Hadassah Facilities in Israel
& Women's Volunteerism
Visit to the Meir Shfeyah
Hadassah Youth Village near Zichron Yaakov, August 5, 1957
"I am now stopped at a combination school & farm for refugee children of broken homes from about 20 different lands. It is really a modern miracle while being done after you hear their backgrounds & meet the latest group of arrivals and see what they look like."
August 5, 1957
“Today was another very exciting day. We got up early in the morning and toured the environs of Jerusalem and especially the Women International Zionist Organization facilities here.”
Hadassah Vocational Schools
“What I liked the most was the well-equipped vocational high schools where all the boys and most girls are taught a technical trade. The products of the schools are sold on the open market and so help the schools once they are established self-supporting. The quality of the work seemed very high.”
Hadassah Children's Village
“Afterwards we went to the Children’s Village. The kids were all Polish and Russian who were staying there for a while until their parents could learn Hebrew and find work. All had left older brothers and sisters behind the Iron curtain. Only old folks and kids are getting out now.”
July 24, 1957
David's Comments
Children's Villages and Vocational School made a significant impact in the early days, until today.
Henrietta Szold, founder of Hadassah (front center),
with children
from a Youth Aliyah village.
Fanny Jacobs, my father's mother, was a dedicated Hadassah volunteer for many years.
Four generations of volunteering for Israel: From left: My Great Grandmother, Grandmother, Mother and Sister.
A Tradition of Volunteerism
My parents visited the vocational high schools and children’s homes that were funded by members of the Hadassah women’s orgnanization. My grandmother Fannie Jacobs volunteered for Hadassah women, and my Mom became an active member as well. Over the years, the women in the Jacobs family have volunteered in many Jewish women’s organizations including AMIT, Emunah and the women’s division of the United Jewish Appeal.
Vocational Schools
Hadassah has to its credit the establishment of several vocational schools. One of these is the Alice Seligsberg Vocational High School established in 1942 which my father visited and commented on in his letter. Henrietta Szold, the founder of Hadassah, understood the importance of teaching the new immigrants a trade. It is clear from his letters that my father agreed that the young Jewish state needed to teach youngsters a skill and to work with their hands.
Israel today has much less vocational high schools and most young people are not taught a trade. This creates a dependency on foreign and Arab labor. It is harder and harder to find Jews in construction and agriculture and other trades where manual labor is required. High tech is important, but bakers, shoemakers and other trades where people work with their hands are needed. which is not healthy for the country. The State of Israel was built up with Jewish sweat and labor, and we should try to get back to that.
Children's Villages
My parents visited two Children's Villages - The Meir Shfeyah Hadassah Youth Village in the north and another one in Jerusalem. These Youth Villages were refuges for Holocaust survivors and immigrants who poured in from Arab countries.
My Mother recalls: "We went on day trips but also stay
ed at Kibbutz Hasolalim and a Children’s Village Meir Shfeyah. I remember they had just brought in children from Egypt who were orphans. We couldn’t believe the stories of how poorly the children were treated in Egypt."
An Ongoing Commitment
My family's commitment to supporting important humanitarian causes in Israel continues with the next generation. Our family is specifically involved with Kfar Blatt Youth Village in Petach Tikva, Neve Michael in Pardess Hannah and Beit Elizrachi in Netanya. My sister Ann's son Ezra and his wife Lily, organize approximately forty volunteers every year in Neve Michael and other children's homes in Israel.
1957 vs today
In 1957, the children’s homes were mostly immigrants to Israel from many different countries.
Today, the children’s homes are both new immigrants and native Israelis with special needs. As in 1957 volunteers and funding is still needed. I believe that there is a need for more vocational schools in Israel today.
LINKS:
Meir Shfeya Children’s Village: https://www.timesofisrael.com/it-takes-a-youth-village-and-hadassah-to-raise-underserved-israeleens/i-t: