For more information about this and other Mavoi Satum’s legal precedents, contact Gitit Nachliel.

The Center has turned into a productive, creative, multi-disciplined enterprise. Products produced in the workshops are being marketed to retailers, the proceeds of the sales acting as an important supplement to the participants’ income.

At present about 30 external and resident rehabilitants work daily in the sheltered workshop. From January 2009 to present, about 15 rehabilitants have been directed to the center by various treatment factors in the community (protected housing, hostel, family-format housing). Such rehabilitants are defined as “externals” whose treatment target is achieving occupational and social rehabilitation.

The Center offers a wide spectrum of vocational activities for more than 160 youths with a history of psychiatric illnesses. Currently, over 200 participants work in the general employment market in various scopes and contexts outside Summit, accompanied by our constant care and involvement.

The program includes four outings – one during each season of the year. Through hikes and workshops, participants are exposed to the wondrous changes that occur in nature – the shedding of leaves in the autumn, the gushing waters of winter, the blossoming of flowers and plants every spring, and the nature that flourishes even in the heat of summer. Depending on the season of the year, participants have the opportunity to produce olive oil in LOTEM’s olive press, bake their own bread over an open fire, or make wine by treading on grapes in LOTEM’s accessible wine-press. Through active participation in both hikes and workshops, women and children are offered the opportunity to experience nature, while healing both their bodies and their souls.

Rachel Ziv, director of the Women’s Crisis Shelter in Haifa, wrote after the November outing, “I have no doubt that the women and children of our shelter gained much from their excursions with LOTEM, above and beyond what we originally thought they would gain. They gained mother-child quality time, familiarity and contact with nature – animal vegetable and mineral – the understanding that one may enjoy the world around them – trees, earth, water, air – which are free to all of us and that children love so much, and many positive experiences to refill their and their children’s drained batteries.”

On that last hike, one of the women closed her eyes, let the wind and the sun caress her face and said: “This is so good.” She kept that smile on her face the whole day, and took pictures of her children in every natural nook and cranny she could find, to save these moments of happiness for the rest of their lives.

An 11-year-old boy told me, every few minutes, “We should do this kind of stuff all the time!”, saying it from the bottom of his heart.

It is our belief that Mother Nature increases the quality of participants’ lives, providing mothers and children with the opportunity to enjoy each other’s company in the shelter that only nature can provide. Most of all, it helps mothers and children realize that the world around them, the source of fear and cynicism, can be a place of renewal, sustenance and trust.

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.”

The idea of a “second-hand” fair kindled the imagination of the adults in the minyan and they approached the local council and the educational institutions in the village.  The head of the local council and its members were happy to cooperate: they gave the project their blessing and the staff of the various municipal departments played an active role in helping to put the event together.  The idea caught on not only in the congregation but outside as well, grabbing the interest of young and old, religious and secular Jews, as well as that of non-Jewish residents in the surrounding communities. Letters were distributed in the schools inviting families to contribute items, which were sorted by members of the student council and placed in boxes prepared by members of the minyan.  Even though it was the end of the school year, discussions were held in many classrooms about “giving” to others and about the importance of recycling.

The businesses and management of the commercial center also contributed, providing an empty store where the second-hand items were sorted and stored.  Members of “Beit Horesh,” a home for adults with special needs, were also involved in preparing the fair and joined members of the minyan and other helpers as the salespeople at the fair.

Minyan member Jacqueline Rotem offered the following comment: “The fair was a wonderful opportunity for all members of the minyan to be involved, including those who do not attend tefilot on a regular basis. It was also an opportunity for our community as a whole to demonstrate our commitment to recycling and concern for the environment.

The income from the fair will finance the Bar/Bat Mitzva program for Children with Special Needs of the Masorti Movement, which teaches children with special needs about Judaism and Israel. At the end of the educational program, the children are called up to the Torah and become Bnai Mitzva.  This Program is run nationally by the Masorti Movement with significant community involvement. One of the senior program teachers is a longtime member of the Masorti Family Minyan in Kfar Vradim.

After 4 years of hard work, out of the 32 Hebrew chapters, 20 are complete and 12 are in various stages of preparation. Ten Arabic chapters are complete and 22 are in various stages of preparation.  The book in Hebrew should be published in June 2010. Initially, we intended to publish the Arabic edition a year later. Instead, we have decided to publish the Arabic version in three parts. The first part, including 10 chapters will also be published in June 2010. We feel that it is essential to get this information out due to the general lack of accessibility to information of this kind within the Palestinian community.

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.

Last year she was presented with the Presidential Award of Excellence at the annual Independence Day ceremony at Beit Hanassi by Israeli President Shimon Peres, former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defence Minister Ehud Barak.

Natasha entered her military service as one of 35 young religious women participating in Midreshet Ein Hanatziv’s 3-year Maayan Program which combines intensive Judaic studies in the Beit Midrash with full service in the Educational branch of IDF.

Upon completing their high school education, many young religious Israeli women seek ways to explore their Jewish identity so that they may learn to deal with the complexity of their lives as religious women who are active in Israeli society and in the modern world of today. Midreshet Ein Hanatziv provides a unique answer to these women by providing a wide range of challenging Jewish studies encouraging them to conduct a meaningful dialogue between the texts they study in the Beit Midrash and their daily life issues.

Each student at Midreshet Ein Hanatziv is guided to discover and listen to her own unique voice within the broader fabric of the Jewish people. The Midrasha prepares its students towards their life as committed Jewish women who will go on to assume contemporary leadership roles in Jewish society based on a profound understanding of Jewish sources, ethics and values.

Each year, among the 70 students of the Midrasha, 35 young women choose to combine their studies with full service in the army.

The Ma’ayan Program engages participants in intensive Jewish studies and places them in key positions in the Educational Branch of the IDF.  While participants are active in their military service, their relationship with the Midrasha remains close through frequent trips back to Ein Hanatziv and twice weekly classes on their army base taught by visiting Midrasha staff.

Maayan soldiers mainly teach soldiers from underprivileged backgrounds helping them to complete 11 years of formal education. A sub-group of Ma’ayan Program participants teach Judaic content and culture to new immigrants. in preparation for their conversion to Judaism.  These recent immigrants come from countries where they had very little exposure to Judaism.  The army’s Nativ Program provides them with a comprehensive understanding of Jewish life and an enriched Jewish identity and facilitates their integration into Israeli society.

“I am fortunate to have joined the Midrasha at Ein Hanatziv”, says Natasha, “and to have had this wonderful opportunity of serving in the army and getting to know Am Yisrael. I feel totally at home here”.