The Jaffa Institute was established in 1982 by Dr. David Portowicz and Col. Ze'ev (Zonik) Shaham as a private, non-profit, multi-service
social agency to assist the city of Jaffa’s severely disadvantaged children and their
families. Our mission is to provide educational, nutritional, therapeutic, and social
enrichment programs that assist children in developing positive attitudes and skills
to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty in the impoverished communities of
Jaffa, South Tel Aviv, and Bat Yam in Israel. Holistic in approach and responsive to
the diverse needs of those we serve, the Jaffa Institute operates over 30 different
programs, including crisis residences for at-risk youth, educational enrichment
centers, food security initiatives, support to elderly individuals and Holocaust
survivors, and women’s empowerment programs. Each year, the Jaffa Institute
provides service and relief to over 4,000 citizens. In 2001, the Institute was awarded
the President’s Prize for Most Outstanding Voluntary Organization.
The Jaffa Institute’s Three Organizational Goals:
- To provide educational and social enrichment to disadvantaged children and other community members in need.
- To increase the nutritional security of impoverished individuals in our service area.
- To care for and strengthen the emotional and mental wellbeing of our program
participants.
Our vision is to create a community in which children are nourished, educated and
supported so that they become strong contributors to Israeli society.