The Jaffa Institute was established in 1982 by Dr. David Portowicz and Col. Ze’ev (Zonik) Shaham as a private, non-profit, multi-service social agency to assist the city of Jaffa’s severely disadvantaged children and their families. Our mission is to provide educational, nutritional, therapeutic, and social enrichment programs that assist children in developing positive attitudes and skills to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty in the impoverished communities of Jaffa, South Tel Aviv, and Bat Yam in Israel.
Holistic in approach and responsive to the diverse needs of those we serve, the Jaffa Institute operates over 30 different programs, including crisis residences for at-risk youth, educational enrichment centers, food security initiatives, support to elderly individuals and Holocaust survivors, and women’s empowerment programs. Each year, the Jaffa Institute provides service and relief to over 4,000 citizens. In 2001, the Institute was awarded the President’s Prize for Most Outstanding Voluntary Organization.