Letter to donors
Campus Habayta began to operate in Summer 2018 with the goal of being a warm and comforting home to religious young men and women who came to Israel from all over the world.
The Campus is situated in Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu (in Emek Beit Shean), which provides an environment of a religious agricultural kibbutz.
The Campus is meant for Lone Soldiers (Chayalim Bodedim) as well as for young adults who make their way to Israel to learn Hebrew in Ulpan.
Overall, there are about 80 rambunctious youth living here, in their first home in Israel, and upon leaving are well-equipped for their foray into Israeli society.
During the week, the Ulpan cooks up scrumptious family meals for dinner, which are often followed by a campfire or barbeque.
A quieter night consists of a movie around the large TV, or any of a bunch of other myriad activities.
After the meal on Shabbatot and chagim (festivals), we take out board games, or a book from the library- or we just sit around as a group and enjoy sharing our experiences from the week. Occasionally we have a “Tish” on Friday nights led by a member of the Kibbutz or by an alumnus of the Campus who came back for a visit.
We pride ourselves on our role as a meeting ground for youth to find their “better half”, and since we have opened, five couples who met here have gotten married and established a life in Israel.
The Campus team is made up of Kibbutz members and of two Bnot Sherut (Israeli girls doing national service instead of the army).
The team invests great efforts to assist in any way possible the endeavors of each Lone Soldier and Ulpan member, so that he feels at home and succeeds in finding his unique place in Israel.
We do this by worrying for the physical and emotional needs of the people here, and by putting emphasis on the interpersonal relationship between us and the Lone Soldiers/Ulpan members.
Despite the efforts we put in, we always feel that everyone here deserves more for the brave step that people here have made to contribute to the Jewish people by serving in the IDF- by leaving their family, their home, and their friends- everything that is familiar- and coming to Israel filled with idealism and commitment.
The Campus is funded by various sources throughout Israel, which cover the basic costs of food and lodging.
Things that we lack include:
● Funding for enriching activities: speakers, workshops, etc…
● Funding for personal gifts on birthdays and festivals
● Funding for scholarships for soldiers who finish the army to help them start out in the challenging task of living in Israel
● Funding for continued upkeep of the campus to ensure that our high standards of cleanliness and living are met
We entreat and would be ever-grateful if anyone who could assist us to continue this most important endeavor,
be in contact with us.
Meir: 972-5-640502 habayta@sde1.org.il
