It’s July 13 and I’m sitting in the Armon Hanitziv Center, watching the “Olim al Machshev” course (new immigrants learning computers and Hebrew language skills). There’s a genuine feeling in the room of people beginning to change their lives. New immigrants from Ethiopia, Russia and South America who are employed as street cleaners and security personnel are being exposed for the first time to writing in Hebrew and using the Internet.

Right now, they are learning to write official letters and suddenly they can write to the phone company about false charges, to the cable company about the technician that never showed or a thank you letter to a vendor for quality service. They are receiving real-life skills so they can deal with difficulties they face, independently and with self-confidence.

I watch all this in amazement and once again see clearly that the investment we make in our centers and workers pays dividends- over and over again.

To all our workers, volunteers and donor partners: Thank you.

- Daniel