Friends of Yemin Orde - News & Events

Latest Happenings

Charlie Gwirtsman Appointed Co-Chair of the Board for Friends of Yemin Orde.

Friends of Yemin Orde welcomes Charlie Gwirtsman as its new Co-Chair of the Board of Directors. Charlie will partner with current Board Chair, Michael Frieze, until January 2013, when he will assume sole leadership of the board. Charlie previously served as FYO’s National Campaign Chair and oversaw a successful national emergency campaign that raised more than $5 million for wildfire relief and recovery. Click here for more details.

Marcie Zelikow to serve as new National Campaign Chair for Friends of Yemin Orde

Friends of Yemin Orde is pleased to announce that Marcie Zelikow, a Los Angeles-based Jewish community activist, will serve as the organization’s new National Campaign Chair for a three-year term, effective immediately. Zelikow has served on Friends of Yemin Orde’s board of directors and was instrumental in building its strong base of support in the Southern California region. Click here to read full press release.

Meet our New Florida Regional Director

Friends of Yemin Orde (FYO) has hired Carol Effrat, an experienced nonprofit professional and high level manager for national Jewish organizations as its new Florida Regional Director. Effrat previously served as Director of Strategic Planning and Development for the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA). In her new role at FYO, Effrat will be responsible for promoting Yemin Orde Youth Village and Yemin Orde Educational Initiatives (YOEI), as well as building connections to the Village throughout Florida. She will be based in the South Florida area. Contact Carol at carol@yeminorde.org or call 954-651-8955.

"I am honored to join the Yemin Orde family. Its reputation and success at transforming the lives of at-risk children in Israel speaks volumns to the core values of tikkun olam that are so important to me", Effrat said. "The dedicated staff at the Village and the amazing generosity of supporters world-wide makes Yemin Orde a remarkable oasis of hope."

Graduate Adam Bashar Makes New Friends in Washington, D.C.

Yemin Orde graduate Adam Bashar, 23, recently completed an internship program in Washington, D.C. at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Adam worked in Visitor Services and discussed his journey from northern Darfur to Yemin Orde. He also had the opportunity to meet Holocaust survivors and other victims of genocide.

Adam also served as the guest speaker at a small gathering in Potomac, MD, in early October where he shared his story with new and familiar friends of Yemin Orde. In addition, while living in D.C., Adam shared his experiences with local university students as well as with other Washington, DC-based Jewish organizations. The Washington Jewish Week newspaper wrote a full-page feature story about Adam.

“My responsibility is to teach future generations about tikkun olam,” Adam told his audience at the home in Potomac. “When I came to Yemin Orde, I didn’t even know that Hebrew existed. Chaim Peri taught me to believe in myself and to help other human beings.”

A few years ago in Israel, Adam created a nonprofit organization, Bnai Darfur (Sons of Darfur), devoted to helping other Sudanese refugees in Israel. “We help them integrate into the Israeli community and also provide some basic needs such as food and help with education,” said Adam.

Adam will soon head back to his studies at the university. He is currently majoring in government at IDC/Herzylia, a university located in Haifa. His dream is to one day return to his homeland and work to establish diplomatic relations between Israel and Sudan.

Adam’s internship program was organized and sponsored by Israel At Heart, a New York-based nonprofit organization that promotes “better understanding of Israel and its people.”

News You Can Use (August E-Newsletter)

Read the latest news from the village here. Would you like to receive the latest e-newsletters from Yemin Orde then
please e-mail info@yeminorde.org

FYO Welcomes Three New Board Members in 2011

We are proud to announce that Freddy DeMann (Beverly Hills, CA), Jeffrey A. Hirschfeld (New York, NY), and Marcie Zelikow (Los Angeles, CA) have joined our board of directors. “Each person brings incredible leadership and passion to our organization, and we look forward to working together to help Yemin Orde fulfill its mission.”, states Karen Sallerson.
Click here to read our official press release.

Friends of Yemin Orde Awarded 4-Star Rating

For the sixth consecutive year, Friends of Yemin Orde has received Charity Navigator's 4-Star rating for sound fiscal management. This is the highest rating a non-profit can receive. Charity Navigator is the largest "watchdog" organization that monitors and evaluates charities for consumers. To read their full evaluation of Friends of Yemin Orde, please click here.

Haifa Study Summary

A Study of the Long-Term Effectiveness of Youth Education at the Yemin Orde Youth Village

Study conducted by The University of Haifa
Published August, 2007.

Research Team:
Dr. Guy Enosh, Dr. Elie Buchbinder, Prof. Yechezkel Thaler,
Dr. Gali Dotan-Tangeer, Dr. Victor Meun

This is a report of the quantitative research conducted to evaluate the long-term impact of the Yemin Orde Youth Village on its graduates. This study was based on interviews conducted during the summer of 2006 with approximately 200 men and women who graduated from Yemin Orde over the last 20 years. The study was conducted by professors from the School of Social Work at Haifa University.The results indicate that the main goals of the village were met. The graduates reported positive adaptation and integration during their stay in the village, a feeling of belonging, satisfaction with the education, high motivation to stay in the village after the initial period of adjustment, as well as a desire to come back and visit the village after graduation¹. In regard to the effects of the education on their lives after graduating, they state that it had a very positive influence on their social adjustment, self-esteem, social identify and interpersonal relationships.The graduates’ level of education is high when compared to the national average², their income is above the national average and, almost without exception, they are fully employed³. Most of the graduates report having good interpersonal relationships, both with friends and family. Most have someone to turn to when in need of help and support (96%). About half of them are married, and the singles are mostly the younger classes. The graduates who a high degree of social commitment and willingness to contribute to society. Most of them served in the army, with more than half as commanders or in combat units5.Other findings indicated a high self-esteem and satisfaction with life. When it comes to social identity, the findings show that the graduates were integrated into Israeli society, that they are pleased with life in Israel and identify with Israel and Judaism. In regard to their spiritual life, they tend to be more religious than the average population – most define themselves as “traditional”, and almost all believe in a higher power that influences and shapes our destiny. Most practice basic Jewish traditions, including Kosher and avoiding Hametz during Pesach, but are less strict on a daily basis (Shabbat, Synagogue). In regard to the three main origins (Israel, Ethiopia, Former Soviet Union), there were no significant differences between the groups.

93% felt at home at Yemin Orde and 92% were satisfied with their life at Yemin Orde
Their average education is 14 years, which is higher than the national average among the Jewish population. More than one-third hold academic degrees, and about half of those under age 30 continue to study
92% over the age of 26 work full-time and, of these, 46% hold managerial positions
69% had participated in voluntary activities over the past two years, and 88% stated that they were interested in volunteering in the future
94% of the males served in the army, while 89% of the women served in the army or performed national service
90% said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their lives