD countries underscores the formidable challenges many of its citizens face in earning livelihoods and providing for their families. With 25% of all Israelis living in poverty, the country has the largest concentration of vulnerable Jews in the world. JDC partners with the Government of Israel to research and develop innovative, scalable solutions to meet the needs of the country s most disadvantaged citizens, including Israeli Arabs, vulnerable immigrants, children and youth at risk, the elderly, and people with disabilities. JDC s interventions empower Israelis at every stage of life. By investing in the country s most precious resource its people JDC helps Israel ensure that it can provide for its most vulnerable, foster greater equality of opportunity, leverage its human capital, and strengthen its future as a nation. EMPOWER ISRAEL S FUTURE

6 From the historical centers of Jewish tradition in Northern Africa to the nascent wellsprings of Jewish renaissance in Europe and the former Soviet Union, Jewish communities around the globe need promising young leaders to grow into the vibrant cultural hubs of tomorrow. JDC is empowering a new generation of grassroots Jewish visionaries and building community infrastructure wherever it was destroyed in the tragedy and tumult of the last century. JDC tailors leadership development in every region to the unique needs of its communities, providing hands-on training in some and serving in a technical advisory capacity in others. In remote and reemerging communities around the globe, JDC is enabling an enthusiastic new generation thirsty for Jewish knowledge and interconnectedness, with the know-how to ensure their communities future. DEVELOP TOMORROW'S JEWISH LEADERS

7 JDC leverages nearly a century s experience helping Jewish communities worldwide confronted by the most difficult challenges disaster, extreme poverty, political instability, genocide to create innovative programs that benefit some of the world s neediest populations. Seed money from JDC leverages funds from the U.S. government, foreign governments, international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), foundations, and individual donors. In times of emergency, JDC turns on the dime to provide critical humanitarian relief. JDC s immediate relief and long-term development assistance has saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people facing crises around the globe. RESCUE VICTIMS OF GLOBAL EMERGENCIES

8 JDC operates in more than 70 countries worldwide. From the hinterlands of Siberia to the villages of the Negev to the frontier towns of Argentina, JDC reaches Jews in need with life-saving assistance wherever they may be. JDC s global network of on-the-ground professionals provides critical social-support services and helps build self-sustaining Jewish communities in Latin America, Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, and throughout the former Soviet Union. In Israel, JDC helps ensure that all of Israel s people can be part of the country s society. When emergency strikes, JDC is there, bringing transferable programs to scale to address pressing human needs, rebuild infrastructure, and reinvigorate community life. With nearly a century s experience helping Jewish communities confront crises and battle extreme poverty, JDC s disaster response and community development programs provide a lifeline for some of the world s most vulnerable people. WHERE WE WORK

9 From Casablanca to Tunis to Cairo, JDC is a lifeline for the small Jewish communities across Northern Africa that face some of the greatest challenges in supporting their needy. Since the Second World War, when JDC assisted refugees fleeing Nazi Europe and discovered some of the poorest Jews on the planet living in isolated communities across the continent, JDC s steadfast support has helped ensure that the region s often widely dispersed Jewish populations are able to care for their most vulnerable and remain culturally vibrant and self-sustaining. Today, JDC s work in the region is primarily focused on: Saving Africa s poorest Jews: In Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt JDC brings critical basic relief for the poor, quality care for the elderly, and medical support for young children. Revitalizing Jewish life: In Tunisia and Morocco, JDC supports Jewish schools that offer the only Jewish education available to children in those countries. Developing tomorrow s Jewish leaders: JDC supports local Jewish institutions and implements programs for both professionals and community volunteers to ensure Jewish continuity in the region. Rescuing victims of emergencies: JDC s humanitarian aid programs in Ethiopia provide potable drinking water, life-saving medical care, and crucial education opportunities to some of the neediest people in the country. In Tunisia and Morocco, JDC works to generate economic opportunities for the disabled and destitute. IN AFRICA

10 Within the vast Asia region, India and Turkey are home to some of the oldest centers of Jewish life still thriving today. JDC s challenge is to ensure that the small, often widely dispersed Jewish communities in these countries can care for their neediest and remain culturally vibrant and self-sustaining. JDC s operations in Asia primarily focus on: Revitalizing Jewish life by supporting a Jewish school in Istanbul, a JCC in Mumbai, and other local Jewish institutions; helping to build local expertise; and strengthening the interconnectedness of the region as a whole. Developing tomorrow s Jewish leaders, including communal lay leaders, professionals, and volunteers, by creating opportunities for professional forums, exchanges and shared learning. Rescuing victims of emergencies by being the first source of Jewish humanitarian assistance on the ground when disaster strikes and offering critical relief and expert long-term development assistance. IN ASIA

11 In the wake of the wars and Communist rule that dominated Europe over the past century, JDC has worked to rebuild shattered lives and fractured Jewish communities throughout the continent. Today, JDC has redefined its operations in the region to complement the current realities of new borders and accelerated change. From Berlin to Bucharest, JDC provides critical assistance to meet the vital needs of Jews at risk, help foster self-sustaining communities, and pave the path for the next generation. JDC s work in Central and Eastern Europe focuses on: Saving the poorest Jews: JDC provides lifesaving assistance to impoverished Jewish elderly primarily Holocaust survivors and needy Jewish children throughout the region. Revitalizing Jewish life: Continuing to revive Jewish communal life in countries that lived under communist rule until the late 1980s, JDC acts as a catalyst for community development and Jewish renewal throughout Europe. Developing tomorrow s Jewish leaders: JDC trains Jewish professionals, lay leaders and volunteers through learning seminars, conferences, and cross border initiatives. For years, JDC has provided communities in the region with professional expertise and cultivated leadership to ensure Jewish continuity. JDC s aim in Europe is to continue to help communities move toward self-sustainability in all aspects of communal life, even in the face of current challenges. IN EUROPE

12 From St. Petersburg to Siberia, Kiev to Kazakhstan, today the vast cultural and geographic expanse of the former Soviet Union (FSU) is home to some of the world s poorest Jews and the most inspiring, budding Jewish communities. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, JDC has been the lifeline for vulnerable Jews in the region, providing the critical assistance they need to survive and the Jewish connection and strength that can only come from community. Today, JDC s work in the former Soviet Union focuses on: Saving the poorest Jews by providing food, medication, home care and winter relief for impoverished elderly Jews; and delivering critical nutritional assistance, health care, financial support, and childdevelopment services to the neediest children and their families. Revitalizing Jewish life by developing the community infrastructure, leadership, and educational resources necessary to ensure a Jewish future. Developing tomorrow s Jewish leaders by training volunteers and professionals to lay the foundations for communal Jewish life and nurturing emerging visionaries to create Jewish learning initiatives and experiences for children and youth. Through these efforts, JDC is ensuring a viable, strong, self-sustaining Jewish future across the countries of the former Soviet Union. FORMER SOVIET UNION

13 Israel today boasts one of the world s most dynamic economies and one of the most diverse populations. Yet, it also has the second largest gap between the rich and poor in the OECD: 1.8 million men, women and children live below the poverty line and 39% of Israelis find it difficult to live on their current income. JDC partners with the Israeli government to create strategies and solutions to combat the country s biggest internal challenges. By investing in Israel s most precious resource its people JDC helps the country ensure that it can provide for its most vulnerable, foster greater equality of opportunity, leverage its human capital, and strengthen its future as a nation. Working with the State and a variety of local partners to ensure the greatest possible impact, JDC in Israel works to: Secure Promise for Israel s Youngest Tens of thousands of Israel s children and teenagers live on the margins of society, lacking a safe home environment, suffering from neglect, and dropping out of school. Ensure Financial Independence for Every Israeli Israel has one of the highest underemployment rates in the developed world, a grave and unsustainable situation JDC is pioneering groundbreaking initiatives to correct. Care for Israel s Elderly in Need One in three seniors in Israel lives under the poverty line be they immigrants, Holocaust survivors, or Halutzim. IN ISRAEL

14 Jewish communities in Latin America have weathered storms of political upheaval, social uncertainty, and economic collapse always with JDC s assistance and strategic support. From the diverse threads of Judaism throughout Argentina to the budding Jewish life being nurtured in Cuba, JDC has worked to foster stability, self-sufficiency, and reliable care for the needy in Jewish communities throughout the region. Today, JDC s work in Latin America is primarily focused on: Saving the poorest Jews: JDC in Cuba helps the community meet the basic food and medical needs of its most vulnerable; while in Argentina JDC ensures the adequacy of services provided to children at risk, elderly, and families continuing to struggle following the devastating economic crises of 2001 and Developing tomorrow s Jewish leaders: JDC invests in future community leaders by developing ground-breaking program models and growing a widespread leadership network through cross regional retreats, seminars, and trainings. Revitalizing Jewish life: Through dynamic camps, festive community holiday celebrations, and innovative Judaism without walls programming, JDC brings new vibrancy to Latin America s Jewish communities. Latin America s ever-changing political, social, and economic realities mean JDC s leadership and technical support in its Jewish communities remain indispensable to ensuring the future of Jewish life in the region. IN LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN

15 THE JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL

16 The Jewish Agency s work in the sphere of closing social gaps in Israel focuses on children, "I was the first exchange student at Bezalel, and that year in Jerusalem changed my life Betina Schnaid ULPAN families and the elderly who live on the social and economic periphery of Israeli society.

17 YOUTH FUTURES Reaching 10,000 impoverished, underachieving at-risk youth and their family members each year in 32 locations, through a high-impact community-based model, with local young Israeli activists serving as counselors and mentors.

18 YOUTH ALIYAH VILLAGES Providing clinical intervention, social work services and remedial education to 1,000 seriously troubled youth in four residential treatment settings.

19 YOUNG COMMUNITIES Placing motivated young adults in underdeveloped towns and communities where they make a commitment to live and work in grassroots community and economic development. In , 2,200 young pioneers reached 36,000 vulnerable Israelis.

20 ATIDIM Preparing disadvantaged students for higher education at one of the country s leading universities. Since 2000, Atidim has prepared 21,000 talented young Israelis for study and careers, including over 850 Ethiopian and 1,460 Bedouin or Druze participants.

21 Providing high school students from the periphery with computer skills that offer an educational boost and an entrée to employment and future success. has over 1,300 graduates and operates in 17 locations around Israel.

22 AT HOME-TOGETHER Mobilizing Israeli volunteers to reach out to 4,000 new immigrants to help them overcome challenges facing newcomers, operating out of five employment centers across Israel

23 JEWISH AGENCY LOAN FUNDS providing loans at special terms, mentoring and 18 The Global Planning Table guidance to entrepreneurs, women and new immigrants from socio-economically disadvantaged areas. Last year, the Jewish Agency oversaw nine loan funds totaling $26 million in outstanding loans, creating economic development engines in the Negev and the Galilee.

24 ABSORPTION CENTERS 22 Absorption Centers 16 of them dedicated to immigrants from Ethiopia providing 9,000 new olim (immigrants) with subsidized temporary housing and acculturation services, Hebrew language classes, vocational training, and practical introductions to life in Israel.

25 YESODOT Helping close educational gaps for more than 2,500 newly arrived Ethiopian youth from pre-school through 12th grade each year, through formal and informal educational programming, learning enhancement, Hebrew lessons and technology workshops.

26 KEDMA bridging to higher education and jobs for Ethiopian olim between 17 and 25, through Hebrew ulpan (intensive Hebrew language courses), supplemental educational and vocational courses, and cultural activities.

27 ALIYAH IMMIGRATION AND ELIGIBILITY SERVICES Acting on behalf of Israel s Interior Ministry, the Jewish Agency determines immigrants right to make aliyah (immigrate), presents the case to the Ministry, and provides guidance and counseling to new immigrants prior to their arrival in Israel. Last year, 20,000 new olim made their homes in Israel.

28 SELAH students before their parents, helping recent high school graduates from the FSU to continue their higher education in Israel. Last year, of the program s more than 4,300 graduates, 2,000 were serving in the IDF, and 1,300 were studying in universities throughout Israel.

29 KIBBUTZ ULPAN providing young recent immigrants, ages 18-28, with a combination of intensive Hebrew language instruction and the immersive experience of living and working on a kibbutz for five months.

30 FIRST HOME IN THE HOMELAND Bringing new immigrants to kibbutzim to study Hebrew and live in the warm, communal atmosphere to ease their integration.

31 WINGS helping lone immigrant soldiers in the IDF and equipping them for the transition to higher education or professional life. Wings has provided grants, workshops, employment and related counseling to over 3,200 soldiers.

32 THE FUND FOR THE VICTIMS OF TERROR Providing emergency financial assistance to Israelis whose lives have been torn apart by terror and war, funding the physical and emotional supports; since 2006, over $8 million has been distributed to more than 2,000 victims and their families, and over 800

33 LA AD Training young volunteers to assist Holocaust survivors in Israel to apply for financial support and benefits to which they are entitled. La ad s call center advises on entitlement eligibility; La ad s 2,000 young volunteers are trained to partner with survivors to navigate the complex bureaucracies of restitution. La ad also provides neediest cases with emergency cash grants.

34 PENSIONS FOR FORMER PRISONERS OF ZION Honoring olim who served prison sentences in the FSU from the 1960 s to the late 1980 s as refusniks and who now live at or below the poverty line.

35 AMIGOUR The Jewish Agency subsidiary dedicated to providing subsidized apartments to new immigrants, single parent families and the elderly. More than 7,500 senior citizens, primarily immigrants from the FSU, live in 57 assisted living homes, with social and cultural services.

36 PARTNERSHIP 2GETHER the renewed Partnership 2000 platform. Many communities operate programs to help vulnerable Israelis under the umbrella of this program.

37 Since 2004, Masa Israel Journey has almost tripled the number of young Jews who visit Israel each year on semester or year-long programs. Masa Israel Journey acts as an umbrella for over 200 gap year, study abroad, post-college, and volunteer programs serving young Jewish adults from around the world; provides significant scholarships to participants; informs program development; operates a growing number of activities for Masa s over 65,000 alumni. MASA ISRAEL JOURNEY Spend 5-12 months in Israel as part of a study, volunteer, or internship program with other young Jews from around the world.

38 Taglit-Birthright Israel provides 10-day educational Israel experiences to thousands of Jews, ages 18 to 26, from around the world, completely free of charge. Since 1999, The Jewish Agency has been a partner in Taglit-Birthright, and is directly involved in bringing over 9,000 participants each year, from around the globe, with a special focus on facilitating Taglit-Birthright experiences and related programming for communities in need and for Russian-speaking Jews in the FSU and Germany. TAGLIT-BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL Visit Israel as a part of the classic 10-day educational trip, free of charge.

39 Minyanim: The Regional Jewish Leadership Project is one of our leading Post-Israel Experience Programs. The two-year program allows alumni of Taglit-Birthright or Masa in Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia, and Poland to continue their Jewish and Israel studies. Community leadership and Israel studies program for young Jewish adults in Central and Eastern Europe. Minyanim encourages dozens of young Jews to engage with local and global Jewish communities. This increases community activism, strengthens Jewish communities in Eastern and Central Europe, and educates the next generation of leadership. MINYANIM: THE REGIONAL JEWISH LEADERSHIP PROJECT

40 Machon Youth Leadership Training provides tools to graduates of Zionist youth movements from abroad, to help them effectively respond to challenges facing Zionism. Machon provides leadership training for graduates of Zionist Youth Movements from around the world. Founded in 1946, Machon ("Institute") has served over 12,000 young men and women from around the world. Today, Machon trains approximately 400 young leaders per year. Among Machon's alumni are Jewish Zionist educators and leaders of Diaspora Jewish communities. MACHON YOUTH LEADERSHIP TRAINING

41 Na'ale: The World's Jewish High School, also called Elite Academy, allows parents in Jewish communities abroad to register their 10th-grade children for three years of tuition-free Israeli high school, leading to an Israeli matriculation diploma. Teenagers from communities all over the Jewish world have the opportunity to finish their schooling in the homeland. They will learn Hebrew, build life-long friendships with peers from the world over, and develop a lasting relationship with the land through fun and educational trips and cultural activities. Na'ale includes room and board, a monthly stipend, fees for extra-curricular activities, home hospitality, and other support services. Do you want your teenager to develop a lasting relationship with Israel, other young Jews from around the world, and Hebrew? Here is their opportunity to finish high school in Israel! The program was founded in 1992, and since has provided world-class Jewish and Zionist education to over 13,000 motivated Jewish teenagers from around the world. In the school year, Na'ale had students from 32 different countries. The largest contingents were from the FSU, the United States, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, France, and Germany. Na'ale currently includes 25 participating high schools - both religious and secular - all over the country. NA'ALE: THE WORLD'S JEWISH HIGH SCHOOL

42 The Jewish Agency created Onward Israel so that graduates of Taglit-Birthright and other peer-trip programs in Israel would have an opportunity to spend 6-10 weeks in Israel, building their resumes and getting to know the Jewish state in a deeper way. Onward offers internships, service-learning, academic study, and fellowships, in cooperation with Jewish organizations and communities overseas. In this highly-subsidized program, participants come from the same community or organization, so you can build local networks and carry on your connections after the program. ONWARD ISRAEL Spend a summer in Israel building your resume, meeting friends, and getting to know Israel.

43 The world's largest Jewish education and vocational training non-governmental organization. This year, through our network of schools, colleges, training centers and programs in Israel, Russia, Argentina and many other countries worldwide, we will benefit more than 200,000 people - young and old, Jewish and non-jewish. With your help, we can continue the ORT tradition of freeing individuals and communities from dependence.

44 Ort s Mission To work for the advancement of Jewish and other people through training and education; To provide communities wherever they are, with the skills and knowledge necessary to cope with the complexities and uncertainties of their environment; To foster economic self-sufficiency, mobility and a sense of identity through use of state-of-the-art technology; To support non-sectarian economic and social development through International Cooperation programs in under-developed parts of the world, with vocational training and the provision of technical assistance.

45 What does ORT stand for? ORT was founded in Tsarist Russia in The name 'ORT' was coined from the acronym of the Russian words Obshestvo Remeslenofo zemledelcheskofo Truda, meaning The Society for Trades and Agricultural Labour. It is an acronym that has stuck through 130 years of education and training, moving from its roots in Russia to become a global organization, hence the name World ORT. ORT is proud of its history and roots, and that it still carries the moto of "Educating for Life" into today.

46 World ORT operates a broad network of science and technology schools that offer general, science and Jewish education and build career skills.

47 ORT France has a network of seven schools and academic colleges, located in Paris, Marseilles, Lyons, Strasbourg and Toulouse. The schools provide a modern, technology-based education to 3,500 students annually, most of whom are Jewish, helping them to achieve vocational and occupational qualifications up to Masters level.

48 ORT Argentina s two campuses, with four schools, two colleges and an adult training center, provide training to more than 8,000 students. Of all the students participating in Jewish education in Buenos Aires, 80% attend ORT schools, and the ORT school campus is the largest Jewish training institution outside Israel.

49 The ORT Brazil Technology Institute in Rio de Janeiro trains 400 students annually. The Yiddishe School Mexico City s oldest Jewish day school has recently joined World ORT s international network and is now named CIMORT. The school is currently working hard to attract more Jewish students from the city s Ashkenazi community.

50 ORT Cuba is involved in the local renaissance of Jewish activities. It provides the Cuban Jewish Senior Center with staff who train the elderly Jewish population in subjects such as Cuban literature, ethics, art and Judaism; it organizes an annual inter-generational summer program for Cuban children and their grandparents; and it has helped to establish Cuba s first Holocaust exhibition, helping the local Jewish community to better understand its roots while educating the wider Cuban community on a subject about which they know little.

51 World ORT has been helping the Jewish communities of Peru and Panama by improving the science and technology education provided in their Jewish schools and thus improving the students employment prospects, for the future good of the wider community. This high-quality education attracts Jewish families and ensures that the students also receive access to a Jewish education, which is not available elsewhere. Elsewhere in South America, the training center that ORT established in Uruguay, initially to provide essential training to new Jewish immigrants, has now grown into one of the highest rated universities on the continent and one of the top 500 in the world, educating around 10,000 students Jewish and non-jewish annually.

52 ORT South Africa has become an active and valued organization within the Jewish community and beyond, serving not only the Jewish community but also the community at large, including crucial training programs within local townships.

53 World ORT has worked in India for over 50 years, and ORT India in Mumbai continues to run educational programs in order to benefit Jewish and non-jewish students. Training programs include childcare, informal Jewish education and courses to create and encourage links between the local community and Israel. ORT India is particularly proud that it has secured a kosher catering service for the community.

54 With the support of a few Federations and foundations, World ORT is planning to start a vocational training center in order to prepare the remaining Falash Mura community for aliyah.