Petach Tikva. Photo by Ori via Wikimedia Commons

 Although we are only a sapling branch, and our meetings don't draw crowds, ESRA Petach Tikva is making an impact in the community.

We have a small but dedicated number or volunteers who are active in the local community, sharing their English talents. Annette Rosenberg volunteers every week at a senior citizens' meeting in their community center, teaching them how to read, write and speak in English. They look forward eagerly to the meeting each week and are showing that it's never too late to learn something new.

At the other end of the age spectrum in adult learning, there are two groups of soldiers who suffer from PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), who meet in their club to engage in lively conversations in English and to improve their reading skills.

Under the auspices of SHIL, the Citizens Advice Bureau, which provides free help for most of life's daily problems, Judith Rosen is reaching out to Holocaust survivors. This program at SHIL started in 2015 for the survivors who were children during the war. They have a list of 4,000 people who may be entitled to some compensation from the Holocaust office but never filled out their papers or were not recognized up to now as survivors. The papers have to be filled out first in Hebrew and later in English. Most of the people come to the SHIL office, but some are no longer able to do so. In those cases, Judith makes a home visit which is the way to hear their stories and have them sign the necessary papers. Members of Judith's family perished in the Holocaust and she grew up with the stories of that time, and so this project is close to her heart.

If you live in Petah Tikva and want to get involved in volunteering in the area, please contact Miriam (054 888 5459) to find out what meetings are happening.