our programs

True Story: Larissa, a mother of four, came to YEDID’s local CRC when the National Insurance Institute (NII) decided to cancel the disability that she had been granted, despite her declining condition. With the YEDID Center’s assistance, Larissa submitted an appeal to the NII. The woman couldn’t thank YEDID enough – not only did the committee reverse the previous cancellation, but it actually raised Larissa’s level of disability

True Story: Boris and Svetlana, a new immigrant couple with 4 children fell on bad times. Boris lost his job and his Svetlana’s chronic medical condition made it impossible for her to work. They were in arrears in their home mortgage payments and were simply served a foreclosure notice effective two months later. A YEDID attorney clarified that Boris and Svetlana were entitled to request a rescheduling of their mortgage, which indeed was renegotiated to an amount that the clients could handle, the foreclosure was cancelled and homelessness was averted for this thankful family.

True Story: Hava and Mordechai, Holocaust survivors, arrived at the Center shocked and frightened after repossession officials showed up at their home in connection with a defaulted debt on the part of their estranged grown son, for which by law they bore no responsibility. Repossession officials walked away with television, VCR and more. The Center successfully appealed the court order and the couple’s possessions were returned. The couple was deeply appreciative.

The 12-week long program consists of weekly training sessions on subjects such as writing resumes, searching for jobs and learning interview techniques. The course enhances participants’ ability to: locate potential jobs, present, prepare coherent and attractive resumes, learn interview techniques to ensure that they interview successfully, and secure employment.

From first grade ‘Head-start Programs’ to Hebrew literacy courses for single mothers, YEDID helps citizens remove the fundamental educational barriers that separate them from economic success and give the boost needed to break out of the cycle of poverty.

AYAL is YEDID’s holistic dropout prevention program. The program is aimed at preventing 7th grade immigrant youth (two years earlier than most programs of this kind) from falling behind educationally and socially, leading them to reject their parents and the educational system. The AYAL program aims to promote literacy and education through informal education and individual attention and to help the youth accept their heritage and their traditions while achieving and developing their potential within Israeli educational and social frameworks. The youth are recommended for the program by their teachers, welfare and social workers, as they show a high risk of dropping out of the frameworks provided. Parents are a vital part of the AYAL experience, participating in activities and receiving ongoing reports.

YEDID runs a multi-tiered assistance program for low-income, often single-parent women of Israel. This is a time of immense economic distress in Israel and women and single-parent mothers are often uniquely disadvantaged. The program firstly focuses on a strategy of direct assistance, advice on rights and legal counsel when necessary to confront the most threatening financial crises these women face ranging from unemployment to home foreclosure. Additionally, a variety of courses “arm” these women with skills necessary for survival during these difficult times.

Financial Literacy and Economic Empowerment

Let's Get to Work!:  Provides employment readiness skills to chronically unemployed people.  Includes resume writing, interviewing techniques, job search skills as well as personal empowerment to overcome internal and external obstacles to employment.

Financial Management Training for Women and Girls: Increases financial literacy through providing practical tools to establish and maintain a family budget.  Includes information about banking procedures, debt renegotiation, engaging family cooperation, and creative ways to augment income. 

YEDID for the Family: Mentor volunteers are matched with families with multiple social and economic problems to help them build and implement a work plan to address each of their issues and reach a place of stability.

Small Business Awareness: Provide low-income people with the information they need to make an informed decision regarding the option of launching a small business.

Community Organizing and Empowerment

 Community Organizing: Enables low-income Israelis with the tools to carry out successful advocacy and public policy campaigns to bring about change in their communities. 

 Elderly Rights: Intensive workshops on social and community rights for elderly people to enable them to access their rights in areas such as national insurance, housing, and healthcare.

 Youth In Action: Empowers low-income youth in Nazareth to understand their rights and how to educate other youth about their rights.  Participants learn about the social, legal and labor rights of youth, tolerance of cultural and political difference, non-violent conflict resolution, and community organizing for change.

 Accessible Communities: Social, educational and advocacy projects for children and adults with a range of disabilities.

 Mothers Cooking Peace: Fosters understanding between Arab and Jewish women as they explore their similarities and differences in response to current events while sharing the basic unifier, food. 

 Overcoming Trauma: Helps low-income residents of the north cope with both short- and long-term trauma caused by the Second Lebanon War by ensuring that they receive the psychological, social, and economic assistance that they need. 

 Ethiopian Community Empowerment

Ethiopian Men's Empowerment: Addresses Ethiopian men's empowerment in a sensitive, culturally appropriate manner that respects their self-image while providing practical tools for success in Israel and adapting to their new role in their families. 

Ethiopian Parent's Empowerment: Focuses on the Israeli educational system and gives Ethiopian immigrant parents the tools and information effectively to advocate for their children's needs.  Explores the parent-child relationship, child development, and parenting skills and helps parents create a home environment conducive to their children's educational success. 

AMI: Women's health rights during pregnancy including nutrition, medical exams (pre- and post- partum), and infant care for Ethiopian women.

Milah Tovah: Empowers Ethiopian mothers with the basic literacy skills they need to integrate into Israeli society and support their children's educational and social development. 

Meshi: Empowers Ethiopian new immigrants with information regarding how to access public services and benefits to which they are entitled. 

Education

AYAL: Holistic dropout prevention program to promote educational and social success among at-risk 7th grade immigrant youth.  Helps youth embrace their heritage and traditions while achieving their potential within the Israeli educational system. 

MILIM: Enables Ethiopian kindergarten children and their parents to prepare for the transition from kindergarten to first grade, providing each with the tools necessary to ensure a successful beginning to the child's formal education.   

Otzma: Educational enrichment program for Ethiopian children in 3rd and 4th grades.  Works with parents and families to supply them with the necessary knowledge and tools to succeed in school.

Story Hour: Advances reading comprehension and listening skills, the use of imagination and the world of creativity among young children as well as creates valuable quality family time through parent-child arts and crafts projects.