The SAVI project includes an inspirational handicraft learning center, as well as operating a handicraft workshop run by the aged and learning impaired who cut and pack handicraft raw material and kits to be sold to a national craft distributor. SAVI aims to become a sustainable in-house industry based on reinvestment of profits to cover expenses of the project and fund future community philanthropic causes.

Through Savi’s extension efforts various arts and crafts programs, including a program designed for mothers and daughters will be operating throughout the summer.  One mother describes the experience, “A wonderful group was formed and both my daughter and myself – I wait anxiously for our special quality time together every Friday morning.  When we arrive, Yael Nechushtan, the group coordinator and some of the elderly members of the center greet us with light refreshments.  We each work on individual projects, help each other and share our progress along the way. The atmosphere is fun and creative.”

Additional programs are expected to open soon, including a program for grandparents and grandchildren, and a program just for women.  The common denominator between these programs is in SAVIs motto “Every One Can”, since no prior knowledge or expertise is required.   In the program, basic and simple techniques are taught that lead to surprising results and reinforces the belief that everyone has hidden creative talents.   The added advantage of the program is the focus on inter-generational activities providing real quality time between parents, children and grandparents.

On Monday June 7^th, 2010, Ms. Lena Gurary, Supportive Community’s

The Bernice S. Tannenbaum Prize recognizes innovative contributions to advance the status of women and girls in Israel and the United States. It is named in honor of Bernice S. Tannenbaum’s lifetime of service to the Jewish People, the State of Israel, and Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America. The Prize carries forward the mission of The Hadassah Foundation to make a difference in the lives of women and girls. The issues women and girls face often are relegated to the margins. The Hadassah Foundation is dedicated to bringing these issues to the center of Jewish concern by forming partnerships with and providing support for other social change organizations and individuals who share our goals.

Born in Uzbekistan, the former Soviet Union, Lena Gurary immigrated to Israel in 1992, the first member of her family to do so.  In 2003 Lena and three business women from the former Soviet Union initiated Supportive Community Women’s Development Center, and the following year Lena was named Executive Director.

Supportive Community: Women’s Development Center [Sviva Tomehet in Hebrew] started operating in the Herzliya area by giving services to a few dozen women who were new immigrants from the former Soviet Union.  Today, a staff of 7 professionals and more than 20 counselors and moderators serves thousands of women across Israel — new immigrants from the FSU and Ethiopia, native born Israelis (Jews and Arabs) from low income neighborhoods, women from agricultural settlements, Orthodox Jewish women, and multicultural groups.

Much thanks to the UJA-Federation of New York’s Women’s Philanthropy Group, the Neshamot Fund, whose generous donation has allowed the MCU to open new courses throughout Israel.

The youth spent many hours preparing for the ICDL exam in computers. By completing all seven levels required by the ICDL and a number of other basic courses, the students will receive a Ministry of Education recognized certificate equivalent to having finished 12 years of schooling. During the first part of the course, the students learned how to manage files, Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Over 90% of the students received higher than 90% on the exam. The MCU staff is now preparing to teach the second half of the course.

“This was one of the most challenging courses I have taught for Machshava Tova, because of the special make-up of the class and their battling of personal problems,” said Oren Heller, the course teacher. “The professionalism and dedication of the Retorno staff helped make this course successful. What they have learned will help them in other courses and allow some of them to eventually receive their high school diploma. For these reasons I am satisfied with how the course went and am extremely proud of my students.”

Located in the beautiful countryside near Beit Shemesh, Retorno – the International Jewish Center for Prevention and Treatment of Addictions –provides a unique solution for Jewish addicts. Retorno has treated hundreds of Jews of every background and community from around the world. Eighty percent of its patients have successfully reintegrated into regular society and rebuilt their lives. Retorno not only treats the addiction but also helps the patient identify the root causes of their problem and deal with them. Retorno uses a unique, community-based system of mutual support, helping our patients regain their self control and sense of responsibility. These qualities prepare them for a productive future and a new life.

These three organizations are working together for the sake of the encouraging business and community female leadership.

In the last two years, due to the global economic recession, many non-profit organizations have added profit making and business achievements to their agenda and have created collaborations with business organizations. Alongside those collaborations, we have also seen business organizations adding social, political and ecological issues to their agenda.

Together, businesses and non-profit organizations are opening “coffee shops” with the goal of coexistence and mutual learning which comes from an equal place. These “coffee shops” provide • income to families • allow business organizations to incorporate workers with disabilities • empower womens’ micro-businesses coming from different ethnicities and colors and creates cooperation which indicates a financial need and provides solutions to multicultural communities.

These instances demonstrate that economics motivates social change and connects between men and women coming from diverse background.

Speakers at the conference include:

Safa Younes, Founder and CEO of Arus al-Bahar

sviva_invitationProf. Benny Gidron, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Alisa Gutsman, Social investments Advisor

Panel participants include:

Esti Doron, National Supervisor of Community Work Service, Ministry of Social Affairs

Efrat Bekler-Kahana, CEO of Yoseftan Institute

Hagit Rubinstein, Manager of Micro-Businesses Area, Koret Foundation

Lena Gurary, Founder and CEO of Supportive Community

For more information regarding the conference contact:

office@svivatomehet.org.il

Take for example Efrat Revach, as a divorced mother of 4 she was overwhelmed and scared.  She felt alone, and unable to handle the responsibility of earning a living, paying the bills, being a mother a friend, and somehow building a career for herself.  One thing was clear to her – fear and feeling sorry for herself were not going to buy groceries.

“I was introduced to Ruach Nashit through my family social worker.  What is nice about Ruach Nashit is that they are concerned with the present and the future and are not hung up about the past.  The amuta helped me grow through empowerment and business skill workshops, and by providing me with a mentor.  Eventually, I joined a course on building my own business and received business mentoring and participated in a networking meeting for business women.

Efrat Revach – Food from the Heart is now off the ground and provides catering in private homes as well as offering prepared foods, cakes and other baked goods.  If I would have continued to pity myself I would never have gotten to where I am today – I often remind myself that adversity and even great adversity can be overcome, and that I can grow and even grown more”.

The exchange, funded by Partnership 2000 and the UJA-Federation of New York, is a three-semester joint program through the Bronfman Center at New York University, Memizrach Shemesh-The Center for Jewish Leadership in Israel and Marom Budapest.

Using traditional texts as their basis, participants spent their first semester understanding what poverty is, how it is measured, and why it is important to break down related stereotypes. At the end of the semester each group is intended to spend time learning specifically about poverty at the partner city of the exchange.

When asked what the greatest social problem facing each country was, Israeli participants were united on one issue: the working poor. “People work a lot,” said Israeli participant Sara Levinger, “and they still don’t make enough money to survive.”

Through the course of the year, the groups will focus on issues related to education and leadership and rejoin in Budapest and New York to familiarize themselves with how these communities are individually affected by these issues.

For the full text written by Memizrach Shemesh volunteer Lauren Wilner, please see the article published on eJewish Philanthropy.

Implementation of the project began when Idan and the students put in two full days of work along with children who are active in the Ayalim sponsored community center. A few days later, the Deputy Director General of Amidar happened to be visiting the neighborhood, liked what he saw and made a financial contribution to the effort. The cooperation with Amidar is an ongoing effort, which involves the students, the long term residents of the neighborhood and Amidar, working together to improve the appearance of the neighborhood.

To understand how important this course was, here is a sampling of what the participants said upon receiving their certificates:

Yaakov: “This course encourages me to buy a computer. It really added a lot to me- an excellent course. I hope there will be more courses like this. Much thanks to the extremely patient staff.”

Avigayil: “I have problems concentrating and I was worried I would not be able to learn anything. Sara’s patience helped a lot and I ended up learning much more than I imagined possible.”

Iris: “I knew absolutely nothing at the beginning. Thank you for helping me and showing much patience- it was fun and I learned a lot. I got exactly what I needed- to learn how to use Microsoft Office, empathy, patience and everything explained in an easy, understandable fashion.”

Liza, who participated in a similar course last year, served as an assistant teacher during the course. In addition, she was able to complete one unit of her high school matriculation exam in computers.

At the end of the ceremony, Ariel Keren, a social worker from the Ministry of Health, thanked everyone who provided support for the students. “I’m proud of everyone who finished the course and I am extremely impressed at how far they advanced.”

Machshava Tova is proud to announce a partnership with Cisco, a leading international supplier of networking equipment and network management for the Internet. This partnership will significantly raise the academic and professional level of a number of computer courses.

The partnership provides:

► Participants in Cisco certified courses will receive an international certificate of graduation from Cisco.

► Some participants, upon graduating from courses, can join courses to become a Cisco certified teacher.

► A recognized, high academic level in courses related to data security and becoming a computer technician.

By joining with Cisco, Machshava Tova will be able to

■ offer Cisco courses at an extremely reduced rate, in comparison to other technical schools and universities

■ provide employment opportunities as there is great demand for Cisco certified workers and this will benefit the underprivileged populations Machshava Tova services

■ apply for government grants for various employment courses- attaching Cisco’s name to the application gives added credibility to the course’s goals and outcomes

Machshava Tova is grateful to Cisco for this opportunity and looks forward to helping the unemployed find gainful employment- using their Cisco certificate.