The Growing Impact of Elul’s Shnat Sherut 50 Plus Program
“Even the smallest actions – like sharing coffee with a neighbor – have a profound impact in these communities.”
– An Elul Shnat Sherut 50 Plus volunteer
What happens when seasoned professionals in their fifties, sixties and seventies step into Israel’s most vulnerable communities – not for a week or a month, but for a full year?
Six months into the launch of Elul’s Shnat Sherut 50 Plus Program, we’re beginning to see the answer. And it’s powerful.
What began as a bold, post-crisis initiative is now a movement. One that is not only changing the lives of the people served – but also the lives of those who serve.
A New Model for National Service
Shnat Sherut 50 Plus was born out of urgency and hope following the trauma of October 7th. It invites adults aged 50 and over to dedicate a full year of their lives to volunteering in communities recovering from devastation.
These are not short-term missions. Our volunteers live within the communities they serve – in places like Kfar Aza, Nahal Oz, Patish, Sderot and Ofakim – offering skilled support in education, healthcare, social work, arts, and community-building.
Each group serves for a year and is then replaced by the next, creating a sustainable cycle of continuity, presence, and hope.
Three Regions. Hundreds of Lives Touched.
Currently, three active groups are working in the Merhavim, Eshkol, and Sha’ar HaNegev regional councils. Their presence is already helping rebuild trust, structure, and daily routine in places once overwhelmed by loss.
In Merhavim, volunteers are serving the local council, the city of Ofakim, and the rehabilitative village Adi Negev. In Eshkol, they are mentoring high school students, supporting social workers, and hosting intergenerational activities with isolated seniors.
In Sha’ar HaNegev, a team of skilled professionals – including nine volunteers working in education – is supporting teachers, enriching school programs, and helping children recover a sense of safety and joy in their daily learning. Others are contributing to healthcare, municipal projects, and the arts — illustrating just how valuable experienced professionals can be to a community in recovery.
Thanks to support from CJP Boston, a new group is also being developed for Northern Israel, where thousands remain displaced near the Lebanese border.
More Than Numbers – Stories That Stay With You
The data tells one story:
- 58 active volunteers
- 6,802 direct beneficiaries
- 16,500 hours of skilled service per group, per year
- Over 4 million NIS of annual economic value contributed per group
But the real story lies in the people.
Dr. Yaron Assaf, a retired family physician, now provides clinical care and leads cognitive therapy sessions for dementia patients. “This program allows me to use my skills where they are needed most,” he says.
Rina Cohen, one of the program’s founders, works daily with youth in Moshav Patish. “This isn’t just about supporting others – it’s about redefining what our generation can achieve.”
In Nahal Oz, where most homes still stand empty, volunteers have launched a community garden, offering returning residents a symbol of growth and renewal.
Changing the Conversation on Aging and Service
Elul’s Shnat Sherut 50 Plus is challenging outdated notions of what it means to age, to volunteer, and to belong.
Volunteers serve as mentors, facilitators, collaborators, and companions. They share meals, holidays, and hardships with the people they live among. They build intergenerational bridges. They hold space for healing.
Their presence – steady, skilled, and compassionate – is changing lives and lifting communities.
Powered By our Partners
None of this would be possible without the extraordinary support of our partners.
We are deeply grateful to:
CJP Boston, The Mandel Foundation, MetroWest, The LA Federation, Joint-Eshel (JDC), HaBayta, and the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) – whose generous funding, trust, and strategic insight have empowered us to grow from a pilot project into a national model of service.
A special thank you as well to the Mandel Institute for Leadership for their ongoing mentorship of the project’s leadership team and long-term vision.
We are also immensely thankful to our municipal partners:
The Regional Councils of Eshkol, Merhavim, and Sha’ar HaNegev, and the City of Ofakim, who have welcomed our volunteers with open arms – providing housing, workspace, community integration, and day-to-day collaboration that is essential to our success.
To our many individual donors: your personal commitment reminds us that true impact begins with people who care.
