The Shanti house family model
The Shanti house family model
The Shanti House functions as a family-like home and strives to provide the youth and young adults living there with a comprehensive support system.
They receive personal guidance, supervision, hot meals, homework assistance, and enrichment activities.
The staff accompanies them through every milestone in their lives, both big and small.
So what does this mean in practice?
Receiving a "see me" kit
Upon entering the home, every youth who arrives at The Shanti House receives a personalized and comforting welcome kit that includes toiletries and hygiene products, new and clean clothing, a towel, and bed linens. Providing this kit also carries therapeutic value and conveys a clear, warm message. For youth without a roof over their heads, youth who have been neglected, youth who have experienced life on the streets and are used to fighting for every small thing – for them, a kit like this is like a warm, loving hug, free of judgment.
These are some of the details that create the feeling of a warm home.
Family 24/7
When a youth or young adult arrives at The Shanti House and chooses to stay, they choose to receive a family-like support system that provides a meaningful presence in every area of their life. Within this family-oriented environment, they experience a warm and supportive setting and learn, sometimes for the first time, what healthy, unconditional love feels like.
The experienced team of counselors and therapists supports the children and youth 24 hours a day, attending to all their needs, guiding them, and providing continuous structure and a stable environment, alongside emotional and professional support.
Together, all of these create a safe therapeutic space that enables them to overcome challenges and trauma and to choose a path of growth and development.
Open and accessible kitchen (all day!)
Access to food is a fundamental component of the youth’s sense of belonging and security, as most of them come from situations of hardship and lack. Each day, volunteers and the house staff prepare three varied and nutritious meals for the children. The kitchen at The Shanti House is open and available to the children throughout the day, and the refrigerators and pantry are accessible and well stocked.
Kabalat Shabbat and Holidays
Every Friday, the home fills with alumni, guests, The Shanti House staff, and of course the children. A Kabbalat Shabbat gathering and festive dinner are held, during which optimistic messages are shared to inspire motivation among the youth and to help them focus on the positive aspects of their lives.
Each holiday is celebrated according to tradition, with special activities related to the holiday. The youth go on multi-day annual trips, enjoy fun days, and celebrate birthdays in a joyful and colorful way.
Over the years, weddings and brit milah celebrations are also celebrated together.
The team continues to support and make assistance accessible to its graduates in key areas of life, such as higher education (scholarship applications and university registration), medical support, and general guidance in their adult lives. The goal is to continue fostering the family experience even after they leave the home.
Accompanying and training
The house staff supports the children in their daily lives, both within the home and beyond, serving as a stable backbone for them in their interactions with various systems. Within the education system, the team maintains ongoing contact with teaching staff and school counselors. They attend parent-teacher meetings and address all pedagogical needs (assessments, private tutoring, mediation, and support in developing social skills, etc.) in the healthcare system, they accompany the children to medical visits, tests, medical and paramedical treatments, dental care, and more.
Graduates
As a rule, the family-like support system remains strong even after the period of residence in the home ends. Graduates can maintain contact with staff members, and most keep an open channel of communication through which they seek advice and guidance on significant decisions in their lives (for example – enrollment in an academic institution and scholarship applications, employment agreements, and more).
For the community
We strive to instill in our children the values of giving and helping others. We seek to foster in them a spirit of mutual responsibility, compassion, and social involvement. Every few months, the children of the home take part in organized volunteer activities.
