New Immigrants
During the last decade of the 20th century the State of Israel absorbed approximately one million new immigrants. The majority of them came from the Former Soviet Union and Ethiopia.
New Immigrants
WIZO has always been at the forefront of assisting in the effective absorption of new immigrants - from the child refugees of the Holocaust who arrived in the early days of the state through to the emergency airlifts of Ethiopian Jews in recent years.
Whilst the new immigrants have contributed their talent and culture, there have also been problems - which is true with any group of new immigrants who settle in a foreign land with a different language, culture, tradition and political scene.
Activities For Minorities - Mutual Respect and Assistance and Neighbourly Relations:
The guiding principle of the staff in WIZO’s day care centers with Jewish and Arab kids is one – the creation of relationships based on mutual respect and assistance, and neighborly understanding.
The staff are exposed to intensive indoctrination from the principals of the day care centers, social workers, and supervisors. This indoctrination points out the unique characteristics of minority groups, while emphasizing the understanding of different cultural codes and traditions.
Arab parents and their children participate in all the events and celebrations organised by the day care centre, and at the same time a special effort is invested in the celebration and understanding on non-Jewish holidays. Arab-speaking teachers that work in the Jewish-Arab day care centers make for an easier and improved communications between the two groups.
