Hadassim Children and Youth Village
The Hadassim Children and Youth Village, located east of Netanya, north of Tel Aviv, was founded in 1947 for European Jewish refugee children. Hadassim is one of the largest residential schools in Israel. Today, Hadassim serves both immigrant and Israeli children from disadvantaged families. The Youth Village has a regional high school for over 1,700 students in grades 7-12, with 200 students living on campus in the “family units.” Students living in these residences can move to campus as early as age six and study at the primary school in the area. Younger children are cared for by “foster parents,” who work closely with the biological parents, to help maintain the integrity of the family. For those children remaining at home, the “family unit” offers emotional support, nonetheless.
Many children living at Hadassim come from families unable to protect and care for them, having experienced emotional, sexual and physical abuse. It is the hope that by living in a vibrant environment, such as Hadassim, these children will feel at home and excel in their studies.
Na’aleh Program
Hadassim is also home to the French Na’aleh program, an opportunity for Francophone youth to continue their education in their native language. The Na’aleh program has become increasingly important due to the rise of anti-semitism, causing many European teenagers to seek out safety and security.
CHW Hadassim gives teenagers freedom. Freedom to learn. Freedom to live. Freedom to be Jewish. CHW Hadassim gives teenagers a home again.
Read more about Hadassim and the French Na’aleh Program in a feature story from the Summer 2015 issue of our Orah magazine:
For more information, visit http://www.hadassim.org.il/
(Note: website is in Hebrew)
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