Carmel Aftermath: Rallying to Help Yemin Orde

Posted in Bat Yam, Rwanda, Volunteering on 09. Dec, 2010

Just a few days ago, we wrote about the tragic fire in the Carmel and how both Israeli society and Year Course would be sure to rally to support the victims of its destruction.

We most definitely did not speak too soon.  Just one of the Year Course groups which quickly mobilized was the Social Action: Rwanda track.  As you may have read, this group has been raising money for and will soon be volunteering in the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda which was modeled after an Israeli youth village called Yemin Orde. Yemin Orde is recognized around the world for creating a successful model for observing and educating youth who have immigrated to Israel. Today there are 500 students from 16 different countries in the village, some of whom are orphans and many of whom come from a low socioeconomic background.  Our “Rwanda chanichim” were scheduled to go up to Yamin Orde this Sunday to learn about it. The Carmel fire changed those plans.

Tragically, the whole village was burnt down and the students, who have nothing left, are currently scattered between different boarding schools and villages.  One of the members of the social action track created a flyer to distribute as widely as possible among our hundreds of chanichim in order to collect everything from blankets to backpacks, and notebooks to school supplies (see attachment: Yemin Orde appeal).   Our chanichim, along with participants of Garin Tzedek, will be personally delivering to the children whatever is collected.

Also this morning, seventeen chanichim from Section 1 in Bat Yam boarded a bus to the north in order to volunteer at the Neve Amiel boarding school where some of the Yemin Orde kids were evacuated to.  Trucks filled with loads of clothes and other donations have been arriving to Neve Amiel in the past couple of days, and they need assistance sorting through the donations.  Our chanichim spent several hours today doing just that.  On their way back, they were scheduled to take a short bus tour through the burnt area of the Carmel.  Finally, at the same time, another group of chanichim spent time going through donated goods we collected in Bat Yam.

While we are mourning the unfortunate events up north, we are proud of our chanichim for joining together with the Israeli society as a whole in order to help those around us.  We will keep you posted with more stories as they develop.