Love of animals is common to so many of us, transcending all communities and sectors, as reflected in the various activities run by the SPCA Department of Humanistic Education last month.
A group of youth, from the ‘Derchei Noam’ High School Yeshiva in Petach Tikvah, who had never before come into contact with dogs and cats, discovered the magic that the connection with animals brings and were particularly excited by the special activities. At the end of the visit, Sagi, one of the youth, said: “I got tremendous satisfaction from helping these amazing animals, who only ask for human contact, some warmth and love”.
The Department of Humanistic Education’s activities in Taibe have become a tradition, with the Department giving special lessons to the children in the town every year. In the activities held in the Middle School ‘Almajad’, the children were told about the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Israel, the process of housetraining, the importance of responsible adoption and of spaying and sterilizing. When the activities came to an end, the young people found it hard to part from Nella, the dog who had joined them during their visit.
Immigrant children, whose parents came to Israel from many different parts of the world, are also regular visitors to the Society. This month, 60 children from the ‘Eitan Tribe’ Clubhouse, associated with the ‘Tzimaon’ Organization and 40 children from the ‘Kedima Woolfson’ youth center, associated with the ‘LeSova’ Organization, visited the SPCA. According to Yogev Golan, a group leader from the youth center: “This is the second time that we have come here with the kids, and each time it is great fun! The kids didn’t stop talking about the anticipated visit for weeks and we wish to thank the dedicated and caring staff”.
Our educational activities are also suitable for families. Last month two special groups visited the SPCA: A group of kids who study in the home learning framework came with their parents, and a group of families from the ‘Kesher– The Home of Special Families’ Organization, whose aim is to reinforce the position of parents and families of children with special needs.
This month we were also happy to host two youth groups. The first group was made up of 9th Grade students from the ‘Katzir’ High School in Holon, who are enrolled in the Excellence Stream, and who represent the State of Israel in international competitions in the Sciences in the framework of the ‘Robotica’ Project. The students chose to volunteer in the SPCA during the Hanukah vacation and they made the dogs that they took out for long, pampering walks, very happy.
During ‘Animal Welfare Month’, held in the Municipal Tet High School in Rishon le Zion, representatives of the Humanistic Education Department gave a lecture at the school, and at the second stage, a group of 9-10th Grade students came to visit the SPCA. The project organizer, Lior Yogev (in the main photo), a 12th Grade student, is a member of the social organization LEAD – an organization numbering 120 students all of whom promote a project in their school. According to Lior, “The students were exposed to the reality regarding animals in the country, and that is actually the main part of the project. The visit to the Society had a very positive effect on all the students and even those who were afraid of dogs got confidence and took the dogs out for walks”.
The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Israel has been running a Department of Humanistic Education for many years. The Department organizes educational activities for groups of all ages and from all sectors. Its aims are to convey messages relating to the importance of treating animals humanely and raising awareness of animal welfare in Israel. The activities, held in the SPCA facility in Tel Aviv or in other institutions where Department representatives are invited to visit, are adjusted to suit the age of the participants and are accompanied by short videos and fun activities.
If you are also interested in an enjoyable guided tour of the SPCA, inviting a representative to give a lecture, visiting the facility during a company ‘Contributing to the Community’ day, or celebrating a Birthday with Added Value, please contact us at *4553.
