MELABEV OPENED ITS STATE OF THE ART CENTER FOR MEMORY IMPAIRED ENGLISH SPEAKERS at 152 Derech Beit Lechem on the south side of Jerusalem on Sept. 13, 2009. We are grateful toThe Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, The Beare Foundation in Memory of Aaron Beare, ז"ל; the Family of the late Irene Stern, Bituach Leumi (National Insurance Institute); the Claims Conference and an anonymous benefactor whose generous contribution started this project, along with additional donors whose help we dearly appreciate.

The formal dedication in the presence of dignitaries and honoring the principals who turned the vision of this new center into a solid reality, is scheduled for October 14th.   The special mazuzot will be afixed and the ceremony will be both preceded and followed by a reception and tour of the premises.

Even before the official dedication the older adults of the Memory Club and Activity Center have been enjoying it immensely.  It is spacious, light and airy - conditions unknown to them until now.  The new center can accommodate up to 60 people in a day, and ultimately the participants can qualify for Bituach Leumi assistance towards their fees.

In the computer center, being named by Sid Brettler in memory of his late parents and in-laws, several people will be able to simultaneously use Savion, the original computer software program created at Melabev for sharpening memory and cognitive skills of the mildly impaired.  The new center has a large kitchen, donated by the Friends of Melabev 4th Annual "Don't Forget Us" Walkathon, where therapeutic baking and cooking activities can take place.  In the Snoezelaan Room, a matching grant project by the Weinberg Foundation and the Spitz Family in Memory of Sheila Spitz, participants will receive multi-sensory therapies including aromatherapy, music and hand massage.  This can calm the agitated person or mildly stimulate an individual who has tuned out from the world. 

Although the English speakers met in a shelter that limits their activities for many long years, the day care provided by the staff and volunteers under the direction of Marsha Donshik has always been "state of the art."  How much more so in their new premises! 

They recently produced a video, now on YouTube, to demonstrate that even when professional personnel are not accessible there are productive activities that caregivers can do with a memory impaired elder.  These activities require only some basic, common materials usually at hand, which are good for the whole family  and can be used to engage the attention of a man or woman who is the victim of dementia.  The English center created this film for families and home help who are responsible for an elderly person while living under the added stress of having no access to day care, but the film also reveals the individualized care and attention, the professionalism and empathy constantly displayed by the English center's staff - their ability to bring out the best in each person in their care - all the qualities that charaterize Melabev.  Nancy Brown, the head of the Friends of Melabev who narrates the film from their former location in a bomb shelter ("miklat" in Hebrew), concludes with the need to help the center develop further.  In the new center the staff will ultimately be able to offer still more creative projects for their clients under better conditions. 

Last September Motti Zelikovitch met with some of the contributors for the new premises who took a "hands on" approach to the extensive reconstruction work then just beginning, as seen in the accompanying slide show.  Motti promised that we would return before Pesach to mark the center's progress, and so we did.  At a pre-Pesach toast, he offered his deep gratitude to all the donors who enabled the purchase of this site and its renovations, which will help us upgrade our level of services.  Much remains to be done, and everyone is working hard to bring the new premises up to the highest levels possible, and maintain it at that standard.

A few rooms at the center are still available for naming privileges, and furnishings and equipment can also be dedicated.  Donations at all levels are gratefully accepted.   Please call:  +972-2-655-5826 or click here for more information on making a donation.