Mr. Haim Feiglin, center, with students from Hadassah Neurim at the petting zoo,
holding a certificate of appreciation

February 27, 2011 / 23 Adar I 5771

The Spirit of Israel, via the Z. M. H. Hammerman company and other partners, built the petting zoo at the Hadassah Neurim Youth Village, near Netanya.

Z. M. H. Hammerman has contributed to the activities of the Spirit of Israel for the past nine years, participating in Jewish Agency programs for the advancement of children and youth at risk.

As part of its communal activism, and by way of the Spirit of Israel, the company has contributed to absorption centers, the Youth Futures program, and the broader contribution effort.

The CEO of Z. M. H. Hammerman, Mr. Haim Feiglin, visited Hadassah Neurim in January 2011, met with its pupils, and discussed with them the youth village in general and the petting zoo specifically.

Z. M. H. Hammerman was a full partner in establishing the small menagerie, which has a positive impact on the students.

Each day, students help out at the petting zoo, taking responsibility for feeding the animals, cleaning their habitats, and generally caring for them.

Additionally, by petting and caring for the animals, the students gain a sense of commitment and responsibility for the welfare of another living being. Educators believe that this contributes to the students’ self-confidence.

The opening of the petting zoo will also enable the youths to supplement their education with agricultural fields and will lead to taking matriculation exams (2 units) in the subject of life sciences.

The students are furthermore able to do their “personal commitment” projects at the petting zoo and learn to lead nursery school tours through the zoo.

“In the future, we intend to reach out to the residents of neighboring communities, so that they come to visit Hadassah Neurim in general and the petting zoo specifically,” said a member of the Hadassah Neurim staff.

In addition to the petting zoo, Z. M. H. Hammerman participated in the funding of a cosmetology course for Hadassah Neurim students. This course provides the opportunity to obtain a vocational certificate that can help young women get into that field in the future. It is a fantastic opportunity for them.

This wonderful connection would not have been possible without the Spirit of Israel, a non-profit organization founded by the Jewish Agency. The organization devotes itself to promoting contribution and giving on behalf of the community.

The Spirit of Israel is managed by a board of directors, headed by Chairman Tal Brody. Alongside the board of directors, there is also a leadership team that includes volunteer businessmen who help with the fundraising effort in Israel.

The Spirit of Israel leads the involvement of Israel’s business sector in the community, promoting its ideals with the belief that everything must be done to make communal activities part of corporate life and an integral part of business strategy and organizational culture.

When CEO of Z. M. H. Hammerman, Haim Feiglin visited Hadassah Neurim, he met with several students who worked in the petting zoo, spoke with them, took pictures with them, petted the animals (including a snake), and accepted a certificate of appreciation for his contribution and activism.

Mr. Feiglin was impressed with the petting zoo and its activities. The first time he visited, the area was covered with weeds and shrubs; there had never been a petting zoo at Hadassah Neurim since its founding in 1948.

The Spirit of Israel raises funds in Israel on behalf of Jewish Agency programs for children and youth at risk, such as Youth Futures, Net@, youth villages, advancement of immigrant children from Ethiopia, scholarships, and more.