What's Up at ESRA…

Students volunteer with ESRA for community work credit

Keeping a finger on the pulse

ESRA is an organization that is constantly learning and striving for maximum impact and effectiveness. That's why we conduct ongoing evaluations throughout the organization and all of its projects. We use standard accepted methods, along with more creative ones that help participants think out-of-the-box about what they are doing. It also helps us understand the needs of each activity and participant, focusing both on individuals and on groups in action, and determining how best to promote our project aims and objectives. This is what has enabled ESRA to receive the Midot Seal of Effectiveness, awarded to us for our commitment to results-driven projects, constant improvement, leadership, and social impact.

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Program of Excellence

 New! ESRA Family Funtime Series

ESRA's aims are two-fold. We run community projects to bridge society's equity gaps, and we are committed to promoting the successful integration of English-speaking olim into Israeli society. Our services and activities, suited to all ages and stages of the aliya process, include personal support, networking, volunteering opportunities, social and cultural events, and special interest groups. While various age groups benefit from tailored services and activities, they all come together for ESRA Family Funtime.
Kids, parents and grandparents had a great time at the Hapa'amonim Community Garden event in Raanana. This was the second event at this magical garden, where the kids were given a tour, ate warm pita from the tabun, and planted cilantro in a little pot to take home with them.

ESRA Programs of Excellence

Many teens from Israel's geo-social periphery demonstrate significant academic potential, but lack access to critical support such as after-school enrichment activities. This increases the academic gap between these students and their more "privileged" counterparts across the country. One of ESRA's main goals is to reduce society's equity gaps through education projects, bringing high-potential less advantaged students to relevant institutes for advanced academic studies in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). This week a new group of 40 8th-9th grade students joined ESRA's Program of Excellence. Over a two-year period, they will participate in weekly after-school courses at the Ruppin Marine Science Institute in Michmoret. This project provides students with valuable knowledge and skills in biology, physics, chemistry, marine science, ecology, and seamanship.

ESRAmagazine in Nefesh B’Nefesh welcome pack to olim

New Olim Welcome Home!
The ESRA Get it Right in Israel collaboration with Gvahim is expanding and now working with five municipalities - Tel Aviv, Raanana, Jerusalem, Beer Sheva and Haifa. The many nationwide and local events organized by Get it Right allow olim to meet, connect, network, and support each other both personally and professionally – giving a boost to successful integration. In light of the collaboration's success and growth, Nefesh B'Nefesh, who bring North American olim to Israel, has begun to include ESRA Magazine in its welcome pack to new arrivals, recognizing ESRA's important role in integration.

Leadership through Nature

 Leadership‎ ‎through‎ ‎Nature

For‎ ‎children‎ ‎who‎ ‎don‎'‎t‎ ‎manage‎ ‎to‎ ‎fit‎ ‎in‎ ‎academically‎ ‎or‎ ‎socially‎,‎‎ ‎sometimes‎ ‎all‎ ‎they‎ ‎

need‎ ‎is‎ ‎a‎ ‎different‎ ‎way‎ ‎to‎ ‎succeed, such as that offered by ESRA's Leadership through Nature project at Kibbutz Magal‎.‎ In a two-year, weekly ‎riding‎ ‎therapy‎ ‎program, ‎‎children‎ ‎are‎ ‎trained‎ ‎to‎ ‎work‎ ‎and‎ ‎interact‎ ‎with‎

‎animals‎,‎‎ ‎including‎ ‎horses‎ ‎and‎ ‎dogs‎.‎‎ ‎During‎ ‎their‎ ‎second‎ ‎year‎,‎‎ ‎they‎ ‎act‎ ‎as‎ ‎mentors‎ ‎to‎ schoolmates‎ ‎just‎ ‎starting‎ ‎the‎ ‎program‎.‎‎ ‎This‎ ‎gives‎ ‎them‎ ‎a‎ ‎feeling‎ ‎of‎ ‎accomplishment‎‎ and‎ ‎confidence‎,‎‎ ‎and‎ ‎supportive‎ ‎relationships‎ ‎develop‎ ‎between‎ ‎mentors‎ ‎and‎ ‎beginners‎,‎‎ ‎providing‎ ‎them‎ ‎both‎ ‎with‎ ‎a‎ ‎healthy‎ ‎corrective‎ ‎experience‎.‎‎

‎The‎ ‎proof‎ ‎is‎ ‎in‎ ‎the‎ ‎results‎ ‎‎–‎‎ ‎the‎ ‎children‎ ‎show‎ ‎marked‎ behavioral‎ ‎improvement,‎‎‎ ‎having‎ ‎acquired‎ ‎tools‎ ‎needed‎ ‎for‎ ‎success‎ ‎in‎ ‎school‎ ‎and‎ ‎in‎ ‎life‎.‎‎