ICEJ-Sponsored Mentors Help Jewish Immigrant Children Thrive

ICEJ-Sponsored Mentors Help Jewish Immigrant Children Thrive

By: Nativia Samuelson Buehler, ICEJ AID Administrator

Acre (or Akko) is a historic port city Israel’s northern coastline. Today, it is a mixed Jewish/Arab town with 60,000 residents, 25 percent of whom are immigrants mainly from the former Soviet republics. For many immigrant families, integration is a steep challenge amid war, economic hardship, and social isolation.

Helping Jewish Immigrant Children

In recent years, the ICEJ has sponsored the Students Build a Community program, which pairs Israeli university students with immigrant Jewish children who are still adjusting to life here. Many of the children come from Russian and Ukrainian backgrounds and continue to face hurdles with language, academics, and social integration, even after several years in the country. Through weekly one-on-one mentoring, the student volunteers help their young understudies improve their Hebrew, keep up in school, and build confidence and social skills.

Recently, several university student volunteers shared how much this support has meant to them and gave encouraging feedback on the program’s positive impact.

Shahar Ohana, a mentor and engineering student, was called up for reserve duty on October 7. He served first in Israel’s north, then the south. Returning home was not easy.

“It took a while to get my bearings,” he recalled. “But this project gave me something to come back to. One of the boys I’m working with was failing every subject. Now he’s getting 80s and 90s. That’s what keeps me going. There is joy and hope in this.”

“The program’s impact is more than just academics,” Shahar said. “It helps the kids directly, but it also builds a stronger community. For us mentors, it gives a sense of direction and strength even when I might be called back to reserve duty tomorrow.”

Community in the Heart of the City

The program currently supports some 70 immigrant children at two schools in Acre: Tomer and Shazar. Twenty-five student mentors meet with the children weekly, focusing on Hebrew skills, classroom subjects, and building confidence. Each student receives a tailored plan based on a home visit and input from the school. The mentors, some of whom live in shared apartments provided through the program, form a supportive community in the heart of the city.

Silanet Tazara, a law student who dreams of becoming a judge, runs a debate club for girls at one of the schools.

“We talk about issues like equality, privacy, and respect,” she explained. “I teach them how to build an argument and speak with confidence. After one session, a girl told me, ‘This is what I want to do with my life—to speak up without fear.’ That stayed with me.”

Hila Hamra, with her background in education and learning disabilities, has been involved with the program for three years.

“I’ve been working with children since I was in high school, and I love it—it’s so fulfilling,” she said. “Every child needs at least one adult who believes in them.

“One Ukrainian immigrant boy had trouble making friends,” she recounted. “We worked with him in the group, and he slowly opened up. Eventually, he found his place. I was like a big sister to him. That experience reminded me how important this work is.”

A Sense of Purpose

Even during the war, the project continued through rocket fire and stress. When schools were closed and families were displaced, the mentors adapted, offering sessions online and helping in shelters.

“It was chaotic, but we couldn’t abandon these kids when they needed support the most, so we kept showing up however we could,” said one mentor. For many mentors, the experience has shaped their view of leadership and service.

“This project helps us grow as much as it helps the kids,” said Shahar. “We’re learning to take responsibility, to build something meaningful, and to create a better future not just for us but for the next generation.”

When asked what they hope to change in the world, the mentors answer quickly: to ensure people are free to pursue their dreams and not be held back by language barriers, fear, or their circumstances.

Alongside academic credits, the program gives the mentors a sense of purpose and the stability to pursue their own futures.

“It changed my life,” Hila said. “I could study, volunteer, and even save a little. I’m now working in Tel Aviv but still involved with the project. It gave me direction and drive.”

These student mentors are making a tangible difference for Israeli youngsters needing someone to trust and believe in them.