After months of professional mentoring and guidance, these mothers are proud graduates of one of our business development courses. Now they can move forward with their newly acquired business skills on their path to self-empowerment and independence.
One People One Heart is where I go when I feel distressed. It is a safe home where the women listen and support me. Here, I can share my concerns with the other single mothers, who are going through very similar experiences. I recently considered moving to the South of Israel where my parents live, but I can’t leave Tzfat. This program gives me the support and hope that I desperately need.
As a mother of 4 children, I couldn’t take care of them after all the trauma I had experienced in my marriage. My husband is an addict and one night, he jumped on me and tried to kill me with a knife! I barely escaped with my life! I took the children and ran. When I came to Tzfat, I had a gum disease that caused all my teeth to fall out. I had nowhere to live and no money for food. My children were hungry and traumatized by the violence in our family.
At One People One Heart, Dina immediately helped me to get food and a place to live. I was so hurt and wounded. When we arrived in Tzfat, it was winter. Dina arranged for us to have beds, blankets, coats, heaters and shoes. We felt that someone cared and we were not alone. Eventually, I joined the “Violence in the Family” support group and had two therapists, who met with me privately. I was so hurt and wounded.
Two years later, I joined the Drama professional teaching program. Soon afterwards, I began to get jobs teaching young children and stopped taking medication for depression. In the process, I lost 40 pounds! The program helped me to become a licensed child-care professional and I eventually opened my own day-care nursery. I never imagined that I could become independent and successful. One People One Heart believed in me, and then I was able to believe in myself.
I was completely alone and unable to share my tremendous sorrow. I had been married for 20 years and suffered an extremely abusive and violent marriage. I have 4 children, one with Down’s syndrome, a daughter who cursed me constantly and another child with special needs. I was so overwhelmed, I could hardly function. The One People One Heart program helped me to become more open and build trust.
When I came to the Center, I began with the Cinematography therapy course. The program encouraged me to bring a video camera into our home. My children had a lot of fun filming scenes and episodes of our day-to-day life. We began to see our situation in a new light. I also joined the “Violence in the Family” support group. As a result of the course, private therapy, Pilates and painting workshops, soon I began to feel that I belonged to a group of women who were committed to healing themselves and their families.
After 3 years, I joined a vocational Pilate’s instruction class that One People One Heart set up in partnership with the Wingate Institute. Previously, I had worked with the elderly as a caretaker for 20 NIS an hour. Having completed the Pilates course, I receive 200 NIS an hour and work less hours. The program helped me secure a grant to setup my own Pilates studio for people with orthopedic issues, which is the only such studio in the area.
I feel that I have come such a long way. I can only thank One People One Heart for believing in me and pushing me towards my dreams.
