Sderot Elderly Find Purpose and Community at Vocational Club
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Elderly residents in Sderot, Israel, are finding purpose and community at a vocational club run by the Reut Association. The club provides assembly work for businesses, a small income, and crucial social interaction for participants, many of whom are survivors of the October 7th attacks. Manager Einav Avraham emphasizes the club's role in combating loneliness and providing a sense of contribution for individuals like Maria Ferber and Ludmila Dubkov, who shared their experiences of the Hamas attack.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Sderot's vocational club offers elderly residents purpose through work and social connection.
- Survivors of the October 7th attack find community and routine at the Sderot club.
- The club provides symbolic wages and a supportive environment for its participants.
- Manager Einav Avraham highlights the club's vital role in combating loneliness.
- The Reut Association runs multiple programs for the elderly in Sderot.
Elderly residents of Sderot, many of whom are Holocaust survivors and immigrants from the former Soviet Union, are finding renewed purpose and social connection at a vocational club. The club, operated by the Reut Association in partnership with the Sderot Municipality and Joint Israel, offers participants a chance to engage in various assembly and packaging tasks for businesses, providing a small income and a reason to leave their homes.
Maria Ferber, 77, and Ludmila Dubkov, 78, recounted their harrowing experiences on October 7th, hiding from terrorists in their homes. Ferber described seeing armed men shooting at houses, while Dubkov heard Arabic voices and a terrorist banging on her door. Both women found solace and routine at the vocational club after the initial shock and displacement.
The club, located near the site of the former Sderot police station destroyed by terrorists, hosts dozens of elderly individuals, mostly women, for four hours daily. They perform tasks such as packing perfumes, assembling candles, and preparing parts for a chicken processing plant, with assignments changing based on client needs. The club also previously packed gift bags for the city's children, which remained unused on Simchat Torah due to the attack.
Einav Avraham, the club's manager, explained that participants receive a symbolic wage, divided equally among them, typically ranging from 800 to 1,000 shekels per month. She shifted the payment system from individual piecework to equal distribution to foster a more relaxed and communal atmosphere, emphasizing that the social aspect is paramount. "When someone enters here and says 'Good morning, home,' you understand the meaning of this place for her," Avraham stated.
Participants, like Ludmila, expressed gratitude for the routine and social interaction. "I need to get out of bed, brush my teeth, choose clothes, and not wander around the apartment in a nightgown all day," she said. "I come here and everyone smiles and treats me with respect. It's like family for me and gives me a lot of energy."
The club also offers Hebrew language classes, movement therapy, art, and cooking workshops, and celebrates birthdays and holidays. The Reut Association, which has been active in Sderot for over 30 years, also runs programs for Holocaust survivors and homebound individuals. The CEO, Shimon Musai, highlighted the club's dual benefit: providing meaning and activity for the elderly while offering businesses a chance for social engagement and utilizing the participants' skills and experience.