Yad Sarah pays tribute to HJH Norway for over 15 years of partnering for older immigrants

Yad Sarah was recently subjected to a particularly friendly Viking invasion.  These Vikings however "landed" at their destination, Yad Sarah House in Jerusalem, on an Israeli bus rather than a Viking ship.  Out of the bus, ready to deliver their collective hug to Yad Sarah, poured over 20 executive members of the Norwegian nondenominational solidarity group Help Jews Home (HJH), headed by Mr. Øyvind Bernatek, Chairman.  Active since the early 1990’s in helping Israel absorb new immigrants from around the world, HJH adopted Yad Sarah’s Skill Training Center for Older Immigrants as one of its first and most prominent fundraising projects.  For years the center has provided both vocational training and a modest income for older immigrants from the Former Soviet Union.  Now, fifteen years after its establishment, the time had come to celebrate the fruits of this joint venture and shower praise upon the Norwegians for their unwavering support of Yad Sarah.

Yad Sarah was honored to have Mr. Paul Klouman Bekken, First Secretary of the Norwegian Embassy, (standing on the right, along with Øyvind  Bernatek, Chairman, and Eli Finsveen, HJH Administration) grace the occasion with his presence and greetings. The visitors enjoyed a short film and toured Yad Sarah House to learn of the many services offered, after which they visited the Work Center for Older Immigrants, where they observed immigrant engineers assembling delicate parts of high-tech electronic equipment.  The occasion was capped off with the unveiling of a plaque expressing Yad Sarah’s appreciation of the decade- and-a-half long partnership with HJH.

Bent Rødner, one of the visitors, (pictured at right) summarized her feelings:  “I came here for the first time five years ago.  I love Yad Sarah.  Here there is everything anyone could possibly need, even things you couldn’t imagine existed, to make everyday life much easier.  As an MS sufferer myself, I really appreciate the easy access all around the building.  It is wonderful to be able to obtain the help you offer here, without bureaucracy, at a time when you least want the bother of red tape…”

Another participant added proudly:  “This is my 25th trip to Israel…and I have already booked the next one for March.”