Spotlight – Celebrating “Bridges of Friendship” from Israel to Italy
We are delighted to announce that we celebrated the conclusion of our successful “Bridges of Friendship” project with an evening of festivities. The event, which was held at the Peres Center for Peace, was sponsored by the Italian Embassy and honored by the presence of the Italian ambassador’s wife, Mrs. Stefania Mattiolo.
The Bridges of Friendship project is a collaboration between Muse Israel and Muse Italy. The children have built a colorful paper bridge decorated with beautiful paintings depicting themselves, their homes, their families and their environment. This creative project has enabled them to share information about their lives with children from another culture while interacting and learning about a reality far different from their own. The themes of the project were living environment, home, family and the children’s favorite foods. The children tried to paint an accurate picture of themselves so that the other children could truly understand their reality.
The process began with seven groups of children from different regions in Italy. Each of the children chose to describe their home, bedroom, kitchen, family or favorite food and expressed it through painting. Some of the children even chose to include their favorite food recipes. When their part of the ‘bridge’ was completed, it was sent to the children of the Jaffa Institute, who spent some time discussing their interpretations of the paintings. The children of the Jaffa Institute then created their own ‘bridge’ in response, painting messages about themselves in accordance with the central themes of the project.
The “Bridges of Friendship” exhibition, which is being shown at the Peres Center for Peace in Tel Aviv-Yafo now through May 26th, features the work of the Italian and Israeli children together. The exhibition will later be taken to Italy where it will be displayed in the cities of Genoa and Bologna.
An evening of festivities took place on May 23rd, during which 60 Jaffa Institute students sang for their parents and the event guests. A reception was hosted in the presence of guests of honor: Mrs. Stefania Mattiolo, the wife of the Italian Ambassador, and Ms. Anna Maria Guglielmino and Mrs. Rita Costato Costantini, representatives of Muse Italy. Guests then had the opportunity to view the children’s work. Following this, musicians Emile Libinder, a renowned accordionist and Vladimir Friedman, who plays both the flute and clarinet performed. For more information please contact: chezky@jaffainst.co.il
We would like to thank Ifat Ameli, After School Program Coordinator at Pahad Yitzhak, for her photography.
Horse Riding Therapy for Our Kids at the Neve Ofer House
The Neve Ofer Crisis Intervention House is a residential facility that provides a solution to Jaffa Institute children whose home situation severely inhibits their development due to poor parenting. At the Neve Ofer House, the children are exposed to a warm and loving ‘family’ environment and receive all the necessary support and emotional therapy that they require until a suitable long-term solution is found. The Neve Ofer House is a home for up to twelve children at anytime who have been removed from their homes due to parental neglect/abuse. At the home, the children receive shelter, nutritious meals, clothing, enrichment activities, a supportive ‘family’ environment and individualized therapy.
In 2011, four of the children at the Neve Ofer Crisis Intervention House are participating in weekly horse riding therapy sessions as a vital part of their therapeutic rehabilitation programming. The sessions take place at an urban farm in Holon called Mikveh Israel and are facilitated by authorized caregivers. Horse riding therapy focuses on strengthening self-image, self-confidence, and a child’s sense of control over his life and fate. This therapy also develops a child’s sense of responsibility in conjunction with empathy for others – even when the other is an animal. This form of therapy helps our children with ADD or ADHD find a place of quiet external and internal reality even as things get and more and more chaotic. Each of the four children from Neve Ofer that participate in these special horse riding therapy sessions were selected in accordance with their treatment plans and unique personal emotional needs. For more information: chezky@jaffainst.co.il
In Memory of Cyril Stein
The Jaffa Institute lost one of its most prominent benefactors last month.
For 30 years, Cyril Stein of Jerusalem (formerly of London) stood by the Jaffa Institute in times of joy and sorrow, in periods of growth and times of consolidation. He was a staunch supporter of the children of Jaffa and the students in Bet Shemesh. He believed with all of his heart that the future of Israel as a strong, proud country and its people as a nation of law abiding, courageous citizens dedicated to the ideals of Judaism and committed to its faith, depended on our ability to impart the ideals of Jewish tradition to the youth of this country.
Cyril Stein was a man of action who espoused the principle of mutual responsibility of every Jew for his fellow man and behaved accordingly. His support for the work of the Jaffa Institute was unconditional and generous to a fault.
I saw Cyril as the embodiment of everything that a Jew should be. Proud, committed, modest, more demanding of himself than of others, steadfast in his beliefs and prepared to go to battle to protect the ideals of his faith. For 30 years he was the person to whom I would turn for advice and for guidance. His death left a vacuum that can never be filled, but also a renewed commitment to live up to the example that he set.
Cyril will be missed by all the staff and children of the Jaffa Institute and by me for whom he was the truest of friends.
- Dr. David J. Portowicz
Jaffa Institute Chairman & Co-Founder
Other Exciting Happenings
On March 2, 2011 the Jaffa Institute’s annual scholarship ceremony took place at the Bet Shemesh Educational Center. 170 higher education scholarships were given out, giving youth from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds the opportunity to get the full education that they deserve. This is the first year that scholarships were distributed from the recently opened Yigal Guzman Scholarship Fund. Every school year at least one scholarship will be awarded from this fund to a graduate of our programming that is going on to study Accounting or Finance. Yigal Guzman was a CPA and one of the first members of the Jaffa Institute’s Israel Public Council. Yigal opened many doors to strengthen at-risk populations in Israel during his life-time.
On April 5th 2011, the Jaffa Institute held its Fourth Decade Kick-Off Gala Dinner. The Gala marked this milestone year by honoring the Jaffa Institute’s founder, Dr. David J. Portowicz with the prestigious Founders Award. David has dedicated his heart and soul to the children of Jaffa and their families for thirty years and it was a pleasure to recognize his achievements publicly. Alongside David, Mr. Jay Bauer was honored with our esteemed Yedid Nefesh Award and Mr. Tommy Steyer and Ms. Helen Steyer were honored with our celebrated Anshei Chesed Award. The Fourth Decade Kick-Off Gala Dinner also highlighted the imminent cornerstone laying of the Beit Ruth Educational and Therapeutic Village for Girls and Young Women chaired and supported by Susan and Michael Ashner, who announced a generous matching grant for the capital campaign at the dinner. Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer, Former US Ambassador to Israel and Egypt and Professor at Princeton University, and Major General Yaya Yair, Former Commander of IDF Paratrooper Bridge and Head of the Rabin Leadership Program at the IDC in Herzliya, were the guest speakers. They provided insight into the ‘Inner Circles in Jerusalem and Washington’ and provided us with some perspective on the current turmoil throughout the Arab World and what this might mean for Israel, the Middle East, and the world.
It has been a festive spring at the Jaffa Institute after-school sites. Purim was celebrated with a costume party and carnival games. Pesach activities included a trip to Monkey Park in Kfar Daniel, a “Shouk” or Market Day, and a Special Balloon Day.
The Jaffa Institute’s Food Distribution Center delivered an extra 1,700 food parcels to needy families throughout the Jaffa and South Tel Aviv Area during the 2011 Annual Pesach Drive so that all of these families could have matzah, grape juice and more for their Pesach celebrations.
April 11th, 2011 Bar Mitzvah Aaron Good of Toronto, Canada held his ceremony and celebration and dedicated his Mitzvah Project to aiding his peers living in poverty in Israel. Not only did people make donations in his honor to the Jaffa Institute, but he and his family also volunteered in Israel at the Jaffa Institute’s Food Distribution Center over his winter vacation. www.jaffainstitute.org/get-involved-2/youth-4-youth
The Jaffa Institute Annual Summer Camp opens in Julyto provide disadvantaged children with a safe and enriching alternative to being left at home unsupervised or worse still exposed to the dangers of the streets and to provide a “hook” to engage them in positive activities that have the potential to enhance their social, academic and personal growth. Find out how to sponsor a child this summer: mitch@jaffainst.co.il
Shop to Earn! We have teamed up with an amazing new online shopping site ‘Shop To Earth’ that donates to the Jaffa Institute every time you buy online! For every purchase you make through our portal- www.shoptoearth.net/thejaffainstitute – the Jaffa Institute will receive between 1-40% of your total cost as cash back from the over 1,400 top-name retailers including Itunes, the drugstore, Footlocker, Toys R Us, Fossil, Gap, Converse, The Home Depot, Campus, Macy’s, Old Navy, Barnes & Noble, Disney Store, Target and thousands more!
The International Jerusalem Marathon took place for the first time in Jerusalem on March 25, 2011. The tracks narrated the story of Jerusalem’s 3,000 year history. Bengt Berggren ran in the name of the Jaffa Institute – proudly fashioning one of our t-shirts, making us a part of this historic moment. Purchasing a $20 Jaffa Institute T-shirt provides one of our students with hot meals for an entire week. To help spread awareness on our cause and support our children purchase a shirt securely on-line at: http://www.jaffainstitute.org/buy-a-t-shirt
The recently completed Josh and Judy Weston Residence at the Bet Shemesh Educational Center includes a dining room large enough to serve 400 students and staff. The dining room was just dedicated in September 2010 and generously supported by Mr. Alfred Garfield under the auspices of the Federation for Jewish Relief Organizations, a challenge grant from the estate of Mrs. Sophie Diener, and the Maurice Wohl Foundation. This dining hall is already playing a fundamental role as the Center’s nucleus for meals, events and programming. The campus’ expansion is also now complete and equipped with new science laboratories, computer facilities and dorm rooms.
This month the new kitchen opens, thanks to Mr. Willem de Boer and the Christians for Israel of Holland, with the ability to cater for all 400 students at the same time and enhance meals and community. The Center will be able to rent out its facilities for events in the future to provide additional revenue that will help us to further improve the lives of these disadvantaged boys. For more information on how to help these boys reach their full potential reach out to:info@betshemesh-educenter.org.il
Talma immigrated to Israel with her mother when she was a young child. Due to life difficulties and hardness, Talma’s mother failed to notice when Talma began to be abused at the age of twelve. This abuse continued, undiscovered, for two years.
From a young age, it was clear to all that Talma was a very intelligent girl. She was accepted by a residential high school for gifted children but found that she was unable to cope with the strain of her past experiences. Her mental state spiraled into depression, she tried to commit suicide, and her physical condition deteriorated. Talma was hospitalized. When Talma was deemed sufficiently stable to leave the hospital, she was released into the care of the Beit Ruth Hostel.
Talma was introverted and unhappy when she first arrived at the Beit Ruth Hostel. However, after three years of intensive treatment, she improved greatly. She blossomed into a confident and happy young woman, and passed her matriculation exams with very high grades.
Talma is now a soldier in the IDF. When she has free weekends, she comes back to stay at the hostel where she represents an excellent example of success through adversity to the younger girls.
Beit Ruth Educational and Therapeutic Village for Girls and Young Women will extend this work from our pilot hostel accommodating 12 girls at a time to a campus saving the lives and futures of over 200!
We are delighted to announce that we celebrated the conclusion of our successful “Bridges of Friendship” project with an evening of festivities. The event, which was held at the Peres Center for Peace, was sponsored by the Italian Embassy and honored by the presence of the Italian ambassador’s wife, Mrs. Stefania Mattiolo.
The process began with seven groups of children from different regions in Italy. Each of the children chose to describe their home, bedroom, kitchen, family or favorite food and expressed it through painting. Some of the children even chose to include their favorite food recipes. When their part of the ‘bridge’ was completed, it was sent to the children of the Jaffa Institute, who spent some time discussing their interpretations of the paintings. The children of the Jaffa Institute then created their own ‘bridge’ in response, painting messages about themselves in accordance with the central themes of the project.
The Neve Ofer Crisis Intervention House is a residential facility that provides a solution to Jaffa Institute children whose home situation severely inhibits their development due to poor parenting. At the Neve Ofer House, the children are exposed to a warm and loving ‘family’ environment and receive all the necessary support and emotional therapy that they require until a suitable long-term solution is found. The Neve Ofer House is a home for up to twelve children at anytime who have been removed from their homes due to parental neglect/abuse. At the home, the children receive shelter, nutritious meals, clothing, enrichment activities, a supportive ‘family’ environment and individualized therapy.
In 2011, four of the children at the Neve Ofer Crisis Intervention House are participating in weekly horse riding therapy sessions as a vital part of their therapeutic rehabilitation programming. The sessions take place at an urban farm in Holon called Mikveh Israel and are facilitated by authorized caregivers. Horse riding therapy focuses on strengthening self-image, self-confidence, and a child’s sense of control over his life and fate. This therapy also develops a child’s sense of responsibility in conjunction with empathy for others – even when the other is an animal. This form of therapy helps our children with ADD or ADHD find a place of quiet external and internal reality even as things get and more and more chaotic. Each of the four children from Neve Ofer that participate in these special horse riding therapy sessions were selected in accordance with their treatment plans and unique personal emotional needs. For more information: 
I saw Cyril as the embodiment of everything that a Jew should be. Proud, committed, modest, more demanding of himself than of others, steadfast in his beliefs and prepared to go to battle to protect the ideals of his faith. For 30 years he was the person to whom I would turn for advice and for guidance. His death left a vacuum that can never be filled, but also a renewed commitment to live up to the example that he set.
ceremony took place at the Bet Shemesh Educational Center. 170 higher education scholarships were given out, giving youth from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds the opportunity to get the full education that they deserve. This is the first year that scholarships were distributed from the recently opened Yigal Guzman Scholarship Fund. Every school year at least one scholarship will be awarded from this fund to a graduate of our programming that is going on to study Accounting or Finance. Yigal Guzman was a CPA and one of the first members of the Jaffa Institute’s Israel Public Council. Yigal opened many doors to strengthen at-risk populations in Israel during his life-time.
The Gala marked this milestone year by honoring the Jaffa Institute’s founder, Dr. David J. Portowicz with the prestigious Founders Award. David has dedicated his heart and soul to the children of Jaffa and their families for thirty years and it was a pleasure to recognize his achievements publicly. Alongside David, Mr. Jay Bauer was honored with our esteemed Yedid Nefesh Award and Mr. Tommy Steyer and Ms. Helen Steyer were honored with our celebrated Anshei Chesed Award. The Fourth Decade Kick-Off Gala Dinner also highlighted the imminent cornerstone laying of the Beit Ruth Educational and Therapeutic Village for Girls and Young Women chaired and supported by Susan and Michael Ashner, who announced a generous matching grant for the capital campaign at the dinner. Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer, Former US Ambassador to Israel and Egypt and Professor at Princeton University, and Major General Yaya Yair, Former Commander of IDF Paratrooper Bridge and Head of the Rabin Leadership Program at the IDC in Herzliya, were the guest speakers. They provided insight into the ‘Inner Circles in Jerusalem and Washington’ and provided us with some perspective on the current turmoil throughout the Arab World and what this might mean for Israel, the Middle East, and the world.
was celebrated with a costume party and carnival games. Pesach activities included a trip to Monkey Park in Kfar Daniel, a “Shouk” or Market Day, and a Special Balloon Day.
to provide disadvantaged children with a safe and enriching alternative to being left at home unsupervised or worse still exposed to the dangers of the streets and to provide a “hook” to engage them in positive activities that have the potential to enhance their social, academic and personal growth. Find out how to sponsor a child this summer: 
The recently completed Josh and Judy Weston Residence at the Bet Shemesh Educational Center includes a dining room large enough to serve 400 students and staff. The dining room was just dedicated in September 2010 and generously supported by Mr. Alfred Garfield under the auspices of the Federation for Jewish Relief Organizations, a challenge grant from the estate of Mrs. Sophie Diener, and the Maurice Wohl Foundation. This dining hall is already playing a fundamental role as the Center’s nucleus for meals, events and programming. The campus’ expansion is also now complete and equipped with new science laboratories, computer facilities and dorm rooms.
Talma immigrated to Israel with her mother when she was a young child. Due to life difficulties and hardness, Talma’s mother failed to notice when Talma began to be abused at the age of twelve. This abuse continued, undiscovered, for two years.
Talma is now a soldier in the IDF. When she has free weekends, she comes back to stay at the hostel where she represents an excellent example of success through adversity to the younger girls. 
