Yadid LaChinuch

Yadid LaChinuch (Hebrew: ידיד לחינוך, "Friend for Education") is an Israeli nonprofit organization founded in 2007 that recruits and places retired volunteers in schools across Israel. Its mission is twofold: to assist the education system and to improve the quality of life and well-being of retirees. Volunteers serve as "education and teaching supporters," helping teachers and students in a wide range of subjects and activities. The organization operates in numerous Israeli communities. In each locality where it is active, a local retired volunteer coordinator, usually with significant experience in education, manages the activity. Volunteers undergo structured absorption processes, receive training, and their work is accompanied by ongoing professional evaluation. The presence of experienced adults in the classroom is reported to improve the atmosphere and benefit all involved in the educational process. Yadid LaChinuch emphasizes the professional development of its volunteers, equipping them with pedagogical tools to expand knowledge and improve effectiveness. As part of their membership in the local volunteer group, volunteers participate in an annual learning and enrichment program held outside their volunteering hours in schools. Volunteers mentor and assist in areas including core subjects (mathematics, English, literacy), sciences, computers, foreign languages, Bible, geography, drama, chess, arts, crafts, gardening, special education, nutrition, sports, and school library and maintenance tasks. The organization has received several awards, including the President's Award for Volunteerism in 2011, the Glikman Award for Excellence from JDC-ESHEL in 2015, and the Zusman-JDC Award for Excellence in Social Services in 2016. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Yadid LaChinuch adapted by enabling remote teaching and holding training sessions for hundreds of volunteers in the use of Zoom and other technological tools. It also operates a digital campus for community enrichment through lecture series. Special projects include "Yadid Telephoni" (Telephone Friend), which helps Arab-sector high school students practice spoken Hebrew, and "Start Talking," which pairs native English-speaking volunteers with students to practice spoken English.

Yadid LaChinuch was founded in 2007 by Dina Benkler, Nimrod Ackerman, and Moshe Raviv, who also served as chairman of its board until September 2021. The organization was established to harness the experience and skills of retirees to support the Israeli education system while also enriching the lives of the volunteers themselves. From its early years, the organization grew by establishing local volunteer groups in communities across Israel. Each group is led by a local retired coordinator, often a former educator, who manages the placement and ongoing support of volunteers in nearby schools. Volunteers are integrated into classrooms as "education and teaching supporters," assisting teachers in core subjects, enrichment activities, and special education. Over the years, Yadid LaChinuch developed a structured model that includes absorption processes, training, and professional evaluation for volunteers. It also created an annual learning and enrichment program for volunteers, held outside school hours, to deepen their knowledge and pedagogical skills. The organization's work has been recognized with several awards. In 2011 it received the President's Award for Volunteerism. In 2012, Dina Benkler was honored with the Knesset Speaker's Award for her educational work and the Outstanding Volunteer Retiree Award, and the Ashdod branch received the Mayor's Shield for outstanding organizations. In 2015, Yadid LaChinuch received the Glikman Award for Excellence from JDC-ESHEL, and its coordinators' group received a commendation shield for outstanding volunteer retirees. In 2016, it won the Zusman-JDC Award for Excellence in Social Services in the category of bringing hearts closer between sectors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization adapted to remote operations. Volunteers could not enter schools, so Yadid LaChinuch enabled remote teaching and held training sessions for hundreds of volunteers on using Zoom and other technological tools, both in groups and individually. It also launched a digital campus offering lecture series on topics such as Israel in a changing Middle East, healthy lifestyle, and community resilience. These technological capabilities were integrated to prepare for continued activity during emergencies. Special initiatives were developed to address specific needs. "Yadid Telephoni" (Telephone Friend) is part of the "She'arim" (Gates) program, aimed at strengthening spoken Hebrew among 12th-grade students in the Arab sector to ease their integration into higher education. Volunteers converse with students in Hebrew by phone or Zoom, in cooperation with the supervision of Hebrew studies in Arab and Bedouin education at the Ministry of Education. "Start Talking" is a project in cooperation with the English language supervision at the Ministry of Education, where native English-speaking volunteers hold conversations with students to practice spoken English. It began as a reinforcement for students ahead of matriculation exams and expanded to sixth grade, middle school, and high school. As of the 2020s, Yadid LaChinuch continues to operate across Israel, with Leah Rosenberg as chairperson and Uri Farag as CEO. It remains a registered nonprofit (amuta) and publishes monthly newsletters featuring articles on its activities, new projects, interviews with staff and volunteers, and topics related to education and the third age.

• 2021

  Moshe Raviv ended his term as chairman of the board in September.

• 2020

  Adapted to COVID-19 by enabling remote teaching and training volunteers in Zoom and technological tools; launched digital campus.

• 2016

  Won the Zusman-JDC Award for Excellence in Social Services in the category of bringing hearts closer between sectors.

• 2015

  Received the Glikman Award for Excellence from JDC-ESHEL; coordinators' group received a commendation shield.

• 2012

  Dina Benkler received the Knesset Speaker's Award and Outstanding Volunteer Retiree Award; Ashdod branch received the Mayor's Shield.

• 2011

  Received the President's Award for Volunteerism.

• 2007

  Yadid LaChinuch founded by Dina Benkler, Nimrod Ackerman, and Moshe Raviv.

Nonprofit organization mobilizing retired volunteers to support Israeli schools.

1. 1עמותת ידיד לחינוך - Official Websiteyadidla.org.il
2. 2Yadid LaChinuch - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3ידיד לחינוך - Hebrew Wikipediahe.wikipedia.org