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.