The overall Program for 'Community Revitalization', of Beit Shemesh.

Background:

A total of  90,000 residents live in Beit Shemesh today, 18,000 of those residents live in the older suburbs of the town. Most of these residents, who derive from varying ethnic and cultural backgrounds, live in the poorer neighborhoods which have been faced with continude neglect by the local authorities. This negligence has brought about distinct feelings of alienation by the local residents from the rest of Israeli society.
Although Beit Shemesh is centrally located between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and todays Beit Shemesh is a growing town with new neighborhoods, the old Beit Shemesh has been left behind and their problems have not been solved.

Our organization "LaMitnadev" of Beit Shemesh, was set up in the year 2000, to combat this sense of isolation and further the ideas of community self help.

Since the foundation of our organization we have succeeded, with the help of donors from Israel and abroad, to implement many programs which have brought a new sense of change into these neighborhoods. Our goal is to support these a communities until such time that the local residents are clearly capable of supporting themselves.

The vision and its implementation:

In order to implement, 'Community Revitalization', 'LaMitnadev' is strengthening the community management skills of the local residents who will instigate and implement programs that will shape the future of the community and will shape the neighborhood residents into a force which the local authorities will have to contend with.

'LaMitnadev' is working towards closer cooperation of local organizations and pressure groups to create a true "grass roots" movement, supported by foundations and businesses, local and national, which will help the local population in its march to social and political integration.

Due to the limitations that are faced by 'LaMitnadev', we propose concentrating on the needs of one community in Beit Shemesh and when it has been clarified that the goals we set ourselves have been achieved, to move on to another needy community in the area.

The following are a list of the projects that have already been instigated and some projects which are part of our overall plan but as yet we have not had the means to implement:

Learning Center:

The center is for children who are considered to be socially disadvantaged. The children receive help from students and volunteers with their homework or attend enrichment classes at our computer center, art and sport activities and more. The center also supplies a light meal for the children who attend the after school activities. Throughout the 'pesach' and summer holidays the center offers a wide range of activities for the children.

Activities & Sport to prevent youth violence:

Bicycles – Together with the 'Cyclist Club of Shimshon', the cycling club of 'LaMitnadev' successfully operates a range of activities, including cycling for coexistence with Arab children from the local villages  and Ethiopian, Russian and new immigrant children.

Children learn how to look after their bicycles and enjoy cycling as a sport. Some of the children continue into second and third years as group leaders and assistants. All of these activities help keep the children of the neighborhood of the streets and away from violence and crime.

Basketball for Girls – We want to encourage girls in the community to join our plan to have a local basketball team and learn basketball from a professional player in the national league of women's basketball who lives in the area. Playing basketball will not only keep these girls away from the violent and criminal activities it will also bring them into a sport which offers them  challenges, goals and the opportunity to learn professional basketball from a professional.

The Parents Coffee Club – This is a forum for introducing the parents to an understanding of what kind of environement their children are growing up in and in what ways they can help their children escape the vicious cycles of violence and crime on the streets of Beit Shemesh. We bring experts in the various fields who can explain to these parents how to communicate with their children, how to stop them from getting involved in violent crime, how to set an example for their children and how to set guidelines for relationships between parents and child.

Parents Patrol – Parents volunteer to patrol the streets in order to make sure that their children don't get involved in violence and or get into trouble with the police.

All these activities are part of a process towards the overall Program for 'Community Revitalization', of the old Beit Shemesh neighborhoods. But we also realise that we have deal with immediate day to day issues, economic issues, food for families in need.
When stomachs are empty, or when parents are worried about how they will get through the next few days, no amount of intellectual debate on how to communicate with their children or educational programs to discuss violence on the streets will bridge the worries and concerns of parents in need.

'LaMitnadev' realises that one of its main functions is to provide some form of security net for those in need. Through our contacts with industry and commerce in Israel we receive supplies of food and other goods which are distributed to the members of the community.

An idea for a future project:

Neighborhood beautification – Neighborhood beautification is just one of the ideas we would like to implement. Gardening classes and courses, neighborhood development with the help the 'Home Dwellers Association', which can also help us develop local leadership. Our relationship with the 'Home Dwellers Association', also enables us to give professional and legal assistance when residents want to make improvements to their environements.

Our potential partners

The Glankor Foundation, Azrieli Foundation, Matan Foundation, Edleson Foundation, The offices of the ministry of Justice which has available many foundations, 'Latet', 'Sacta Rashi'.

We are a growing organization with ambitious goals. To achieve these goals we need your support.

The following is our estimated annual budget: