Golden Age Project
Gush Etzion
Gush Etzion is located in the Judean hills 15 km south of Jerusalem, with breathtaking views located in a natural forest, with a biblical and modern day history. From our ancestors, through the War of Independence when Gush Etzion fell, to the return after the Six-Day War
in 1967.
Currently living in Gush Etzion are approximately 25,000 inhabitants, with approximately 700that are defined by officially as elderly, including 396 women over the age of 62, and 297 men over the age of 65. Most are healthy and live an independent and active life surrounded by family. The Gush Etzion Regional Council has established a framework for a small center which they visit and have various activities including sports, art, religious lectures and most important the opportunity for socializing with others. There are two
frameworks, one located in the center of Gush Etzion in Alon shvut and on the eastern side in the community of Tekoa.
The regional Council welfare department also runs another program called ”supportive community” – the program provides its members with a range of services to help maintain a quality of life, in independent and private homes as: medical services including an emergency call button, medical advice and a doctor on call 24 hours a day, a maintenance coordinator that cares and maintenance minor repairs, assists in
buying medication etc. and regular social activities – lectures, tours and more. 115 seniors are recognized to the social services for various reasons, 90 are defined as needy some childless, some Holocaust survivors. National Insurance for the elderly covers the expenses as long as the elderly are healthy, but when they are sick the revenues do not cover the expenses and they become immediately needy These worrisome figures make it clear to us more than ever that it is our duty to find additional resources for the areas that are not funded by government funding or where funding does not exist or has ended. Every elderly person was previously healthy and young contributing to society, today being limited, and sometimes on their own it is time for the community to take responsibility and assist them.
The Gush Etzion Foundation in collaboration with the Welfare Department is helping these seniors each year. Help is reflected in the number of essential issues most vital.
Dental care – elderly and weakened teeth fall out and require special handling. There are dental treatments and therapies requiring dentures. Dental work is essential to allow the elderly to eat properly and of course self-
esteem and dignity to speak without being ashamed of his teeth.
Repairs of homes – especially for the elderly who spend most of their day at home and do not go out to work, or to outdoor activities. The house is used as a shelter especially during the cold winter months of Gush Etzion. There
are houses like their owners that have ”aged” and need of various renovations. Heating winter heating is a basic and existential need when considering the population of older people. The elderly are at risk for diseases and medical complications as a result of winter illnesses. In recent years and
especially now the high heating costs have sky rocketed and it is not uncommon to see an older person who is not heating their home due to financial difficulty Medical treatments (drugs, ambulance repayment help, emotional support) – medical treatments, including
reimbursement for the purchase of medicines not included in the medical basket, ambulance travel rebates are not included in refunds and emotional support for seniors to assist them in the various stages of aging.
Transportation to treatments and errands – Gush Etzion seniors are divided into those who built homes and now are aging, and those that moved to be closer to their children to grow old next to them. Many of the elderly
population have no car, thus preventing them mobility and especially the location of Gush Etzion and the lack of adapted transportation for them. From this comes the need for assistance with transportation for the elderly,
especially elderly patients, nursing and mentally frail and transportation to the day center in Gush Etzion and treatments in Jerusalem.
Join us in helping with these basic humanitarian activities that every person deserves.
Item | Details | Cost (in USD) |
---|---|---|
Dental | 10 participants | 100,000 |
Repairs | 5 participants | 90,000 |
Heating | 50 participants | 25,000 |
Medical treatments | 20 participants | 30,000 |
Transportation | 15 participants | 15,000 |