Pillar of Light
The Chamah Campus in Kiryat Malachi
The small heart, which beats at Chamah in Kiryat Malachi, continues to activate the rest of the body. Those heartbeats reach out to tens of thousands of Olim throughout Israel, child, teen and adult. Escorting them through kindergarten, school, the army, marriage, adulthood and the golden years. Continuing endlessly to revive the Jewish Neshama, the soul.
The Chamah Rebeccca and Joseph Meyerhoff Community Center situated on the beautifully landscaped Chamah campus of approximately 84,000 sq. feet – 8,000 sq. meters - run by dozens of volunteers, operating hundreds of humanitarian and educational activities. This is the home base of Chamah, a pillar of shining light for a multitude of Olim throughout Israel.
The Chamah Campus and Community Center in Kiryat Malachi is well known for it’s diversified social and educational programs, aimed at easing the difficult process of absorption among the new immigrants from the Former Soviet Union. Chamah is the entry ticket and opportunity window to the Israeli society, and the Jewish heritage.
Educational Programs
Chamah’s educational projects introduce the new immigrants to our rich heritage. By celebrating Jewish holidays the Oleh gets the feel of the Jewish calendar. Bimonthly weekend retreats are arranged and provide the opportunity to experience a Shabbat. Guests ranging from young singles to three-generation families come from all localities in Israel. Sleeping accommodations and dining facilities are available at our premises. Chamah’s unique Russian Synagogue awakens their hearts to the phenomenon of prayer and stimulates their soul with Jewish lectures in their native language.
Chamah’s religious coordinator assists in the multitude of encompassing details that are involved in organizing Jewish life cycle events be it Bris Mila, Bar/Bas Mitzvah, weddings and Jewish funerals. Daily Ulpan classes are conducted and a full library of Russian materials are available on premises. Thousands of Olim throughout the country benefit from these programs.
Aliya Crisis Counseling
Chamah operates an array of programs in coping with crisis situations. New immigrant families arriving from the FSU are in need of immediate assistance. Chamah’s volunteers make home visits welcoming the newcomers. Food packages are distributed. Our Aliya counselors provide a variety of services such as possible employment opportunities, school enrollment, housing assistance and community facility awareness. A clothing bank is open morning and evening. Hundreds of Olim benefit from this program.
Youth Center
Chamah’s Youth Center is a crucial program benefiting close to two hundred of youngsters and adolescents from new immigrant families. As a substitute to roaming the streets, these children’s lives are expanded and enriched both academically and creatively. Eager to learn and diligent by nature they have an opportunity to advance in their studies due to the tutorial assistance which they receive. Extra curricular quality courses such as woodworking, music, electronics, computers and home economics are offered.
Senior Citizens Center and WWII Veterans Club
The senior citizen new immigrant population has the most difficult absorption process. Their advanced age and the language barrier prevent them from fully adapting into the Israeli society. While their children are earning a livelihood and their grandchildren learning in school they find themselves homebound and lacking productive occupation. Chamah created for them a healthy, warm and happy environment. Here, they can feel like dignified members of society contributing to their own wellbeing that generates harmony in their home life. The Senior Citizens Center has a unique division for the World War II Veterans. They enjoy conventions, celebrations, different lectures various videos and music.
For these people, there is no substitute for this program.
From Shakespeare to Jewish Continuity
Theater Project
The inherent inclination of Russian Jews towards dramatic art is needed to nourish the soul and must be continued even upon Aliya to Israel. Due to their cultural backgrounds, the Russian immigrants greatly wish their children to be actively involved with fine arts.
The theater program introduces the children to the world of creative arts and dramatic acting; and implants in the hearts and souls of our youth the Jewish values through embodying the rich Russian theatre traditions.
There is a great potential for professional guidance and high level direction of the “Teatron” since there are numerous theatre specialists among the Russian immigrants. Aliya from Russia can be proud of the talented choreographers, musicians and stage directors, who previously worked in the most famous Russian theatres.
Banquet Hall
As every family, the new immigrant families in Israel reach milestones in their lives such as Brit Milah, Bar Mitzvah, weddings or any other event. Since most of the new immigrants are working at factory jobs earning the minimum wage it is obvious that their family events must be organized as frugally as possible. Even then, the Olim are in debt at the close of the event.
Chamah houses a banquet hall with an adjacent kitchen in one of its buildings, which eases the financial difficulty of the new immigrants by renting the banquet hall for free. Recently the banquet hall has undergone major changes. Central air conditioning and an acoustic ceiling were installed, and an elegant decor that includes drapes and lighting fixtures in a copper and creme color scheme was implemented.
Publication Center
Worlds of Jewish educational literature and Judaic classics have been written in Hebrew, and an abundance of material has been created in English over the past fifty years. However, for the millions of Jews, whose native language is Russian, there is almost nothing to read about Jewish heritage and tradition. In response to this need, Chamah has published a large selection of Russian materials including a 900- recipe cookbook, brochures introducing the Oleh to the Jewish holidays, the weekly portion of Torah, and its weekly magazine, “Alef”. Alef has become not only a source of information about Israeli politics and Jewish life throughout the world, but it is also a tool to teach Jewish tradition, and serves as a means for Jews around the globe to exchange opinions and views. Publishing Judaic literature in the Russian language contributes greatly to the strengthening of their Jewish identity.
Day Care Center
One of Chamah’s day care centers which is located at the campus empowers parents to earn a livelihood knowing that their children are well attended to, many who are from new immigrant families. The walls are permeated with the youngster’s laughter, play and growth. The nursery teachers exude a warm, cherishing and loving feeling towards the children.
Bright outdoor equipment and assuasive colored indoor furniture together with modern materials and educational toys all provide the proper stimulation for early childhood development, which will lay the foundation for an educational career.
.jpg)
