The Association of Israelis of Central European Origin is a public non-profit organization. It was established for the welfare of Central European natives, such as Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and other areas, where German is the native tongue and cultural heritage. This organization was founded in 1932.
The organization is approaching its 75th year of activity, while constantly looking at changing needs, adjusting to them, learning and developing.
The values upheld by the Organization for Central European Origin:
mutual help, social solidarity, Zionism and the development of the country, excellence and growth, education and culture, the values of labor and economic development, intellectual pluralism seeded in the Jewish heritage and in the culture of Central Europe.
Main Activity
The Mutual Assistance Enterprise – Community Aid for the Elderly
This Enterprise was established in 1941, for the purpose of aiding the needy. Many of its beneficiaries are elderly, ill or Holocaust survivors and have no family or relatives to provide them with care. It raises the funds necessary for such aid, by either single donations or regular monthly donations. It also enables charitable purchase of medical supplies, medicine, meals, etc. This enterprise also supports the elderly citizen's home run by our organization. Finally, it cooperates with the "Claims Conference" and is acknowledged by the committee as the representative of Jews fromAustrian origins in their claims for reparations by Austrian Government.
Elderly Citizen's Home
The Association of Israelis of Central European Origin was the first to provide care for the community's elders, and was a pioneer in the field of modern geriatric care in Israel. The organization established a network of 9 quality elderly citizen's homes, providing for a total of 850 tenants. This establishment offers independent housing, as well as nursing homes providing professional and medical supervision.
The Organization Branches in Haifa, Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem – Social and Cultural Activity
The organization operates three different branches in the top three major Israeli cities (Jerusalem, Haifa and Tel-Aviv) offering its members social-cultural centers. The various activities carried out by these centers include operating a volunteer "hot line", locating friends in need of any type of assistance, referrals to professional advisors and volunteers, community gatherings, diverse cultural programs, such as classes, lectures and traveling. Thousands of people of all ages participate in these activities annually.
NOAM – Youth Immigrants of Central Europe- Immigrant Guidance and Immigration Promotion
NOAM was established in 1998, as a branch of our organization, in order to provide appropriate assistance in immigration absorption, in accordance with the specific characteristics of youth immigrants from Central Eur
ope's German-speaking countries. There are 800 youth immigrant members in NOAM. It provides information and support to German speaking immigrants and/or students who are in exchange programs in Israel, to families of immigrants who are still abroad, and to people interested in finding out more about Alyiah (immigrating to Israel).
Scholarships – Financial Aid and Assistance to Students and Graduate School
Together with the Mutual Assistance Enterprise, the organization gives out annual scholarships to second and third generation students in Israel. Over the last five years, the organization has given out 108 scholarships, at a total sum of 0.5 million shekels.
The " MB Yakinton " Periodical
Established in 1932, theMB Yakinton Periodical has been published regularly ever since.
It promotes articles regarding social and cultural affairs, heritage and personal stories. It also encourages social engagement and volunteering, supplying continuous information about the organization's activities.
Heritage
The organization has, among other things, concentrated its activity over the last few years in preserving the heritage of the Fifth Alyia. Substantial activity is invested in relating the glorious achievements of those Jewish immigrants of Central Europe, who had a profound influence on the development of Israel, and impacted various forms of life in their new land.
It is in this framework, that a continuing cooperation has been formed with the The German - Speaking Jewry Heritage Museum" in Tefen -Western Galillee. This museum was founded in 2005, under a new format, now known as The German - Speaking Jewry Heritage Museum Judaism – The Heritage of the Jeckes, so that it will now tell the story of the Fifth Immigration wave in various modern means; computer presentations, changing exhibits, documentation center, seminars and conventions. 100,000 visitors pass through the museum annually.
The organization is initiating and aiding the preserving and documentation activity that is carried out through this museum. For instance, taped interviews with veteran fifth wave immigrants, or project "The Book of Jeckes ", which documents the immigrants of the fifth immigration wave and all the way up to the establishment of the State. It is also assisting in collecting private archives and forwarding them to research and documentation institutes.
Our organization is also cooperating productively with other organizations working in the same field, such as "The Leo Baeck Institute", and holds joint cultural events with "Mishkanot Shaananim", "The Diaspora Museum", "the Goethe Institute" and various academic institutions.
Major Achievements
- The Organization has been able to continue to work through dozens of years, without letting go of its fundamental values and beliefs, by adjusting itself to changing times. It has been able to provide significant aid and support to thousands, continuously.
- The Organization provides a center for people of various socio-economic backgrounds; cities, periphery, different degrees of education and occupations.
What these people all share are the common values embraced by Central European natives, applying these values through volunteer work, promoting solidarity and taking part in the Zionist enterprise.
- The Organization encourages volunteering, preserves and develops it successfully, passing this doctrine onwards to second and third generations as well. It has been able to recruit various public figures of all fields and industries to take part in its activities voluntarily: Economics and Industries, Arts and Culture, Law, Science, Education, Security, Diplomacy, Public Administration, Media, etc.
- The Organization promotes the heritage of Central Europe's immigrants, with the help of thousands of people who take part in this activity.
- The Organization has been successful in influencing policy and legislature, working vigorously to protect and carry out the rights of Holocaust survivors and Central European immigrants living in Israel and worldwide. We have a representative of our organization as a regular member on the "Joint Organizations Forum for Holocaust Restitution". This Forum had successfully promoted the legislature for Holocaust Restitution, and the Chairman of our organization's Directorate, Mr. Reuven Merhav, was elected Executive Chairman of the "Claims Committee".
Where our Organization's Activity Takes Place
Most of our Volunteers are located in the Organization's major branches in Tel-Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem.
Aid and Support is given nationwide – to cities, to the periphery, co-operative settlements, and Kibbutzim.
Immigration Promotion activity and Immigration Absorption activity is carried out throughout the country, as well as in German-speaking communities overseas.
