Welcome!!!To Partnership 2000 Beit Shemesh-Mateh

Yehuda-Washington-South Africa

of the Jewish Agency and Thank you for choosing to volunteer with your partner

community overseas!Volunteers Apartment

The volunteer apartment is used by volunteers from the Partnership communities for periods of between three weeks and three months.The program strengthens the ties between the Partnership communities by exposing volunteers to the Region and vice versa .

Within this framework, the volunteer contributes to the Region through his skills and expertise at one of a variety of volunteer sites. At the same time, the volunteer is exposed to the Region and day-to-day Israeli routine and comes into direct contact with residents and families, children, youth and adults .

This exposure opens the way for the development of long run ties between the volunteer and the Region and the Jewish people in general. Unique elements of the program :

Optimal matching of the volunteer to a volunteer framework in order to ensure a successful experience for both sides and to facilitateIndividualized support throughout the volunteer periodIntegration of the volunteer within the community – through family hosting and participation in Partnership eventsStrengthening of volunteer frameworks in order to increase motivation and to encourage personal ties between the volunteers and the volunteer frameworks

Volunteers apartment

The volunteers apartment is your home away from home. While you are a volunteer, the apartment is rent free. Health insurance, transportation and living expenses are the responsibility of the volunteer. The volunteers apartment is spacious and air-conditioned and located right in the center of town, which has all you might need: shops, food stores, library, banks, change places, post office, tour agency etc. It has 3 rooms and a living room and can contain up to 6 people. The kitchen is kosher.

It also has a TV, DVD and computer with internet and wireless connection for laptop.

Beit-Shemesh is ideally located between Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv!!!

Volunteering bookletDear volunteer! The Partnership 2000 Beit Shemesh- Mateh Yehuda-Washington-South Africa of the Jewish Agency has prepared this volunteering booklet for you.

The booklet consists of the various volunteering places in Beit Shemesh –Mateh Yehuda and was made in purpose to provide you with the most sufficient information possible so you can make the most appropriate choice for you.

Most of the volunteering places in the area are in the education field.

We hope you will have the time of your life!

If you have any questions to former volunteers (in specific places) we would love to connect you to them via mail.

Date of last update: 04\05\2009

Key

–Hebrew knowledge

–1-almost none–2-basic–3-good

–4-very good–5-fluent

The Benjamin library

Working hoursSunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

16:00-18:45

Hebrew level needed4-5

What kind of work needed

Floor 1-helping organizing books

Floor 2-helping the kids in their homework: English and math.

PopulationEthiopian kids ages 6-16

Internet site:http://www.library.shemesh.co.il/

The Central library

Working hoursSunday, Tuesday (game day), Thursday (lack of volunteers)

16:00-18:45

Hebrew level needed

3-4

What kind of work needed

Story telling\reading, help with homework, creative workshops

etc…

PopulationMostly Ethiopian kids

Elementary schools

Working hoursAll week 8-13\15

Hebrew level needed

1

What kind of work needed

Teaching English in small groups or one on one

PopulationChildren ages 6-12

Melabev Elderly CenterHebrew level neededNone (the daycare center

staff speaks English as some of the elderly)

What kind of work neededTalking with the elderly, playing and making arts, helping serve food etc.

PopulationElderly population with the Alzheimer disease

Merkaz Yom Elderly CenterProject descriptionCommunity center for

the elderly

Hebrew level needed1-5

What kind of work needed

Talking with the elderly, helping serve food and any other help needed.

PopulationElderly population

KindergartensWorking hoursSaturday-Thursday

8-13\15:30

Hebrew level needed

1-5

What kind of work needed

Playing with the children, helping the teacher with discipline or any other help she needs.

PopulationKindergarten children 2-6

Lehava Center (not always available)

Project descriptionLehava project is a social project of the Ministry of Treasury which purpose is to narrow the digital gap that exists in the Israeli society among the underprivileged.

In the project, adults & children as one are trained in the fields of computer & Internet familiarity & use of Office software.

Hebrew level needed5

Good knowledge of computers needed

What kind of work needed

Fixing and tutoring computers

Working hoursThe center is active every day from 8:00 am – until 22:00 & in Fridays between 8:00 & 13:00.

PopulationChildren and adults all ages

MoadoniyotProject descriptionAfternoon clubs for children

with disadvantaged backgrounds

Working hoursafternoons

Hebrew level needed3-5

What kind of work needed

Helping kids with their homework and sometimes playing with them.

SatafProject descriptionSataf is an ancient biblical

mountainous agriculture restoration site.

Working hoursMornings 7:00-13:00

Hebrew level needed2+

What kind of work needed

Hard physical work. Mostly in the open areas. If you are interested in feeling the earth between your hands, want to help restoring and preserving the terraces and assist in developing & cultivating the site, Sataf is the place for you.

Internet Site (Hebrew):http://www.kkl.org.il/kkl/hebrew/nosim_ikaryim/yeharot/parkimveyearot/

Kibbutz Tzora - animal farmProject descriptionPinat hai is an animal farm built as an

israelian nature reserve and it contains varied animals and plants, artificial lake and an animal petting area

Working hoursMornings 9:00-13:00

Hebrew level needednone

What kind of work needed

Cleaning the area and the animal cages, working with the land and gardening, helping feed the animals, helping the staff with their daily work, walking the donkey.

Internet Site (Hebrew):http://www.pinat-hai.dpages.co.il/

Summer campsProject

descriptionSummer camps are only active in the summer. Their subject varies very much and each time is different.

Hebrew level needed

1-5

Working hours

8:00-16:00

PopulationChildren all ages

Outdoor activitiesProject

descriptionPhysical labor-outside and

inside .

Can include working in the fields\kibbutz\gardening\repairing schools\painting\

etc…

Hebrew level needed

none

Working hours

varies

Activities for fun by special interest:

afternoon\evenings Ethiopian biking club

Basketball group

Teaching English in exchange for Hebrew by a member of the community

Participants should not wait for opportunities to be presented to them. You can and should initiate projects in areas you are interested in and have the skills. These types of projects will help the participants feel they are part of the community and gain them respect and appreciation by the local community .

The sky is the limit

Show us your creativity :

Independent Projects

Your initial scheduleAfter have seeing the volunteering places, how do you see your schedule? Choose one option as morning activity and one in the afternoon each day. It is best that you volunteer in 2 places maximum during the mornings and 2 during the afternoons.

SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday

Morning

8-13\15:30

•Kindergarten•Elementary school•High school•Merkaz Yom Elderly center•Melabev elderly center•Mental rehabilitation center•Lehava Center

•Kindergarten•Elementary school•High school•Merkaz Yom Elderly center•Melabev elderly center•Lehava Center

•Kindergarten•Elementary school•High school•Elderly care center•Mental rehabilitation center•Merkaz Yom Elderly center•Melabev elderly center•Lehava Center

•Kindergarten•Elementary school•High school•Elderly care center•Mental rehabilitation center•Merkaz Yom Elderly center•Lehava Center

•Kindergarten•Elementary school•High school•Elderly care center•Mental rehabilitation center•Merkaz Yom Elderly center•Melabev elderly center•Lehava Center

freefree

Afternoon

15\16\17-18:30\19

•Benjamin Library•Central Library•Lehava Center•Moadonit

•Central Library•Lehava Center•Moadonit

Benjamin Library•Central Library•Lehava Center•Moadonit

•Benjamin Library•Central Library•Lehava Center•Moadonit

•Benjamin Library•Central Library•Lehava Center•Moadonit