Lamitnadev is a Beit Shemesh-based non-profit organization sponsored by Partnership 2000. Under Partnership 2000's Student Leadership Program, Lamitnadev is striving to encourage volunteerism and related projects in its home community. Lamitnadev, is also unifying the different volunteering possibilities and outlets in Beit Shemesh, bringing all the opportunities together, and freeing more options for people interested in volunteering.

Founded by two colleagues, who worked on similar programs during their high school years, Lamitnadev promotes the unification and incorporation of all volunteering opportunities within their program. While they realize it may not be possible to include every organization, dedicated co-founder Eitan Hevroni stresses that it will receive, and in turn return a "greater impact if our community will work together." Hevroni wants to encourage communication within the community and the municipality and encourage cooperation.

Lamitnadev meets every three weeks at a local high school in Beit Shemesh. The meeting on January 8th, had about 15 volunteers present, ranging from high school students to adults working at volunteering institutions. The goal of this organization is to find more partners to undertake endeavors as equals and as Eitan Hevroni stresses "not in a patronizing way." He promises that everyone can benefit from such interaction.

Since its official acceptance into Partnership 2000, Lamitnadev has twice organized a concert for the elderly with youth, has held continuing religious-secular dialogue, organized chugim for Ethiopian children, and established a business to community drive for computers and related donations to help overcome the digital divide. This last program has contributed 30 used computers and 40 Microsoft licenses to Ethiopian clubs and to peripheral moshavim in the region. Other programs include one called the JDC initiated Gamla, which provides volunteer tutors to Ethiopian children who get behind in their studies, and organizing a special trip for 45 Ethiopian children and their families to see a performance of "Ali Baba and the Magic Cave" at the YMCA in Jerusalem for Hanukah. Lamitnadev also offers English computer courses, for which participants pay for by volunteering in the community, as a method for promoting volunteerism. Lamitnadev's religious-secular dialogue, which was originally scheduled for just one session, was embraced with such demand that the participants decided to turn it into a monthly chug to increase tolerance and positive relationships. In response to participants' demand, Lamitnadev will be conducting a series of dialogue events to reduce tensions between religious and secular residents of Beit Shemesh-Mate Yehuda.

For the elderly, Lamitnadev volunteers organized a Hanukah concert and party for residents of the Beit Haela Geriatric Senior Center. The concert, which has become an annual event, brings a breath of fresh air and some joy to the seniors. Students of the Beit Shemesh conservatory, under the tutelage of Marina Friedman, provided the music, with Lamitnadev volunteers distributing light refreshments and mingling with the seniors. Lamitnadev hopes to organize additional cultural events for the seniors, performing the mitzvot of Bikur Cholim (visiting the sick) and Vehadarta Pnei Zaken (respect for the elderly).

The Center is now in the process of collecting information on all the volunteer opportunities in Beit Shemesh and the surrounding area, and plans to identify potential volunteers and match them to these positions. Achievements Since the summer of 2000, "Lamitnadev, Beit Shemesh - Matte Yehuda" has been registered as an Amutah (non-profit organization) in the Registry of Amutot, and has received tax exempt status as a non-profit organization. There is an active management committee, a coordintor and regular meetings every three weeks. An office has been set up jointly with the Scheiber School, and received office equipment to begin operations: new phone line, frontiers, computer and a printer thanks to Partnership 2000.

You can view some of their past activities by clicking onto these links.

Higher Education Fair in Beit-Shemesh:
http://www.partner.org.il/beitshemesh/news-0006-stud.html

"Rosh Hashanna Concert" with apples and honey for the residents of a local nursing home:
http://www.partner.org.il/beitshemesh/news-0009-concert.html

Distributing Hannuka gifts to soldiers living in Beit Shemesh:
http://www.partner.org.il/beitshemesh/news-0012-vols.html