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42
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1987
Special to The Jewish News
H
aifa -- Tiny Jewish
communities in plac-
es like Bangkok,
Panama City, Taipei, La Paz,
Cipole (Argentina) and many
other cities, often feel like the
forgotten people of the Jewish
world. Perhaps because their
numbers are so small, and
their fund-raising potential
minimal, they are usually
bypassed when the Jewish
establishment sends out its
various emissaries to contact
fellow Jews and provide them
with support for their educa-
tional and religious efforts.
Yet it is a basic concept that
all Jews are responsible
(areivim) for one another, and
it is in this spirit that the
World Union of Jewish Stu-
dents, based in Jerusalem,
has revived its program of
sending dedicated volunteers
to scattered communities
such as these, seeking to
counteract assimilation and
give the isolated Jews the
feeling that they have not
been forgotten. The program
is called simply Areivim, and
operates along the lines of the
American Peace Corps.
Originally intended to be a
youth-to-youth movement,
Areivim has long since bran-
ched out to serve the entire
community. The framework is
standard. Volunteers who
meet the necessary qualifica-
tions serve their guest com-
munity for one year and are
unpaid, except for actual ex-
penses and a bit of pocket
money. They are usually bet-
ween 22-30 years of age. They
must have a good Jewish
background and a positive at-
titude toward religion,
though not necessarily per-
sonally observant. Communi-
ty expectations in the area of
observance must be met.
Depending on the personali-
ty, talents and abilities of the
areivim, they serve functions
as groupleaders, speakers,
teachers planners and ex-
ecutors of community func-
tions — whatever the local
Jewish needs may be.
For their part, the local
community is expected to pro-
vide room and board and at
least a minimal budget for ac-
tivities. A local family usual-
ly takes the volunteer under
its wing.
Where are they serving this
year? A couple is now work-
ing in Goteborg, Sweden and
another in Guatemala City.
Young men are in Moncton,
New Brunswick; in Barran-
quilla, Colombia; and in
Amsterdam. The first young
woman to be in an area by
herself is in Thessaloniki,
Greece. Language re-
quirements are fluency in
Hebrew, as well as in one or
more other languages such as
English, Spanish, French or
Italian.
Areivim are never sent to
communities where Jewish
agency shlichim go, nor to
American cities. The
challenges are many, as they
often have to break new
ground. One arev could not
drum up interest in Israel
folk dancing, which he
One arev could not
drum up interest in
Israel folk dancing.
Local youth
preferred to attend
a yoga group.
wanted to teach. Local youth
preferred to attend a yoga
group. So the arev joined that,
too. After a few sessions he in-
vited the whole group to his
home for coffee and cake.
There was a bit of folk danc-
ing, and before long, everyone
had joined in.
Many volunteers apply, but
few are chosen. After the in-
itial interviews, psychometric
tests, personality and talent
appraisals, and a special
training course, the accep-
tance rate is only ten percent.
It should not be surprising,
therefore, that community
response has for the most part
been enthusiastic. Yet despite
insistent demands, no com-
munity can be serviced for-
more than two years. The
presence of the arev is intend-
ed also to be a catalyst for
local organization.
Some 15 communities in
far-flung parts of the world
are today awaiting their
volunteers. Deadline for ap-
plications for the coming year
has already expired, and the
interviewing and screening is
now going on, according to
Bella Borstein, coordinator of
the program.
Areivim is under the im-
mediate auspicces of the
World Union of Jewish
Students, and is financed
from various sources in-
cluding several departments
of the Jewish Agency and
various public and private
agencies and foundations,
primarily the Pincus Fund.
Yosef Abramowitz, formerly
of Boston and now of