Transforming Neighborhood Life for Vulnerable Immigrants

Nearly 50 percent of the families living in Amir’s housing complex in Talpiot, Jerusalem, are immigrants from Ethiopia or the former Soviet Union; the remainder are primarily elderly veteran Israelis. "The seniors want to sit outside and socialize, and I want to feel that my children can play safely on the common grounds," says Amir, an Ethiopian-Israeli father of five who heads his neighborhood’s Mishol Housing Committee. The physical surroundings of the neighborhood buildings are severely deteriorated, with trash-filled patches of sand where grass, trees, and benches should be.

"It would help the psyche of all of us to clean up and create an environment that we can take pride in," said Amir.

Designed to promote dialogue and break cultural barriers among residents, Mishol empowers immigrant families living in distressed areas to fulfill their responsibilities as home owners and to enhance their living conditions. Working with a core team of community workers, volunteers, and seed funding, Mishol encourages residents to make choices about the improvements they would like to see in their own neighborhood—and to work together to fulfill on them.

May 2008