Village Neighborhoods

Annual ReportDedicated to al lo u r p a r t n e r s 2016-17

Four seasons

Days Nights

DreamsPeople

SpiritValues

S u c c e s s e s F a i l u r e s

Study Treks

L o v e E f f o r t

T h a n k s

Nirim in the NeighborhoodsDear partners and friends,Over the past year Nirim in the Neighborhoodscontinued to expand and grow both in Nirimclasses (central partner – Ministry of Education)and Nirim Homes (central partner – Ministry ofWelfare). These models are the power sourcethat enables the program’s continued development.We invest great effort in promoting these modelsbased on the precept that sees governmentministries as central partners to the vision thatleads us.A significant move this year was the refreshingof the programs' leadership team. Almost all ofthe leading team was replaced in a plannedand ordered fashion. The greatest benefit ofthis move resulted from the fact that allreplacements are team members who grewand developed from within the organization.Additionally, the business initiative departmentexpanded by leaps and bounds this year withthe mentoring of Keren MaHalach. Together, webuilt a business plan and paved the way for anew department that will, we all hope, generatenew income for the Foundation’s day to daybudget.We will continue to expand and to dream of abetter future…Shlomi AvniCEO - Nirim in the Neighborhoods

Nirim in the Neighborhoods

North Branch“You made us think differently,

to believe in ourselves and not togive up when things get difficult”

(A. Student in a Nirim class)The Northern Branch includes activities in:Haifa, Nesher, Nahariya, Ma’alot, Carmiel, Afulaand Bet She’an. As well as deepening ouractivities in cities where we’ve been workingfor a number of years, we also created newopportunities to expand our activities (classesand Nirim homes) and cooperation with theWelfare Ministry in Karmiel. The developmentof the Northern branch has transformed it intothe Nirim in the Neighborhoods' largest activity.

Haifa - Activity in the city has expanded thanks tocooperation with the Boston Federation. After manynight tours in the Kiriyat Haim neighborhood, a newgroup opened, taking its first stepsin Nirim. In addition, activities of the girls' group atBet Magal continued until the girls’ finished school.The girls finished a two-and-a-half-year period atNirim and are due to enlist in the IDF - where theywill continue to be mentored by Nirim's graduateunit. Activities will continue next year with a groupof young girls. Nirim Classes - We are proud to tellyou about the first class that completed a three-yearcourse in school. The class, which began as a pilot,has made a significant impact at the behaviorallevel and Improving scholastic achievements.Boys who were a step away from dropping out,overcame the adverse circumstances of their lives,completed 12 years of study and successfully passedmatriculation exams.

Nesher - This year, we began cooperation with thewelfare department. A new boys group opened inthe city. The process is only at its beginning, butsmall successes can already be seen as the groupabsorbs the spirit of Nirim. This summer the groupmet the Kritchman family, where they heard aboutthe short but full life of their son, Nir.

Karmiel - Thanks to the excellent relationship andpartnership with Karmiel Municipality and the WelfareMinistry, we opened, at the beginning of the year, atreatment center for youth in the city. The center isopen most days of the week, and combines regularwork at the school alongside field activities andchallenges. Funding provided by the Ministry ofWelfare enabled the program to expand and deepenthe therapeutic processes with the boys. This leadsto extraordinary results in the rehabilitation of youthdefined as high risk.Nahariya - after 7 years of intensive work in the city’sTrumpeldor neighborhood with some 100 boys whounderwent a significant process, the program ended.We continue our connection with Nirim graduates inthe city, but the lack of budget led to a significantreduction in the program. We hope that in the comingschool year two Nirim classes will open and we willbe able to continue to lead boys and girls at risktowards a better future in Nahariya.Afula - The city’s graduate group completed asignificant three years process and are now due tojoin the IDF for military service.Alongside work in GIvat HaMoreh neighborhood,activity in the city was expanded to include threeNirim classes in two schools. Classroom work is carriedout in full cooperation with the school’s educationalstaff and the city’s education department. This projecthas been widely praised in both social and educationalfields. Nirim Classes in the City are expected tocontinue to expand.Beit She'an - thanks to cooperation with the city’sWelfare Department and the Ministry of Social Affairs,we continue to operate the youth treatment center inthe city. The group progresses through the variousstages of the Nirim track, while conducting fieldactivities and challenges. This strengthens self-confidenceand encourages excellence.Ma’alot - after three years of significant activity at ORThigh school, it was decided, in a joint decision withthe school’s administration, to end the program. Weare proud of the progress and processes of the NirimClasses students and will continue to help Nirim'sstudents through the program’s graduates' unit.

Nirim in the Neighborhoods

Center BranchThe Central branch includes activities in:Or Akiva, Kfar Saba, Netanya, Tel Aviv andHadera. This department is characterized bymany diverse programs with different goalsand objectives. The central theme connectingthem all is the Nirim in the Neighborhoodseducational approach, both its field activitiesand challenges and its unique therapeutic work.

The story of Y., a student who went throughmany different frameworks, most of which hedropped out from and just didn’t get along: Y.arrived at Nirim in the Neighborhood with twoopen police files and an absolute lack of faithin all of the educational systems he had beenin contact with. Most people simply didn’tbelieve in him Most of them just did not believein him... He began the Nirim process as “justanother framework”, another place where hewould pass his time. Little by little, initial contactand trust was established with the staff. Lateron, he participated in activities and faced thechallenges. Step by step he progressed alongthe Nirim path. He went through desert survivaltreks culminating in a four-day solo trek, aloneon Israel’s trails with his personal mentor.Today, after two years on the Nirim track, thisyoung man has changed significantly. His policefiles have been closed, he attends school regularlyand he want to enlist in the IDF in a significantrole. “My life changed one night after meetinga group of councilors in the neighborhood Igrew up in” Y. Nirim graduate

“Nirim is an alarm clock for youngpeople who need to make a changeduring their high school education”(Yossi AbergillPrincipal DarchaHigh School)

Kfar Saba - Activities expanded during the year, andtoday we work with two different age groups. Thisyear as well we continued to act as the operationalarm for the Department for the Advancement of Youthin new immigrant neighborhoods. After a lot of hardwork, there seems to be a behavioral change amongsta large proportion of the student This is reflected inthe neighborhood and even beyond, in the schools.

Netanya - The year opened with great excitement,when a group of graduates who completed asignificant track in Nirim joined the IDF. Along theactivities with groups (young and graduate) in theDora neighborhood, a new Nirim class was openedat the Rigler School which helped strengthen youyoung boys in their studies as well. During the yearwe lost a student from the younger group who waski l led whi le r iding his electr ic bicycle in theneighborhood. Nirim guides and the therapeutic staffworked with the group following this tragic accident.They provided a strong and stable anchor for thegroup's members and helped them throughout thisdifficult period.

Or Akiva - This is the third year of the Or Akiva programwhich operates through the youth treatment centermodel. Additionally, the city’s combat fitness groupcontinued its activities. During the year significantprocesses were carried out at group and individuallevels and today students are more believing, openand sharing. In addition to the various field activities,workshops were held for parents of the youths’transferred by Nirim's treatment team with the aim ofproviding parental and authoritative tools for work withtheir children.

Tel Aviv - This is the second year we have beenworking at Eroni Yud Alef High School. This year, anadditional Nirim class was opened for students in the10th grade. Most of this year’s activities dealt withgroup relationships and a great emphasis was placedon communications between group members. Towardsthe end of the year an emphasis was placed onpreparations for educational specialty and matriculationexams.

Nirim in the Neighborhoods

South BranchThe Southern branch includes activities in:Kiriyat Gat, Dimona, Sderot, Netivot. Work inthe periphery requires many more resources.Alongside investment in the program’s students,the guides also make immense efforts tomaintain contact with the students’ parentsto bring them closer to Nirim. Additionally, wecontinue to develop the different programsfor the southern youth groups.

The Story of A:A. is not Jewish. Beyond that, after a fewmeetings, he opened up and told the guidesthat he didn’t even have an Israeli citizenship."I'm just someone walking around here ..."The Nirim track connected him to the State andgave him a sense of belonging. The guides accompanied him and organized all the variousdocuments needed so that he could be anlistedinto the IDF.The boy, who was lost on the streets, is due toenlist in the Paratroopers Brigade.Without a doubt, he is an example to his youngerbrothers and his life was given a meaning."Nirim connected me to the State of Israel, Iunderstood that this is where I belong”.

“Only as a graduate I understoodthe process that I had gone through.

I enjoyed guiding you and seeing you cope with thedifficulties that always come up during a trek”.(H. Graduate of Nirim in the Neighborhoods)

Kiriyat Gat - fruitful cooperation with local municipalityofficials is reflected in the program’s field work.This year, work continued in both the group andthe individual levels (groups of young girls andyoung boys). We are proud of our five studentsfrom the senior group who joined the IDF and whowill continue to receive support from Nirim graduates’unit. In addition, for the first time, we opened twoclasses at the Gottfried School and we hope thatthe classroom activity will continue into the comingyear.

Dimona - thanks to the support of the a local companywe are able to continue operating in the city. Thisis the third year in which groups of boys of differentages and a group of graduate girls operate in thecity and serve as a role model for all girls’ groupsin the program. Nirim Classroom - We ended twoyears of activity in classrooms that combine Jewishand Arab students at Dimona’s Amal High School.Alongside this exceptionally complex process,we see that students have progressed and experiencedsmall and large successes. We hope that a budgetwill be found to continue the program next year as well.

Sderot - A process with a group of youths whoexperienced survival treks and worked on their internalstrengths to make a significant change in their lives,was accomplished. After two years in the program,they are due to be inducted into the IDF for significantmilitary service. In addition, a group for young girlsalso operated in the city and focused on topics relatedto sexuality, self-confidence, relationships withpartners and more. We hope that funding will befound for the continued operation of the programin the coming year.

Netivot – The Youth at Risk treatment center continuedoperation in cooperation with the Ministry of Welfareand the local authority. The center is open mostdays of the week and provides a response to youngboys from several of the city’s neighborhoods. Atthe same time, work continued with the city’s groupfor young girls which is part of a National Program.

“I am really happy that my son iswith you at Nirim. I can see the changehe has gone through, you help himcope and encourage him to learn.I am glad that you are part of his life”.(M. Mother of a Nirim student)

Sexuality Workshops, body image,anger control and addictions

Personal Development

Diving workshops and marine activities

Team Building

Combat Training

Rope and abseiling activities

Parental workshops

Life skills workshops

Culminating activities throughout the year withemployees of the Central Company for Sales andDistribution (Coca Cola)

Community Garden Project and renovation ofNetanya Club with Elbit employees

Activities with the Atalef Foundation - Linking withFlotilla (Shayetet) 13 of the Israeli Navy

Nirim in the neighborhoods -highlight activities

Nirim classes mission on the Carmel

Nirim classes mission in the Coastal Plain

Field training for the instructors’ team

Day trip to the Hilazon Stream

Field trip to the Yavne'el area

Day Trip to Ramot Menashe

Field trip to the Judean Plains

A survival trek in the Judean Desert

A night trek on the Jerusalem Mountains

Classes survival trek in the Jerusalem Hills

Field trips to the Golan Heights

Abseiling trips

Day trip to the HaBsor Stream

Meron mountain survival trek

Nirim in the neighborhoods - field activities

Nirim Classes - GoalsReturn of dropouts or those at risk

of dropping out to a normal life track

Closing the majority of educational gapsand addressing social and emotional

deprivations to achieve full matriculation.

Developing an independent andflexible learning ability

Encouraging the intent to join the IDF forsignificant service or social service

Expanded social Involvementand personal commitment

“I’d just finished another shift at workand I thought of you. I just wanted to thank you

for all the help you give me. I love you”(K., 11 grade student)

24/7 in theNeighborhoods

Ongoing contact with youth promotionworkers and welfare departments

Activities within schools

Night tours of neighborhoods

Preparation to IDF inductionnotice and guiding graduatesthrough their military service

Contact with students’ families

th

For the past year we have been part of a jointeducational program with the Israel Police Forceand the Education Departments of Ramat Gan andOr Yehuda. This well received program created achange in the youth conceptions and perceptionsregarding the police, who they use to see as theenemy. The program operated in the cities ofRamat Gan and Or Yehuda as part of new initiativeby the Israel Police Force which sees its relationshipswith youth in general and youth at risk, in particular,as a moral, national and social mission.As part of the activity, cooperation was establishedwith community organizations dealing with high-riskyouth, to institutionalize this unique program aimedat opening a new way of thinking and providing arehabilitative opportunity for the youth to encouragetheir integration as better citizens in the community.The program incorporated two central motifs:

The first - law and justice The second - challenging field activities.

"I highly recommend the ODTexperience activity we held for the

Central Sales and Distributioncompany’s employees. The activitywas enjoyable, challenging and issuitable for both employees and

managers. we created an enjoyableexperience for the employees and

contributed to the community"(H., Human Resources Manager at

Central Sales and Distributioncompany, Coca-Cola)

Business Initiatives

The activity combines:

Group challenges

An empowering and liberating field experience

A refreshing break from routine

An exciting and fun day

Contributing to the Community

As part of the desire to create an additionalsource of income for the Foundation, based on14 years of accumulated knowledge, we createdthe ODT experience activity with Nirim eliteteam. The program is suitable for companiesand business organizations interested in one-day activities for their employees to break dayto day routine.

As far as all the partners in this programare concerned, it has achieved its

objectives and can now serve as the basisfor a program that we recommend belaunched in cities around the country.

In this program, we see a solid foundationfor building a youth movement based on themodel presented by the police commissioner"

(Dalia Levin, Director of the EducationDepartment, Ramat Gan Municipality)

"Today's Youth,Tomorrow’s Citizen”program in cooperation with theIsrael Police Force

Nirim Youth VillageDear Partners,Nirim Youth Village operates with the support

of and under the supervision of the Ministry of

Social Affairs, the Ministry of Education (the

village school) and with the support of the

Social Security Division of the Ministry of Defense.In addition, many philanthropists support thevillage, funds, companies, private donors andmany volunteers. As partners of the villageeducational and therapeutic activities webelieve we have a responsibility to report toyou in transparency. We will continue our workto maintain and deepen the connection.

Micha Simbalista,CEO

The Boarding School – for the young boys and girlsthe boarding school is a framework where they feelthey belong, are protected, warmly received andaccepted in a family atmosphere whilst they aregiven clearly defined boundaries. The boardingschool integrates all the activities and content of theNirim track within its many different areas of activity.

School - At the youth village’s school, students studyin the full matriculation track. The school preparesits students for matriculation exams in all compulsorysubjects, with the main subject area studied at a five-point level being Earth Sciences and the Environment.The main goal is to provide students with a correctivestudy experience and create feeling of success aspart of a comprehensive process designed to builda strong sense of competence. The village schoolworks in close coordination with other fields of Nirimvillage (therapy, boarding school, wilderness activity).

Wilderness Therapy – is one of the more significanttools in the village. It enables a dramatic breakthroughand the assimilation of tools and values required bystudents to rewrite the story of their lives. Copingwith physical and mental difficulties is a lever usedto build a strong sense of ability. This year 40, 4–5-day trips were done, and more than 110 single daytrips. In total, some 300 days of field activities. Inaddition, there were dozens of individual trips(student and guide) including a unique journey by astudent who walked the entire Israel National Trailfrom Eilat to Dan. (For more details, see the GuyTeam section following).

“Sense of mission and desireto be part of Nirim family makeus an elite unite, aspiring thosewho get to know our work”

(Boaz Sivan, BoardingSchool Principal)

the Village’s working environment

A few words about Nirim through my eyes,

I watched a kid walking Israel National Trail from South to North. He came back strong and detrained andhighly motivated to succeed. I saw the 8th prep team complete 7 treks facing tough challenges, impactingeach and every one. I believe they are on the right track. I was part of the journey of the graduating team,YAHAV, and I enjoyed walking with them, experiencing their inner growth and watching their graduation ceremony.I was at the ceremony of a graduate who finished his basic training in the IDF Givati unit. And the armydidn’t even want to enlist him in the first place. His been through so much in Nirim; he was at Nirimagricultural farm for a therapeutic process, he went on a couple of personal treks, he was in detention backand forth and finally he is the source of great pride. He genuinely changed and chose a significant path inhis army service. I am certain he is up to great new summits. A girls came up to me and declared: "I willwin the trek's outstanding student. And she was, in spite of the great challenges. Another girl refused towalk the whole day and just at its edge of it, walked fast, determined to join her team before the night. I saw the heavy backpacks, sleeping bags and nylons to cover the kids from the rain. I was with the kidswhen they cooked their own meals and at times, witnessed a trash bags that no one would pick up holdingback the whole group.The kids made a genuine effort to cope with changes and, for the most part, succeeded.I looked at the staff putting their hearts into the mission of finding the best place for our kids.My son, Nir, is watching from above and I am certain he is pleased at what he sees down here - Nirim'sgreat desire to excel.

Pniel, Nir's father

More about the Village’sworking environment

Therapy – Therapy is responsible for leading allindividual and group treatment processes and alsoresponsible for training staff, and leading village studydays. This year we focused primarily on anti-drugsprograms (12-steps) and expanding the therapeuticmodel - DBT Dialectical Behavior Therapy.

Nirim in the Mountains – Nirim in the mountains servesas therapeutic framework for teenaged boys and girlswho reach a state of dysfunctional behavior and arein deep crisis. This additional framework, outside theNirim village and on a smaller scale, provides us theoption to help these teenagers, continue to work withthem individually and address their needs and emotions,until they can emerge from their crisis and functionagain at the parent framework. This year, significantsteps were taken to transform the farm into aneducational body that is financially self-sustained.This was achieved by increasing the size of the goatherd, building a new dairy facility and cooperatingwith the cheese factory which purchases goats milkfrom the farm on a daily basis. Also, this year we builta shed, a trailer for the guard's quarters, shepherds'quarters, and a horse ring.

"The big adventure is not only todiscover new landscapes, but to see old

landscapes with new eyes. "(A quote from Marcel Proust)

This year, in addition to sharing the variedenrichment activities in the village, we willalso share team experiences and what theywent through.

The Village’s Teams –YahavThis year the Yahav team (graduating team)completed the fourth and fifth stages, the finalstages on their track; the mentoring andleadership stage where graduating teammembers mentor members of the village’s newyoung team.At this stage emphasis is placed on responsibility,leadership and self-realization. In preparationfor this stage, the boys take part in a commandand leadership course at the IDF Naval TrainingBase in Haifa.Independence and farewell - the emphasis ison independence within the rural frameworkupon leaving Nirim at the end of their journey.Emphasis is also placed on the processesinvolved in leaving Nirim.Yahav team completed their time at Nirim withrecord numbers of 92% matriculation eligibility.The learning-oriented team, maintained excellentcontact with their teachers and even respondedfavorably to new school initiatives such as:The integration of six boys into an academiccourse in the Western Galilee College Departmentof Criminology, and integration into an IDFadvanced study track as part of cooperationbetween Nirim’s school and the Atidim program.For the first time in Nirim, Yahav team graduatecontinued on to an IDF advanced study trackat the Technion.

“If I wasn’t at Nirim, I would not beable to realize even a tenth of my potential”(E., Nirim graduate)

"These impressive results reflect the effort madeto make the school a positive and pleasantexperience for its young people and the closerelationship with boarding school, therapeuticand field staff”. (Yossi Hananya, School Principal)

About Yahav:25 finished the Nirim track

92% with entitlement for a fullmatriculation certificate

100% expected to enlist in the IDF

12 chose to volunteer for a year ofsocial service or enter a pre-IDF

preparatory academy

Mentoring workshop

Following the fighters of the GolanHeights trek

The Sukkot camp

Treks - Masada, Gilboa, survival final trek

Nitzana's trek with the kibbutz movement toencourage volunteering for a pre army yearof service

Emergency intervention

Completion of all matriculation assignments

evaluation ceremony

Mentoring stage graduation ceremony

Sports day with BAT Foundation

A journey through the Land of Israel

A visit to the Krichman family's home,Hadas and Paniel, Nir's parents

My Inner Strengths Workshop

Fountain Ga'aton Rehabilitation Project

Diving course

Graduation Ceremony

Important events this year

The Village’s Teams – Guy About Guy:

28 boys and girls.

They successfully passedmatriculation exams in: history,

English, literature and mathematics.

Completed all team-stage andcontribution stage tasks.

Important events this year

Guy (the village’s middle team) finished thesecond and third stages of its track.The Team Stage, where the main focus is onthe group - building team norms and addressingrelated values such as acceptance of others,mutual help, mutual responsibility, friendshipand more.The Contribution Stage, where the main focusis on contributing to the community.At this stage Guy students carried out various,very significant projects by going out to helpothers:Volunteering in the Tel Aviv foreign workerscommunity, volunteering for lake Kinneretcrossing project helping people suffering fromspinal injuries, producing a Purim party fordisabled youth from "Beit Hagalgalim", runninga mentoring project at the School of SpecialEducation and more.

"When the past knocks at your door, open itand say you've already moved on.When you break down, raise your head, showeveryone you've got back on your feet.When you want to give up, look back and seehow much you've gone through.And when you reach the finish line, showeveryone that against all odds… in the end,you succeeded".(L., a student at the Youth Village)

Treks - Ramat HaGolan, Timna, Gilboa

The Sukkot camp

Self-Control Workshops 1 and 2

The torch race (Hanukah)

A mentoring trek with Nirim in theNeighborhoods

Group reflection workshop

Emergency Intervention

evaluation ceremony

Judean Desert survival trek including aceremony with their parents at Masada

Sports day with BAT Foundation.

School geological journey in Eilat Mountains

Survival trek in the Jerusalem Mountains

Graduation ceremonies for Team andContribution stages

“My time at Nirimtransformed me into

a much better person”(S. Nirim Graduate)

My JourneyFrom the diary of P., a student in Guyteam who went on a trek, just himselfand an instructor, along the IsraelNational Trail from Eilat to Dan – twoand a half months of walking, introspectionand gaining the strength to make asignificant change in his life.

At the beginning of the trek:"I'm embarking on a new path in my life.A journey from a life of disorder, negativethoughts, anger, indifference to theenvironment and patterns of violencethat led me to negative and bad placesin my life... I got a chance to set out ona new path, thanks to the trail and Idecided I was going to take the opportunityto cope with this trek in the best way I can.”

At the end of the trek:"On this journey I underwent a meaningfulexperience. I learned a lot about myselfand about the correct paths to walk in life.I learned to control my anger, deal withdifficulties, take responsibility and behappy with what I have. I left behind mynegative thoughts and patterns of violence.I appreciate everything I got from thisamazing journey and the people whoaccompanied me from start to finish.They didn’t give up on me for a moment."

Initiation & integration treks: Galilee, Mount Sodom,aMachtesh HaKatan, Judean Desert, Sea to Sea(Kinneret to the Mediterranean)

Participation in a science-oriented youth courseat the Ort Braude college

The torch race (Hanukah)

Sports Day with Atalef Foundation (Shayetet 13)

Sea Scouts national rowing competition (Part ofmarine activities)

A trek to complete the preparatory program

Preparatory program graduation ceremony

The Nirim preparatory program is a one-yearprogram for the younger age group (Grade 9)and is designed to prepare the children fortheir Nirim trek. The program is located in thevillage but operates as a separate, small andclose-knit framework similar to a family.The program’s students experience, for thefirst time in their lives, field trips and successin their studies. Some of the fields days arededicated to maritime activities.

The Village’s Teams – Lapid The Village’s Teams –

Preparatory TeamLapid (the village’s youngest team), finishedits first stage at Nirim – the initiation stagewhere the focus is on the young team membersand their acclimatization to the village framework,its norms, values, its full schedule, discipline,boundaries and, at the same time buildingrelationships with their peer group, with thestaff and with the village fields.

Important events this year

Important events this year

Initiation Trek: The boys arrive at the village forthe first time after a five-day trek

They are greeted by the entire village communityand only then go to their group dorms for the first time

The "I Choose" ceremony where the studentsdeclares before the village’s community that theychoose Nirim as part of a decision to make achange in their lives

Integration trips, Dead Sea, Makhteshim, EilatMountains, southern Golan

First survival trek to Mitzpeh Ramon

First evaluation ceremony

A project where they constructed seating areasin the rooms and the garden to build an affinitywith the village and it's surroundings

Workshops of accepting authority, the soul’sbench and an evaluation workshop

The Sukkot camp

The torch race (Hanukah)

First matriculation exams

Selecting a team name

Initiation stage completion ceremony

“I want you to understand that it’s thanks toNirim that I succeeded in breaking my image as a

failed kid, and built up my confidence todo everything… and to excel”.

(N., Graduate from the Nirim Youth Village)

The sea as part of the process of change One ofthe boys on the preparatory program, who hadexperienced great difficulty and was emotionallyblocked, was unable to function and exploit hisabilities. Together with the therapeutic team it wasdecided to take him on a personal sail from Herziliyato Hadera – 12 hours of thinking, dealing with thesea and writing a personal travel diary from wherehe can embark on a new path.

Observation

For me, Shirat HaYam is:

LoveStrength

QuietChildhood Opportunity Experience

Family Great StrengthFriends Home

Journey

Girls Home -

Shirat HaYamShirata is a home for girls who have been unableto adapt to the village’s demanding andchallenging five-stage program. The girls stayat Shirata in a special nine-months programbased on D.B.T (Dialectical Behavior Therapy).The aim is to provide them with the tools andthe strength needed to facilitate their integrationinto the village’s regular program. This year atShirata was exciting and full of positiveexperiences. The girls experienced manysuccesses both in the field, in their studies andin their personal progress and development.Seven girls completed the program and joinedthe village’s regular program.

A photography project producing a travelingphotographs exhibition which has, so far,been exhibited in the village and two galleriesin the Galilee

Sukkot trek

Trek to Mount Sdom

Judean Desert trek

The Golan trek

The Upper Galilee trek

A weekly routine that includes studies, DBTlessons, therapeutic groups, a 12 steps group,work at the stables, enrichment classes,mindfulness exercises and more

Important events this year

"Shirat HaYam” made significant processesthis year. Our girls integrated within the village’s

various teams and the staff are beginningto speak our unique therapeutic language which

is very exciting. We stand ready for the nextyear and our thoughts are to the future.

We know that, even though this year was asuccessful one, we cannot rest on our laurels”.

(Amit Rutberg, Head of Shirat HaYam)

The unit has an extremely important role mentoring andsupporting the graduates before heir enlistment into theIDF, during their service, and afterwards as they entercivilian life. The graduate’s unit assists Nirim in theNeighborhoods graduates and village graduates. Theunit’s staff maintains constant contact with the graduates,accompanied by ceremonies and fundraising, preparatorycourses and community service projects, house calls,and ongoing updates regarding the condition of each andevery graduate. The unit’s staff is also responsible forthe graduat's home which was established for graduateswho need a warm and enveloping place, one that acceptsthem and nurtures this environment a sense of home.Many of them are “lone soldiers” during their armyservice. Towards the end of their time in the IDF, weprovide graduates with counselling and guidance to helpthem as they begin their paths in society. The team alsohelps with employment, a place to live, education, lifeskills and is also there to provide support wheneverneeded. For their part, the graduates are extremelygrateful, and many choose to find ways to contributeto the village’s life and mission either by acting asmentors for individuals or groups on their treks, individualmentoring, support for other graduates (big brother),translation during committees, meetings etc. by graduatesfrom the Ethiopian community and more.

See for yourself Press here Graduates’ Unit

240 Youth Village graduates.

300 Nirim in the Neighborhoods graduates.

A total of 25 graduates stayed at the Graduateshome throughout the year.

10 “foster” embraced 10 graduates from thedifferent teams, providing a warm andaccepting home environment for them.

This year, 15 graduates studied for their B.A.at academic institutions.

About the Graduates

84%

6% 5%4%

1%

Resources Development & Community RelationsThe Resource Development and CommunityRelations Department works to develop andmaintain financial sources and, at the sametime, promotes and markets Nirim, providespublic relations services and develops communityrelations. During 2017 we were active in thefollowing channels to obtain our sources:

Private donors from Israel

Israeli funds

State support

Israeli companies and organizations

Development in towns where Nirim inthe Neighborhoods is active

North America Federations

Private donors from abroad

Foreign funds

Private donors from Europe

Exposure in BrazilAs we do every year, we met, in May, with our partnersfor an exciting, emotional and empowering eveningwhere we are able to thank all those who have workedwith us over the years. We keep in close contact withyou and see you as part of the family. During the yearwe sent greetings for festivals and holidays, the yearlysummery, Nirim newsletters covering a variety ofsubjects and issues and invitations to take part in thedifferent ceremonies both in the village and theneighborhoods. In addition, the website has undergonea facelift and we have added new and improvedcontent and marketing materials. Also, technologieshave been updated to make the department workmore efficiently.

“We are Nirim,we are one family”(Y., Nirim student)

The “Friends of Nirim” organization continues togrow, and we believe that, with the aid of our circleof partners, even more people will be introduced tothe Foundation's work and activities. Increasedexposure means deepening and firming contributionchannels in Israel and abroad.With your help, Nirim’s partners, big and small, webelieve that we will meet the high targets we haveset and will continue to reach out to hundreds ofat risk youth in Israel.

2017 Revenues in NIS

Distribution of Revenues (%)StateMunicipalitiesLocal

OverseasMatching gifts

State 23,395,000

Municipalities 1,222,000

Israel 1,500,000

Foreign 1,750,000

Equivalent 300,000

TOTAL 30,167,000

We appreciate the time you spent summarizing 2017 with us, The Nirim Family