2022
ESRA is Israel's largest English-speaking community, aiding the integration of olim,
while working toward equality in Israeli society through its education and welfare projects.
Oct2023

ESRA, the home of English speakers in Israel, is committed to making English speakers feel right at home in Israel by serving as a supportive community network. It provides services, offers activities, and acts as a platform to give back to olim of all ages and at all stages of their integration. Our emphasis lies in three key areas:
1. Strengthening personal resilience (emotional, financial, improving understanding of the Israeli systems, skill development, and more).
2. Offering a rich social and cultural framework (learning and enrichment, social and business networking, leisure activities, knowledge of Israeli heritage, and more).
3. Meaningful volunteering opportunities in English, both within ESRA and in the community through educational and welfare projects that we run for various populations in peripheral areas.
As a platform for giving back, and with ESRA’s growth, we have expanded our aid to additional waves of olim, primarily from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia. We lead projects aimed at narrowing socio-geographic gaps, including those stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, for immigrants from Ukraine.
Our projects focus on educational reinforcement, English promotion, excellence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), enrichment, self-growth, and the development of social skills for children, youth, students, special needs individuals, and families in need.
Both ESRA and its founder and honorary life president, Merle Guttman, have received numerous awards for their initiatives and achievements, including the President's Award for Volunteering, presented for contributions to Israeli society and immigrant absorption, and the Midot Seal of Effectiveness awarded for ESRA's commitment to results-driven projects, constant improvement, leadership, and social impact.

Quickly adjusting to the new pandemic reality, ESRA expanded its welfare services, held many events online, and creatively continued running important education and welfare projects. Such as ESRA Students Build a Community, whereby financially stressed students receive free housing in exchange for mentoring local schoolchildren and becoming community activists alongside shifting ESRA English Tutoring Programs online.

Interested in gardening? 

Join us at the Neot Peres Community Garden to improve your skills. Open every day, but our small group at present goes there early mornings on either Wednesday or Thursday.

Special requirements :

1.   One-time registration is mandatory, following which you can come to the garden at any time.

2.   The tools, water, and compost are all provided by the community garden.

3.   Gardeners should bring gardening gloves as well as a hat and water.

4.   We have a collection of seedlings to plant at the appropriate time and will likely expand the plantings as we go along.

5.   We are currently in the learning stages of what to plant when and how to best cultivate the various plants.

 Register here

ESRA contact person: Cathy Rozenman Tamari, Tel 054-4988701; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please contact Cathy before arriving for the first time.

Community Garden contact person: Amnon – Tel 052-4482456 (for emergencies only)