The day began when Danny Bar Am, who directs international fundraising for AKIM picked Diane Richler and yours truly, and off we went to Rahat, a Bedoin town created in the 1980's. About 50,000 people live there, out of about 200,000 Bedoin's in the country. We met with Rahat's Mayor Faiz Abu Cahiban, who is comitted to the improvement of his city. There is high unemployment, over 30%, and it is mostly women who are unemployed. Women traditionally can not actively seek work, and are not allowed to work outside of the city. There is also a high intermarriage rate and polygamy. When the husband takes a second wife, traditionally, the first is abandoned with her children, so a lot of poverty, domestic violence and children with genetic conditions due to intermarriage within the six tribes who occupy separate sections of the city.
We also visited a school for children with disabilities. Saw lots of kids who had some genetic condition, and a caring staff, if not a lot of learning going on. TV's in every room. And they were on. But the place was clean, had no real odor, and some educational materials present. Leaving Rahat, the contrast between that community and the nearby Israeli towns and Kibbutz was striking. One, chaotic and worn down, the other modern, green and lush and prosperous. Akim wants to help this city. Again the Army plays a role as Bedoins, along with Druids, serve in the Israeli Army. Sadly we met this incredible social worker named Ashraf. He is a Bedoin married to a Jewish woman, and they have two young children. They live in Rahat, as she is accepted there. He said they were not accepted as a couple elsewhere in Jewish areas. Sad I think.
We then visited three group homes, all in apartments, with 6-8 people. In the first one we also met with the families of the residents, and had an incredible meal which lasted for an hour, and carried us through the day. The young adults in the first flat arrived from their days work, all work at a company, together, in the town of Ashod where they live. Ashod is on the sea and is a planned community with a lot of amenities. The families are passionate about the home, which is staffed with a "mother" and people on each shift. The residents do a lot of things-mostly as a group, in the community but have the independence to go shopping and into the neighborhood in pairs. Lots of love and caring and concern for the residents. They all could be more independent, but that does not seem to be a goal. At another flat five minutes away, we met people who lived as couples, 3 couples, three bedrooms. They all met in other places, group homes, and formed couples. After a while, were allowed to move to this new place as couples. Imagine that funded by Medicaid in the U.S. NOT. Again, lots of love and caring, nice neighborhoods, with many people working in real jobs. I won't talk about the third home for older people, all of whom were younger than Diane and me!
At night there was a fund raising gala at the Museum of the University of Tel Aviv. I will post photos of all of this, and of some art by people with disabilities, when I figure out how to do that.
Off to figure out what I am going to talk about with the board and staff of AKIM tonight. Another day of contrasts and questions ended.
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