Dolev Homes For At Risk Youth
Dolev Homes for Youth at Risk is a network of 14 projects involving 450 at risk teens brought together in 4 locations throughout Israel, including Dolev, Jerusalem, Ashdot, and Modiin. The original mother project, Ulpanat Dolev, is a residential rehabilitation center and school in the community of Dolev near Modiin for 120 high risk girls, ages 11-19, from all over Israel. The youth are reffered to the school by the courts, local social workers, and school counselors. The pre-teen and adolescent girls have been removed from unsupportive and abusive environments that have caused learning problems, underachievement in school, emotional insecurity and trauma. All of the students live in 10 mishpachtonim, family units, comprised of one small nuclear family living with and mentoring 12 troubled teenagers in each family unit. Besides the standard secular and religious high school curriculum, their vocational studies include hairdressing, fashion design and sewing, hotel baking, cosmetology, event planning, computer programming and repair, and early childhood education. They also enjoy art, music, dance, drama, equestrian and video therapies. Three years ago they initiated a student-run commercial bakery in their learning kitchen where they bake bread for the whole school daily! The experienced staff of Ulpanat Dolev, with the help of the Dolev hosting families, takes these vulnerable girls and empowers them to feel worthy and good about themselves and realize their potential to become productive citizens of Israel.