Beit Bloom Blooms in Jerusalem

After years of preliminary planning and construction - and months of anticipation - the Beit Nitzanim residence was closed and its members moved into Beit Bloom at the Israel Elwyn Residential Centers campus in Jerusalem.

Their new home was conceived and designed to provide them with pleasant and therapeutic surroundings, significantly enhancing their quality of life. The building was constructed with each resident's individual needs in mind.

Preparation for the move began two years before the actual date, with residents and staff participating in an acclimatization program to help them deal with the psychological and emotional aspects of the move, as well as the physical relocation. The program included visits to the building site; each resident chose their room in the apartments they were assigned to, according to their individual needs.

Each apartment is furnished differently with colors and fabrics that suit the individual, as well as being equipped with a washing machine, dryer, dishwasher and having outdoor furniture. Beit Bloom was made possible by the kind gift of Tony and Gisela Bloom and their family, long time friends of the Jerusalem Foundation. Other major donors to the Beit Bloom project were the National Insurance Institute, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, the Bnai Zion Foundation, the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, the Nash Family Foundation, the General Guardian's Fund, the Albert Beresin Trust and Israel's Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services.

Beit Chanan opens in Jerusalem

Beit Chanan, a supported apartment building Israel Elwyn opened in Jerusalem's Givat HaMivtar neighborhood, offers its residents as normal a life as possible, while providing them with considerable support. The three young men and 12 young women with intellectual and physical disabilities who now call Beit Chanan home, Make use of the community's services, including medical clinics, cafes and grocery stores.

Beit Chanan has three apartments, each tailored to meet the residents' individual needs; one of the women's' apartments is suited to their mobility requirements. During the day, the residents travel to Israel Elwyn's Sabbah Center where they attend its Adult Day Center. Late afternoons and evenings are devoted to shopping, eating, bathing, rotating cooking and laundry chores and leisure pursuits. On the weekend, the residents enjoy yoga, caring for animals, art therapy, gardening and nature walks.

Beit Chanan was made possible though the generosity of the late Maurice Sabbah, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Todd Solomon, the National Insurance Institute and Israel's Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services, and the friends and family of Adele Warshewsky and her late husband Harold (Chanan)Warshewsky.

Israel Elwyn's Digital Archiving Center Receives Shalem Fund Prize

At a special ceremony last year, the Shalem Fund (the Central Fund for the Development of Services for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities in Local Governments) awarded a prize to Israel Elwyn for its unique project that established a digital archiving business in Jerusalem's Gival Shaul industrial area. This innovative project allows organizations and firms to turn their files and documents into a digital archive, transforming mountains of paper into an efficient and accessible digital format. Ten individuals work at the facility. The initial Digital Archiving Center was so successful that Israel Elwyn recently opened another branch, also in Gival Shaul. The new branch is an employment center for Orthodox women with disabilities that marries vocational rehabilitation with training for supported employment while addressing the unique needs of Orthodox Jewish women.

Yehudit Ravitz Contributes Her Talents

Yehudit Ravitz, popular Israeli singer and songwriter, wowed the audience at the Jerusalem Theater with her performance to benefit the Maximum Independence project at the Dvora Agmon Preschool and Roizman Early Intervention Center. The project promotes independent mobility, communication and play among the children. Ms. Ravitz donated her talents after Yigal Dimant, a stalwart Israel Elwyn friend and supporter, approached her and described Israel Elwyn's mission and accomplishments.

David Marcu, Israel Elwyn' Executive Director greeted the donors and the audience, singling out Sari and Israel Roizman, longtime generous donors. Mr. Roizman spoke about the success of the Centers and he too, thanked the large crowd.

Israel Elwyn Board Set the Stage for Others to Emulate

Once again, Israel Elwyn Board members have demonstrated their leadership and dedication, enabling the organization to achieve its goals and aim even higher in the future. Their commitment - together with their Board colleagues' 100 percent participation - had inspired several impressive new and renewed gifts from individuals, federations and foundations.

New Board Chairman Dr. Abraham Wolf continued his leadership contribution with a matching gift towards the total renovation of Israel Elwyn's Residential Centers.

Immediate Past Board Chairman Morris Willner reinforced his long-standing commitment to Israel Elwyn's main Campus with a generous gift to create the Willner Garden Pavilion, which will be a critical part of the upgraded IE Residential Centers.

Evelyn Solomon, a devoted Board member and organizational leader, has demonstrated her dedication to Israel Elwyn's financial future with a generous contribution to Israel Elwyn's endowment. Her meaningful gift is an expression of her confidence in Israel Elwyn.

Abe Wolf Elected Chairman of Israel Elwyn

Long-time Israel Elwyn board member, Abraham Wolf, Ph.D., was elected Chairman at the annual meeting of the Israel Elwyn General Assembly in Philadelphia last May. Paying tribute to his predecessor Morris Willner, Dr. Wolf noted "under Morris Willner's chairmanship Israel Elwyn initiated its largest and most significant facilities improvement and expansion program.

Dr. Wolf added: "we will continue to work toward the completion of these projects and concentrate on enhancing the aspects of the triumvirate that affect institutional excellence - staff development, methodology and technology. We will continue building our endowment fund so that we will have funding for these activities and lay the foundation for excellence and future financial security. My involvement with Israel Elwyn is motivated by the desire to help people obtain a better sense of well being through opportunities that society would otherwise not afford them."

We are proud to be your partners, Minister Herzog says

The audience at IE's Katie Manson Sensory Garden, applauded enthusiastically when Minister of Social Affairs and Social Services Isaac Herzog's announced that - upon his recommendation - the National Insurance Institute's (NII) Public Council agreed to the request of a nationwide coalition of special needs service providers to lower the age limit of certain children eligible for a disability allowance. Speaking at a reception for Israel Elwyn Board Members, donors and colleagues from Israel and abroad, Minister Herzog praised Israel Elwyn's activities and efforts. "We at the Ministry, together with the NII, are proud to be your partners. Israel Elwyn," he said, "is a great success. The Katie Manson Sensory Garden is just one example of your initiative and foresight."

Creating Common Interests through Jewish Learning

The initiative of Efrat Cohen Wagner, Coordinator, Staff Development and Community Relations at IE's Residential Centers - has had an amazing impact on the young people at the Tzur Hadassah's Hadassim School and at Israel Elwyn's Tal Residential Center.

Supported by the Movement for Progressive Judaism, the parent body of Israel's Reform movement, about two years ago she created a heartwarming connection between the Tal Residential Center and the Reform congregation at Tzur Hadassah, a community southwest of Jerusalem.

Joint activities include a monthly Kabbalat Shabbat at the school and the Tal residents' monthly participation in the congregation's Kabbalat Shabbat at the Synagogue. During the past year, the Tal residents have been intensely involved in an exciting new project with the children of the Tzur Hadassah congregation. Its rabbi, Rabbi Ofer Shabath-Bet-Halachmi, and one of its members, Mira Hovav, decided to establish a Beit Midrash for fourth-grade students from Tzur Hadassah's Hadassim School and the Tal residents.

To overcome any difficulties the children might experience in coping with the Tal residents' disabilities, a permanent group of ten students met weekly with ten of their Tal counterparts. Members of the congregation, young and old alike, describe the encounter with the Tal residents as a meaningful experience they look forward to each week with pleasure. An article Mira Hovav wrote for the region's local newspaper headlined "Love thy neighbor (because he is) as thyself ", and thus quoted a child who participated in the project: "at our joint Beit Midrash, I discovered that our friends who look different from us are really like us in many ways, and we learned a lot from them".

David Marcu Receives International Award

David Marcu, Executive Director of Israel Elwyn, received the 2007 Bernie Rosenthal Executive Director Award, presented by the International Association of Jewish Vocational Services (IAJVS), during the organization's Annual Conference in New York City last spring.

Established in 1997 to honor the memory and outstanding service of former JVS president Bernie Rosenthal, the award honors an executive director who personifies Rosenthal's outstanding example by tirelessly devoting time, expertise and energy to the welfare of IAJVS consumers and colleagues. In his presentation David Saltman, CEO, Jewish Community Services of South Florida and Treasurer of IAJVS, cited David Marcu's abiding dedication to Israel Elwyn's belief that "everyone deserves the chance to be an active participant in society through inclusive, rather than exclusive, interaction". He praised Mr. Marcu's leadership, his achievements at Israel Elwyn, the role he plays as "a vibrant partner within the IAJVS network" and his commitment to the professional development of his staff.

In recommending him for this award, an Israel Elwyn stall member wrote: "David Marcu is an extraordinary person and an exceptional leader. His personal integrity and dedication to each individual's humanity regardless of their disabilities, is evident to all who know him and work with him. He brings these qualities to everything he does and everyone he encounters, inspiring commitment and loyalty".

Despite the honor of the IAJVS award and the international recognition, there can be no greater accolade than the respect and praise he receives form the Israel Elwyn family.

Knesset Adds Supported Workers with Disabilities through Israel Elwyn

About 15 years ago, Israel Elwyn and the Knesset began a joint initiative to integrate a group of workers with developmental disabilities into the Knesset workforce by employing them in the Knesset gardens. After 12 years of fruitful cooperation, this came to an end because of construction at the compound. However, Israel Elwyn recognized the importance of the Knesset in setting an example to society about the abilities of persons with disabilities, so it continued to support two workers with special needs in the Knesset's library and the Speaker's office.

Dalia Itzik, Speaker of the Knesset, recently approached Israel Elwyn seeking to expand the project. The result: the Knesset agreed to hire eight more supported workers for different departments. For the past few months, Israel Elwyn's job coaching staff has been helping train and place workers in positions throughout the Knesset. The Human Resources department has hired one supported worker who performs tasks such as filing, photocopying, and answering the telephones. In the Shipping and Receiving department, a supported employee prepares orders and transfers them to other departments. One worker performs data entry in the Legal department, and another does the filing and sorting in the Payroll department. At the Mail Distribution Center, another supported worker processes mail, inserting it in mailboxes and delivering it directly to the various offices. In the Knesset's Usher department, still another supported worker is responsible for directing guests and answering phones. Two additional workers will soon be employed in the Factions and Committees offices running errands and doing secretarial work.

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Executive Offices: The Millie Shime Campus, Henrietta Szold St., 96502 Jerusalem, Israel
Tel: 972-2-641-5448, Fax: 972-2-643-0495, E-mail: info@israelelwyn.org.il