Annual Report 2011

The Association for Community Empowerment

Promoting Social and Economic Justice

Justice, justice shall you pursue

YEDID empowers Israelis to become self-sufficient and civically engaged members of society.

Operating through its national network of 16 Citizen Rights Centers, YEDID has given

free assistance to more than 290,000 individuals and families since its inception in 1997.

Staffed primarily by expertly trained volunteers, YEDID centers reach a broad spectrum

of Israel’s multi-cultural society in geographically remote communities not served

by most non-profits and where social services have been cut to a minimum. YEDID’s

unique model helps people help themselves using three innovative approaches:

• Social, economic and legal assistance;

• Community empowerment initiatives; and

• National advocacy for policy change.

In 2011 YEDID provided real solutions to over 20,000 Israelis, their families &

communities. Through advocacy work, YEDID achieved essential protections

for home owners facing foreclosure and encouraged the government to take

responsibility for the food security of its citizens.

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Message from our leadershipIn 1997 when we founded the organization, the issue of social rights was

buried in the back pages of the newspapers. After years of work, last summer

YEDID received the payback. The social protest movement engaged the entire

country to say — It is time for a change!

In the tents of Tel Aviv, as well as in the periphery, YEDID volunteers and

staff shared their knowledge and skills. The involvement of masses of Israeli

society in these demonstrations gave YEDID strength to continue to persue

justice as well as policy change.

The public outcry came at the very same time that YEDID was forced to

close several Citizen Rights Centers in order to continue to be economically

responsible. We succeeded in preserving the solvency of the organization

and are developing new ideas for sustainability.

We recently signed a historic social-entrepreneurial partnership with the

Israel-based, international jewelry company, YVEL. See page 10.

In addition, YEDID began marketing its services, knowledge and expertise to

large employers of low income workers. This innovative venture is an income-

generating opportunity that will enable YEDID to continue providing vital

services in our Citizen Rights Centers to the unemployed and the elderly.

Thank you for your support and partnership,

Sari Revkin Yuval Golan 4

Kiryat Gat group: leading the path to social and economic justice. 

Empowerment is…

Helping the working poor to live in dignity and without fear of spiraling debt.

More and more of YEDID’s clients are working poor—families with one or

even two working members, who nevertheless struggle to make ends meet.

In 2011, 32% of YEDID’s 19,403 client cases focused on debt management.

With YEDID’s assistance, clients were coached on how to balance their

budgets and augment their family’s income as they learned to change their

lifestyle to adapt to new financial circumstances. Through YEDID’s network

of centers, clients were given assistance in navigating and negotiating with

the offices of banks and the Repossessions Authority.

Furthermore, hundreds of adults and young adults attended tens of

Financial Literacy Courses across the country providing them with the tools

to be responsible for their own financial future.

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Types of Assistance Provided in 2011

6,207

3,470

2,692

1,7461,467

1,029766

462 391

1,173

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Women’s Campaign to Revise Child Support Laws

Empowerment Is…Enabling women to meet their potential, to know and access their rights, and to support themselves and their families.

In 2011 YEDID bolstered women’s employment by:

Assisting in over 11,000 female client cases (59% of our clients are ◆women), including 861 seeking help against workplace discrimination

and in accessing their employment rights.

Teaching job search skills and job training to population groups seeking ◆to break the chains of poverty, including: new immigrants, older

unemployed workers, and people who have spent years subsisting on

public assistance.

Launching a grassroots organizing campaign that will enable single ◆mothers to reach their full earning potential without forfeiting child

support monies.

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Empowerment Is…Providing new immigrants with the tools to succeed.

40% of YEDID’s clients were not born in Israel and years later, many still

have limited Hebrew skills and few job prospects. In 2011, YEDID provided

leadership training to over 250 Ethiopian adults and first grade preparation

to tens of Ethiopian-Israeli children.

We also launched a new social business venture with the exquisite jewelry

makers, Yvel. The Yvel Design Center near Jerusalem, houses a unique school

for the study of jewelry and craft for Ethiopian new immigrants to Israel.

The school was established by Yvel founders, Orna & Isaac Levy and is

operated by YEDID in recognition of the importance for new immigrants to

integrate into the Israeli job market and maintain a steady livelihood.

10 11

Mother Tongue of YEDID Clients in 2011

Hebrew 41%

Russian 28%

Arabic 19%

Amharic 7%Other 5%

Empowerment is…

Accessing decent housing at an affordable price.

In July 2011 a group of students decided to take a stand against the

astronomical cost of rent. A group of tents on a Tel Aviv boulevard turned

into a summer of social justice protests across the country. Israelis are fed

up with the seemingly exponential rise in the cost of living, in particular, of

housing—a problem that YEDID has been involved with for over a decade.

In the last year, YEDID’s Legal Department litigated in over 50 cases where

potential exists to make precedent-setting rulings that can have long term

national impact. Nearly half of these cases were housing cases covering

issues ranging from the right to public housing for orphaned minors, to

fighting unfair punishments for debtors.

Simultaneously, YEDID’s Policy Change Department has been successfully

campaigning for greater provisions for public housing, increased rent

subsidies, and easing the suffering of foreclosure victims.

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Securing the Future: National Children’s Saving Accounts Program

Empowerment is…Food security and an end to hunger.

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you

feed him for a lifetime.

When YEDID clients are struggling to put food on the table, we refer them to

organizations that can give them immediate relief. In parallel, our staff and

volunteers work out a plan to ensure them food security for the future.

YEDID’s Food Security Initiative is also working on a national level to abolish

food insecurity across the nation. In April 2011, YEDID achieved an important

victory when the Knesset approved a bill advanced by YEDID to establish a

National Council for Nutritional Security. Most importantly, the council will

create a budget framework to provide nutritional security.

In addition, thanks to YEDID’s Food Security Initiative, 2,500 children of low-

income families received at least one hot meal a day during the summer

vacation as part of a successful pilot program which will be implemented

nationally.

14 15

850,000 Israeli Children Live in Poverty

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YEDID Board of Directors

Yuval Golan, Chairman Owner, A-Online Capital, Ltd. and Zmora, Tel Aviv

Nir Caftori, Director of Technology, Information Systems and IT, IDC Hertzliya

Professor John Gal, The Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social

Welfare of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem

Dr. Belle Gavriel-Fried, The Bob Shapell School of Social Work of Tel Aviv

University, Tel Aviv

Gad Haran, Director of Dagesh Environmental Energy Company

Idris Mewasi, Executive Director, A.H. Barak Advertising and Publicity, Baka

el Garbiya

Billy Muskona Lerman, Television presenter and journalist, Tel Aviv

Former MK Ophir Paz-Pines, Director of the Institute for Local Government,

University of Tel Aviv; former Knesset Member and Government Minister of

the Interior and of Science, Culture and Sport , Ra’anana.

Tamar Raz, Founder, Mifneh Baderech, Retirement Counseling

Rabbi Stanley A. Ringler, DD Director Emeritus, Department of Legacies and Foundations of

Keren Hayesod –United Israel Appeal, Jerusalem

Ruti Sinai, Commentator on social affairs and chair of 50 Plus-Minus, an association advancing

the employment of older workers

Sally Gottesman, Chair of American Supporters of YEDID

YEDID Senior Staff

Sari Revkin MSW,Executive Director

Yuval Elbashan Esq., Deputy Director for Citizen Rights Centers

Ran Melamed, Deputy Director for Communication and Social Policy

Revital Shimron CPA, Chief Financial Officer

Vardit Damri Madar Esq., Legal Department Director

Ruthy Katanov MSW, National Director of Projects

Friends and Supporters

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Israeli Supporters

Andrew Treitel

A-Online Capital, Ltd

Arledan Investments Inc.

Ashdod Municipality

Asher & Hava Reshef

Asher & Yaffa Shimoni-Nikra

Ashkelon Municipality

Daphna & Alon Galili, Esq.

Daphna & Gad Haran

David Citron

ECI Telecom

Efrati-Galili Law

Eilon Ben-Herzel

Ethiopian National Project

Ezra Gabay

Gandyr Foundation

Gideon Greenspan & Rachel Lee

Graph – Software Industries Inc.

H.R Refaelli

HP Indigo

Intel

Isaac & Rebecca Sorani

Kiryat Gat Absorption Department

Kiryat Gat Municipality

Kulanana

Leumi Bank

Lousan Ben-Gigi

Marvell Technology

Michelle-Ann & Jonathan Ari Hammer-Kassow

Migdor

Ministry of Health

Ministry of Immigrant Absorption

Ministry of Industry and Trade

Ministry of Welfare Non-Profit Emergency Fund

Mudgal Steel

National Insurance Institute

Nechama & Jacob Karpul Borak

Pelephone

Petach Tikva Municipality

Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Israel

Rivka & Rafi Ridnik

Roktel Inc.

Round Up

State Legacies Fund

Tal Amichai

Tamar & Yehoshua Raz

Tamara G. Rochlin-Gottestein

Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality

Tzali Reshef

Tzvika Foox

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Overseas Supporters

Abraham and Sonia Rochlin Foundation

Anonymous Family Foundation

Brenda Rabinowitz

Carl Marks Foundation

Claims Conference

Crown Family Foundation

David Berg Foundation

Dobkin Family Foundation

Dorot Foundation

England Family Foundation

Everett Philanthropic Fund

Field Family Foundation

Ford Foundation Israel Fund

Grove Foundation

Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation

Harry Kramer Memorial Fund

International Fellowship of Christians and Jews

Jack Chester Foundation

Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Foundation

Jewish Community Fund

Jewish Women’s Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago

Joan and Robert Arnow Fund

Jonathan Rosner & Dena Rabinowitz

Joseph and Sally Handleman Charitable Foundation

June Baumgardner Gelbart Foundation

Kathryn Ames Foundation

Madeleine & Mandell Berman Foundation

Maurice and Viviane Wohl Foundation

Michael J Hirschorn

Morningstar Foundation

Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation

Pat and Nat Lavin

Paula and Jerry Gottesman Foundation

Pears Foundation UK

Peter Levy

Robert Bildner & Elisa Spungen Bildner

Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation

Rosenzweig-Coopersmith Foundation

Sally Gottesman

Samuel Sebba Charitable Trust

Sheila Lambert

Staci Light

Steinhardt Family Foundation

Stella and Charles Guttman Foundation

Stride Rite Foundation

The Reggi Marder Foundation

Tony Bloom Charitable Trust

UJIA

United Jewish Federation of MetroWest New Jersey

Zanvyl & Isabelle Krieger Fund

Organizational Budget

2011 Income

North American & Europe

Foundations 1,291,172

Federations 280,670

Individuals 65,048

Israel

Foundations & Individuals 144,302

Corporations 177,100

Government 305,384

Sale of Services 30,852

Reserve Fund 260,000

TOTAL INCOME 2,554,528

2011 Expences

Citizen Rights Centers 1,366,650

National Programs, Training, Policy

Change & Advocacy 551,400

National Coordination 433,150

Fundraising 117,150

Depreciation 28,500

TOTAL EXPENSES 2,496,850

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2011 Sources of Income

Overseas Individuals and Foundations 53%

Israeli Government 12% Reserve Fund 10%

Israeli Individuals, Foundations & Corporations 13%

Sale of Services 1%

Jewish Federations 11%

Hazor Haglilit Safed

CarmielSahnin

Nazareth IllitNazareth

Petah-TikvaTel-Aviv

JerusalemAshdod

Shafir Kiryat Gat

Nehora

RahatBeer Sheva

Dea

d S

ea

Kin

eret

Tel Mond

Kiryat Malachi

YEDID’S Citizen Rights Centers

Center

Satellite

Mobile Center Hubs

Telephone: +972-2-679-0710

1-700-500-313 Fax: +972-2-679-0340

Email: yedid@yedid.org.il

28 Pierre Koenig Street, P.O. Box 53151, Jerusalem 91531 Israel

Israeli Amuta#58-031-217-1

American Supporters of YEDID

Director: Wendy BorodkinTelephone: 551-486-6915

Email: YedidUSA@gmail.com

392C Cedar Lane, #335Teaneck, NJ 07666

US Tax Exempt # 20-042-6364

www.yedid.org.il/english

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The Association for Community E m p o w e r m e n t