A Warm Home on the Hill: A Visit to the Jerusalem Hills Children’s Home

Two couples from the United States were recently hosted by the Jerusalem Hills Children’s Home (www.childrenshome.org.il) though our on-going project Nonprofit Israel: The Catalogue of Experiential Visits to Israeli Nonprofits (see: http://bit.ly/visitscatalogue). Met by Shira Skolnik, Director of Resource Development and Public Relations, the tourists received a comprehensive tour of the facility and met with children and staff.

The beautiful facility located in the Jerusalem Hills outside the village of Abu Gosh serves as a residential treatment center for emotionally disturbed and abused children, ages 7-18. These are Israel’s most at-risk children, many having suffered emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Shira explained to the guests the background to the establishment of the village and how the children are referred to the facility. Most interesting was hearing from one of the staff about the unique, innovative, drug-free, holistic philosophy and methods employed which ensure an over 65% rehabilitation rate. But mainly, the visitors were impressed by the warmth and thought which guides the staff in all aspects of their work.

The campus tour led the four visitors through classrooms, residential areas, spaces for play and therapeutic activities (such as music, art and animal therapy). Each beautiful cottage serves as a residential unit for a cohesive group supported by a multi-disciplinary staff of 8. In addition to the cozy bedrooms for two, each cottage has a computer club room, a communal play area outfitted with DVD and music sound system, quarters for the on-duty counselor, a kitchen and a dining room where kids and staff prepare and eat meals together as one family. As well, the tour included a glimpse of the playgrounds, sports fields and swimming pool mostly utilized for hydro-therapy.

Being Hanukkah vacation, most of the children were not in the village and those remaining were gathered in one cottage unit for the duration of the school break. These children literally have no place to go home to during vacation, and so the staff had planned a special week for them. Some of them were very excited to see the visitors and asked if the visitors were going to have dinner with them and/or paint with them. Although this group of tourists did not have the time, similar groups had eaten a meal with children in their dining room, as well as painted rooms needing a fresh coat of paint together with the children.  There is a great deal of maintenance work in such a facility and Shira expressed how helpful it had been when foreign visitors both contributed the funds for painting and assisted in the work. It was hard to say “no, not this time” and “goodbye”….

The group shared their names and contact information with Shira and felt very moved and committed to thinking further how they might help these very needy but charming children. As they are involved for many years in bringing groups to Israel from their community, Shira indeed hopes to see these visitors again soon, accompanied by the members of their various groups.

See more and Join our Catalogue of Experiential Visits to Non-Profits: http://bit.ly/visitscatalogue

Tourists and Israelis interested in participating in a pilot visit to any of the experiential visits in our catalog are invited to contact Chava Vento, Catalogue Coordinator at – 02-563-6629 or 052-602-9082. Email – chava@israelgrants.com