At BINA we have developed a method of “holistic” community building (we like to call it “community enveloping”) to respond to the needs of weak or at-risk populations and to alleviate hardships but also to empower and develop competencies of these populations. Our method is deep-rooted in Jewish values of community and mutual responsibility. In Judaism a community of at least 10 – a minyan - is needed for the very basic practice of prayer and the Talmud teaches that “all Israel is responsible for one another - kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh”. According to the Rambam’s Eight Degrees of Tzedaka, the highest degree - above which there is no higher - is strengthening our fellow Jews until they are able to be independent as stated in Leviticus “Strengthen him [the poor person] so that he does not fall and become dependent on others” (25:35). In modern terms, these actions are aimed at breaking the poverty cycle and enabling all members of community to establish themselves as independent and productive members of society.
With these values as driving forces, BINA founded “BINA Bashchuna” (“Wisdom in the ‘hood”). A fundamental principle of BINA Bashchuna is to build community from within therefore all BINA participants live in the neighborhood in which they volunteer. When they take a community-building initiative it is not as outsiders acting on behalf of others but rather as residents of the community acting for all its members. We see this as an expression of “walk(ing) humbly with thy God” (Micha 6:8), as opposed to, what we realize today was the patronizing approach of the kibbutzim in the ‘60s and ‘70s when they reached out to assist development towns in Israel’s periphery, but remained outsiders. We have seen positive results from BINA’s immersive approach. BINA volunteers are “tuned in” to the community and therefore accepted and welcomed by the veteran residents of the neighborhoods. Many BINA graduates remain living in the community even after the duration of their program – a factor we have identified as an objective of the program as well as a means to self-fulfillment of the graduates.
BINA volunteers provide direct service on a neighborhood level but they do so while taking into account the larger context of an integrated community. There is an understanding of the complexity of the system in which BINA staff and volunteers often act as the “glue” or the “magnet” bringing the various community constituencies together. We work in partnership and coordination/collaboration with the “establishment” (the municipality/school system) and often act as program “enablers”. When BINA initiated Makom Balev, a daycare center for at-risk children, we brought together the municipal welfare department, a local philanthropist, an NGO food service provider and volunteers from the National Service (young orthodox women from Sherut Leumi). The center most immediately addressed the educational gaps of these children vis a vis their peers as well as their emotional development and social competencies. However it was also an opportunity for community building. We made sure the parents were involved (to the extent possible considering the difficult family situations of the children involved) and the relevant authorities in order to build the capacity of the community to care for itself. As the welfare department increased its involvement in the center, BINA was able to lessen its role and the center continued to thrive independently. The collaborations formed for the sake of Makom Balev have continued and proven crucial in many other initiatives hence. BINA’s pluralistic approach is organic to our work as we engage partners and community members, who hail from diverse religious and ethnic affiliations, towards achieving common goals.
We ensure all populations of the community are embraced: Children, youth, adults and elderly. We firmly believe all members of a community have needs and all members have something special to give. For instance, by matching young adult volunteers to isolated elderly in the community we provide basic care for the seniors, enabling them to remain in the dignity of their homes (as written in Psalms “Cast me not off in the time of old age; when my strength fail, forsake me not” (71:9)), while at the same time providing the seniors with an opportunity to teach the youngsters, to tell their “story”, to feel valued and appreciated as having valuable historic perspective of the community (and of Israel, Zionism and the Jewish People!).
Responding solely to the physical needs of a community, while disregarding its spiritual-cultural needs, can be patronizing and serve to perpetuate an existing problematic situation. We recognize that even among the neediest populations, there is a need for study and for spiritual-cultural enrichment in order to achieve real change. BINA’s program Kehilla Hogeget offers low-income adults facilitated study sessions on topics related to the Jewish Calendar. Participants are encouraged to “give back” to their own community by organizing communal holiday celebrations. Everyone is valued and everyone can contribute. When the Kehilla Hogeget group from Beer Sheva decided to organize a holiday celebration for the local home for the aged, they demonstrated that everyone can do community organizing, everyone has something to give, embodying the essence of empowerment. Other examples are the Food Cooperative and Entitlements Rights Center in South Tel-Aviv. Both are initiatives in which all participants are equal partners - benefiting equally and taking equal responsibility.
BINA programs are built upon three elements: Action, Study and Community. All BINA participants are active in the community, study at the Secular Yeshiva in Tel-Aviv and partake in communal Shabbat and holiday celebrations. Together we are realizing the Mishnaic value of לימוד המביא לידי מעשה “Study which leads to Action” (and sometimes “Action which leads to Study….”).
ובתמיכת קרן פוזן.
