The Israeli town of Yerucham’s dynamic Early Years Unit celebrated the huge contribution of British Jewry through JNF UK to its recent impressive development. Just three years ago, JNF UK’s delegation laid the foundation stone of the building, and this month, major donors and legacy clients of JNF UK visited the site as a special part of JNF UK’s Legacy Mission to Israel. JNF UK contributed £459,293 between 2012 to 2017 to the Early Childhood Centre in Yerucham.

Participants were delighted to meet beneficiaries of the centre’s work, and heard from one of the children who told them about the impact of the centre, as well as meeting with the town’s Deputy Mayor.

The Early Years Unit provides a variety of services to infant children. It includes an integrated playgroup for mainstream and special needs toddlers, and serves thousands of young families from Yerucham and surrounding communities in the Negev.

JNF UK’s Early Childhood Centre is unique in the region, focusing on helping young children in need of support. It offers various therapies, including occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, drama and art therapy and cognitive development therapies for children, to help the them develop and excel in life.

Carolyn Addleman, Director of Legacies from JNF UK, said “As many mothers in Yerucham find childcare costs to be prohibitive they cannot easily return to work. To tackle this problem, JNF UK built a day care centre offering subsidised childcare. This centre helps break the cycle of poverty by getting mothers back into employment. Thanks to a legacy left by Anita and Ralph Harris the centre has been named in their memory. JNF UK is grateful to all its legacy clients who contribute enormously to the future development of Israel, and we are delighted to help future legacy clients to ensure their memory will live on through essential contribution to the Jewish homeland.”