JDC Israel

About JDC Israel Israel today boasts one of the world’s most dynamic economies and one of the most diverse populations. Yet, it also has the second largest gap between the rich and poor in the OECD: 1.8 million men, women and children live below the poverty line and 39% of Israelis find it difficult to live on their current income. JDC partners with the Israeli government to create strategies and solutions to combat the country’s biggest internal challenges. By investing in Israel’s most precious resource—its people—JDC helps the country ensure that it can provide for its most vulnerable, foster greater equality of opportunity, leverage its human capital, and strengthen its future as a nation. Working with the State and a variety of local partners to ensure the greatest possible impact, JDC in Israel works to: • Secure Promise for Israel’s Youngest Tens of thousands of Israel’s children and teenagers live on the margins of society, lacking a safe home environment, suffering from neglect, and dropping out of school. One out of three Israeli children is poor; many are born into struggling and disadvantaged families and face overwhelming challenges. JDC’s early childhood and youth-at-risk programs give underprivileged Israeli kids the skills, knowledge, and sense of self to break out of the cycle of poverty and become the country’s leaders of tomorrow. • Ensure Financial Independence for Every Israeli Israel has one of the highest underemployment rates in the developed world, a grave and unsustainable situation JDC is pioneering groundbreaking initiatives to correct. Every adult—Ethiopian and FSU immigrants, Israelis with disabilities, Israeli Arabs, ultra-orthodox Jews—should feel that they have the ability and responsibility to support their children both emotionally and financially. JDC programs focus on bringing Israelis from every community into the workforce. • Care for Israel’s Elderly in Need One in three seniors in Israel live under the poverty line—be they immigrants, Holocaust survivors, or Halutzim. JDC develops innovative services that provide for the needs of these elderly and cares for them in a way that preserves their dignity.