Israeli Development Aid: Small Lights Make a Mighty Illumination

Another Israeli advantage lies in community-building. Jews through the ages have excelled in setting up communities. In Israel, the challenges of development led to the creation of a nationwide network of community centers. The IsraAID/Tevel B’tzedek team in the Leogane organized such a network on a smaller scale. In Port au Prince a small, dedicated Israeli group working in the refugee camp made famous by the J/P Haitian Relief Organization, led by actor Sean Penn, created a youth program called “Dream Team.” In Leogane and the surrounding area, IsraAID/Tevel B’tzedek found and trained a wonderful group of Haitians who recognize the potential for communal work to build their country. Run on a shoestring, the project now includes Leogane and nine centers in villages around it. The original plan was for about half that number, but the Haitians are eager to push forward and expand their reach on a volunteer basis. With a grant from an American aid organization, a modest building is going up that will serve as a regional center for the activities. Regular classes on basic computer skills already run in the villages even in the absence of computers on which to practice. AJC-financed computers will soon be installed there, and the students will be able to move to higher skill levels. Young Haitian peasants understand that computer skills are key to meeting the challenges of development. Add youth programs, young mother and infant activities, pre-school, elderly programming, and the community center becomes a focus for that ephemeral commitment we call community. In Leogane another element is the community clinic. In Haiti, all medicine is private. Now, an Israeli doctor and nurse join with local physicians and nurses to provide care to the poorest. The Israeli model of a cooperative-based yet competitive national health system may offer an alternative for developing nations.

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