Tucer family meet with immigrant physicians at the Jewish Agency Ashdod Absorption Center and visit a protected playground in Sderot

October 13, 2009 / 25 Tishrei 5770

It is not uncommon for Jews from South Africa to discover and then move to Israel.  Ivor Tucer, together with his daughter and lifelong friend, came to discover Israel.

Ivor, a prominent donor to the Keren Hayesod fund from Pretoria, South Africa, had never visited Israel, and neither had his daughter, Kim.  The two of them, along with Ivor’s friend, Judith, came for an extended visit to Israel, combining tours of historical sites with visits to Jewish Agency projects.  On Monday, October 12, the guests visited the Jewish Agency Ashdod Absorption Center, where they met with physicians from the Former Soviet Union who have recently moved to Israel.  These new immigrants are currently living in the absorption center and taking part in a special medical training program.

The guests then visited the Jewish Agency Barnea Absorption Center in Ashkelon, which serves immigrants from Ethiopia.  There they met with both recent immigrants as well as graduates of the Agency’s Kedma program.  Later, the South African visitors toured the Gaza border town of Sderot, where they visited, among other sites, a protected playground.

Tucer family in a protected playground in Sderot

The family’s final stop was the Net@ program in Beer Sheva.  They spoke with participants of the program and were duly impressed by their high motivation to succeed and contribute to Israeli society.
The Tucer family said afterward that they learned a great deal from their visit, and left with the feeling that they would like to see more.  Sure enough, they will be visiting additional Jewish Agency projects  this Thursday.