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Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters: Beyond Borders

 

Haifa
Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters has helped to develop and sustain the program of our sister agency in Haifa, Israel. Achim Bogrim – Israel’s Big Brother program – was founded in the aftermath of the Yom Kippur war to forge friendships with boys whose fathers had fallen in battle. Initially, the program served only Israeli boys. With the support of the Combined Jewish Philanthropies’ Boston Haifa partnership and generous local donors, JBBBS has helped expand the focus of the program. Today, Achim Bogrim Achiyot Bogrot – Big Brothers and Big Sisters – provides social services to all children.

Making A Big Impact: Haifa Program
  • Over 100 matches have been made as part of the Haifa program
  • We helped Girls for Success create a coexistence program between Arabs and Jews and brought the group to Boston where they spoke with our Littles, the Jewish Community, and in public schools.
 
Dnepropetrovsk
Since its inception in 2000 our Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Dnepropetrovsk, Boston’s sister city in the Ukraine, has been an inspiration. With funding from the Combined Jewish Philanthropies’ Dnepropetrovsk Kehillah Project and local donors, JBBBS professionals and volunteers traveled to Dnepropetrovsk and established the Big Brother Big Sister program. To date, more than 60 matches between Bigs and Littles have been made. The children participating in the program come from Ukraine orphanages and the local community; the volunteers include teachers, college students, and professionals.

 
Making A Big Impact: Dnepropetrovsk Program
  • Over 150 children in need have been served in the "Starshi Brat/Sharshaya Sistra" Program.
  • These match relationships have been extraordinarily beneficial to the children by changing the objective realities of the child's life and have been an inspiration to the Dnepropetrovsk Jewish community.
 

 
 
“My little brother… never stops for a minute, devours life as it is. He is optimistic and has a wide smile, which decorates his face. All this despite great adversity in his life. He inspires me.”--Eli, Big Brother
 

 

 

 

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