An agricultural youth village that provides a residential educational framework for youth at-risk who have dropped out of the Haredi educational system.
ABOUT ZOHARIM YOUTH VILLAGE
The youth village was established for youth, ages 14 to 18, who do not find a place for themselves in the Haredi educational frameworks and cannot adapt to the dictates of this community. Consequently, they were rejected by the educational frameworks, rejected by the community and some have been cut off from their families. The youth village provides them with a warm, loving and accepting home, helping to retore their faith in themselves and their ability to achieve goals such as a full matriculation and a meaningful IDF service. The youth village provides them with the right treatment, values-based education and leads them to normative integration as citizens who contribute to society.
Our Influence
Our Story
A home that believes in you
On a winter night in 2012, Rabbi Yitzchak David Grossman walked the streets of Jerusalem to meet the city’s youth. He found a group of teenagers who had adopted the street as their home. He bought them pizzas and beers and sat down to speak with them. The Rabbi listened to their personal stories and how they wound up sleeping on the streets. Some told him about their drug abuse and others of their criminal involvement. The Rabbi listened and told them: “I have a wonderful place for you, where you will feel at home.”
Rabbi Grossman understood that he must do something and establish a special educational institution for them that would suit their needs. He had an abandoned lot that in the past served as a drug rehabilitation center, and he decided to give it to these teens. The group of teens who he met that night, came to the rural and pastoral area; however, found nothing there other than a beautiful view. Rabbi Grossman suggested that they build their home at this location. For the next eight months, they worked, tilled the land, paved roads and built beautiful wooden buildings. They are the graduates of the first class of Zoharim Youth Village, who left their mark and, with their own hands, established a home for the hundreds of teens who followed in their footsteps.
The Zoharim Youth Village is located in the Ela Valley, surrounded by vineyards, fields and groves, overlooking a breathtaking green landscape. The youth village pupils take an active part in its upkeep. They work in the vineyards, greenhouses, ride horses, raise goats, and continue to build the village. Each class leaves its mark and has a hand in the development of the site.
Zoharim Youth Village has been in operation for more than a decade, and continues to build new lives for youth at-risk.
From Failure to Victory
“In the Haredi sector, it’s either black or white,” says Reuven, Zoharim alumnus. “Either you’re in or you’re out.” Teenagers who do not adjust to the dictates of the Haredi society quickly are out on the streets. Having lived their entire lives according to the rules of the Torah, and now leave the religion, feel they are leaving the moral ways and values of the Torah. So begins the extreme and worrisome deterioration process. All they need is one adult to understand them.
WHAT WE DO?
We provide a second and sometimes last chance to youth at-risk to change their life’s trajectory, in order to integrate into Israeli society as citizens who give back to their community, society and the State of Israel.
Farm
The youth village pupils care for the livestock, meet their needs and raise them with love.
Work at the farm teaches them an important lesson in assuming responsibility, consideration and caring for others. It strengthens their self-confidence sense of competence and their interpersonal connections. Most importantly, they make friends who give them unconditional love and acceptance.
Preparation for IDF Service
A preparatory program prior to the army service to foster a sense of success and competency among the teenagers and develops skills to assume leadership and command positions in the IDF. The pupils attend combat fitness exercises, navigation training, preparation for IDF tests, as well as for army selection days for elite units. This motivate the pupils, and provides them with Zionistic values and develops leadership ability.
Alumni House
The alumni always have a warm corner in our hearts and at the youth village. The Alumni House is a place where they can always return to. The youth village staff supports them during their IDF service, their civilian lives, and provides emotional support, advice and guidance and assists them until they fully integrate into Israeli society. The Zoharim family attend their happy occasions, are at their side in times of crisis, and in all stages of their lives.
Residential Program
The pupils live in new modern buildings, with furnished rooms, communal areas, and a beautiful landscape. The residential staff includes a counselor, teacher and house mother, for all the groups. The staff is there for them at all hours of the day and night. Is concerned and loving and provides each pupil with personal attention, with sensitivity and dedication
Treks and Trips
The pupils take part in a variety of trips around the country, which strengthen their love for the country. They take part in therapeutic treks where they discover themselves and cope with difficulties and challenges. They are introduced to beautiful spots and breathtaking landscapes and most importantly discover their adaptive capabilities and gain significant and defining experiences.
Activities and Classes
The youth village pupils take part in a variety of activities and enrichment classes, such as music, martial arts, drawing, scouting, photography, drama, cinema, carpentry, etc. This enables them to express themselves and develop new skills. The spend their time in the music room, drawing studio, carpentry workshop, gym and fitness room.
Educate the youth according to his path, even when he grows old he will not turn from it
The Road to Success and Excellence
The youth village high school is run by the ORT Schools Network and offers the pupils in grades 9 – 12, a theoretical and vocational curriculum that is rich and diverse, and prepares them for the matriculation exams.
The youth village pupils arrive with little knowledge and lacking basic information in the core fields such as mathematics and English. The educational staff works to fill these gaps within a short period of time and prepares the teenagers for their matriculation exams.
Developing leadership, social involvement, education and vocational training help the pupils find their way back to society.
Experiencing Success
Personal Responsibility
Awareness of his surroundings
Independence
Your donation.
Their future.
You have the opportunity to have an impact and change the lives of children and youth at risk
