For over 50 years, Girls Town Or Chadash has been a home, as well as a center for education, which services the daughters of families in distress from all across Israel. The campus of Or Chadash is 40 acres large located in Rechasim at the foothills of Mount Carmel, in northern Galil. Surrounded by mountain and trees, the environment produces a serene atmosphere which provides the girls with a quiet refuge from their turbulent lives.
Since its doors have opened in 1965, Or Chadash has been family to 1000’s of girls who were at-risk living at home with their families of origin. Some of the students come from situations in which they were severely neglected and lived in great stress. Some experienced physical or emotional abuse. Most students who arrive at Or Chadash, suffer from deep emotional unrest and have little self-confidence. In turn, these insecurities often cause the girls to act out in unhealthy and self-destructive ways. In providing these girls with an alternative, Or Chadash has given these girls hope for a better tomorrow and a promise of high standards in education and personal values.
Girls’ Town Or Chadash works to provide each student with a safe haven and a supportive environment to assist them in developing into self-respecting and productive members of society. In order to achieve these goals, Or Chadash evaluates each child and furnishes them with a unique program to facilitate their individual needs. Some children require private tutoring and sports leagues while others thrive in the library and music lessons. In addition to supporting the girl’s educational and emotional needs, the girls are provided with a wide range of extracurricular activities to exercise their individual talents.
To date, there are 200 girls from 7th through 12th grade living on campus, as well as 200 students in grades 1 through 6 attending our elementary day school. As part of the high level curriculum, the students are prepared for the Bagrut examinations which are administered by the Ministry of Education. In addition to the standard level of testing, students are supported if they choose to prepare for the advanced level of Bagrut as well. In addition, Or Chadash has a unique program to fund or arrange for scholarships for any graduating student who wished to further their education.
As part of our social enrichment programs, the girls are offered classes in music, painting, sewing, hiking, theatre, dance, and sports. We also inject our calendar year with programs and special days when the girls use the talents which they are developing. The girls perform in plays, concerts, and leagues which are enjoyed by their peers and on occasion, their families.
Seminar Days are also incorporated into the schedule to broaden the girl’s knowledge and intellect about subjects that are not addressed daily.
The dedicated and professional staff at Girls Town Or Chadash are always available to the students and work to provide them with a feeling of security and stability. Between the teachers, dorm parents, social workers, and educational guidance counselors, each girl is paired with at least one mentor with whom she feels comfortable and is able to guide her and help her build her future. After the destruction and deprivation these girls have suffered, it is a welcoming reprieve to have a mentor help them shoulder the turmoil of their young lives.
The ties between Girls Town Or Chadash and its alumni are never severed. It is our greatest joy to see the girls embark on their post high school journey with happiness and confidence which we watched them develop. However, Girls Town will always be family to them and support them in any way they require. We see the girls through job search, engagement, marriage, and any other life event for which they turn to us for support both emotionally and financially. They know that they can count on us and our goal is to never let them down
