ASIA/ISRAEL - "Saint Rachel Center" in Jerusalem, a new center for health care and food assistance of immigrant children

Thursday, 8 September 2016 childhood   migrants  

lpj.org

Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) - "Santa Rachel" is the new center by the Saint James Vicariate for Hebrew Speaking Catholics. The new structure aims to take charge of one of the most dramatic needs of the migrant population in Israel: for safe, healthy and nurturing day care for infants - refer official sources of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem – Migrants, who work long hours in order to make ends meet, are obligated to find places where children can be left. Pirate day care structures, commonly known as "baby warehouses", have spread, where children are accommodated in crowded, unsafe locations, administered by untrained migrant women. In the past year and a half, seven children died in these circumstances in south Tel Aviv. Many more are left traumatized and scarred.
The Centre dedicated to the saint Rachel. The Saint Rachel Center, which began its activities at the beginning of September 2016, is on the property of the Capuchin Monastery in Jerusalem. The premises were completely renovated by the Saint James Vicariate, thanks to the assistance of a number of donors, foremost among them the Equestrian Oder of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher. A spacious one floor building is situated on a much larger lot with two playgrounds, one for the toddlers and one for the older children. At the moment, twenty-five babies and toddlers under the age of three from the migrant worker, mostly Asian, Filipino, Indian and Sri Lankan and asylum seeker, Eritrean and Ethiopian, communities are welcomed each day in the Center. On the weekends, the center is often the meeting place for the youth of the Vicariate. In the summer, the Center serves as the base for summer activities for tens of children on vacation. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 08/09/2016)


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