Making Things Happen

A billboard from the newly inaugurated campaign to recruit volunteers and raise awareness. It reads, "She feels at home. Babait Beyahad - Volunteering to mentor new immigrants. Call the Jewish Agency."

Overtly and subliminally, the message of immigrant absorption will reach almost every Israeli during the month of June, as Babait Beyahad / At Home-Together sets out to become part of the public domain. In a culmination of intense organizational groundwork, the Babait Beyahad project commences its wide-scale campaign to heighten public awareness and mobilize the maximum of voluntary spirit. Babait Beyahad has evolved into both the umbrella body for the many ongoing projects which tie veteran Israelis to new immigrants, and a powerhouse in its own right, coordinating and directing thousands of volunteers.

Arieh Azoulay, Co-Chair of the Immigration and Absorption Committee "Mobilizing volunteers to work with or mentor immigrants is the crux of better absorption, and successful absorption is key to promoting aliyah. My vision is to connect every immigrant with a veteran Israeli even before arriving in Israel. Before an immigrant boards a plane, he or she will know that someone is there to greet them, someone will lend a hand and care. The Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and other government institutions can streamline bureaucracy and assist in absorption, but it is the individual Israelis who make it happen." Arieh Azoulay Co-Chair Immigration and Absorption Committee

Arieh Azoulay, Co-Chair of the Immigration and Absorption Committee and Chair of the Babait Beyahad Steering Committee, sees this broadening of scope as an internalization and implementation of the Jewish Agency's strategic guidelines. "We have brought key players in Israeli society on board: institutions, corporations and individuals. We look towards government offices, cities, towns, and other organizations to work with us in realizing our goals. The business sector has been forthcoming with major players climbing on board; Ofra Strauss, owner of one of Israel's biggest dairies and food processing concerns, chairs the Babait Beyahad Public Council. Many prominent individuals, from factory-owners to entertainers to former generals, have been eager to further our common agenda as well. These partnerships have expanded our capabilities and horizons.

"The council members contribute both professionally and materially to the campaign. Our flourishing partnership with the IDF, for instance, has brought immense benfits to thousands of young immigrant soldiers on the one hand, and it has exposed a similar number of veteran Israeli soldiers to the value and beauty of absorbing new and diverse immigrants into our society." The Steering Committee, comprised of Jewish Agency lay leaders and professionals, sees to the smooth running and general direction of the projects.

Arieh also sees a need for a new Jewish Agency Board of Governors committee to oversee the mobilization of Israeli society in immigrant absorption. The committee would reign over the nurturing of lay leadership, the creation of partnerships, the deliberation of ideas and the expansion of Babait Beyahad into all long-term Jewish Agency programs, including MASA and Professional Internships, involving thousands of young Jewish adults from abroad.

Larry Joseph, Chair of the Subcommittee on Olim Associations "The thing that has amazed me over the past two decades is the change in the concept of volunteering in Israel. People have come out of the woodwork and volunteerism is becoming the norm. Not only that, but it is a grassroots movement, coming from the average citizen. The response to the Babait Beyahad program is indicative of this evolution." Larry Joseph Chair Subcommittee on Olim Associations Chair Subcommittee on Olim Associations

The plowing, tilling, and preparation of the ground for a large-scale mobilization of Israeli society has been in progress for a few years. The Immigration and Absorption Department has introduced over the past three years a series of successful projects connecting veteran Israeli society to its new immigrants:

Chugei Yedidim ('Friends' of the Absorption Centers) is a society of committed local figures who are involved on an ongoing basis with the local Absorption Center and its activities.

Beyahad BeSeder (Together at the Seder) is a framework in which Israeli families, including public figures, host new immigrants for the Passover Seder.

Yakir Klita (Distinguished Service Award) is an honorary distinction for voluntary service in immigrant absorption. It is awarded annually on a regional level to 50-60 individuals, and nationally to five or six, drawing public attention to their work and giving them the credit they deserve.

Alei Tzameret (The Upcoming Generation of Lay Leadership) is a study-based group program to inspire, nurture and train young lay leadership in the field of immigrant absorption.

Babait Beyahad / At Home-Together began as a framework for bringing together new immigrants and veteran Israelis and has expanded into the umbrella body for all Jewish Agency and partner association projects involving new immigrants and Israelis. (http://www.babait-beyahad.org.il/)

Searching for suitable partners and providing an endless array of conduits for volunteering, these innovative programs bear promise for Israel's future. Every aspect of absorption, from the emotional to the material, is improved by the personal connection and the personal touch. The many Immigration and Absorption Department programs designed to mobilize Israeli society are making a mark on the quality of life of both new and veteran citizens.