Figure 1.--Quite a few existed in Europe, especially Eastern Europe. They were destroyed in the NAZI holocaust and most of the children with them. Children were the most vulnerable of all the NAZI victims, but thousands managed to survive. Most were cared in

Another institution is orohanages. Here we have much less information than the well-studdied kibbutzes. The world's oldest continuously running Jewish Orphanage, Zion Blumenthal, was founded in 1900. The orphanage explains it mission, "The Zion Orphanage is dedicated to providing disadvantaged and homeless youth in Israel with the warmth, care and the education needed to develop into responsible adults and productive members of society." Zio Blumenthl is of course is not the oldest Jewish orphanage. Quite a few existed in Europe, especially Eastern Europe. They were destroyed in the NAZI holocaust and most of the children with them. Children were the most vulnerable of all the NAZI victims, but thousands managed to survive. Most were cared in dusplace dpersons (DP) camps in occupied Germany. Unlike other DP groups, most Jews had no comm unities and homes to return to, especially those from Eastern and Central Europe. The British blocked entry to Palestine for most of them. This there was a special need for orphanages, espcially once the United Nations partitioned Palestine and the orphaned survivors could reach Israel. We have little information at this time about orphanages in Israel following World War II. Here is a scene from one of the orphanages (figure 1). We believe that the kibbutzes took in some of the orhans, but this needs to be confirmed. An important orphanage in modern Israel is the General Israel Orphan Home for Girls in Jerusalem. There is also A Girl's Town in Isreal.

Created: 5:32 AM 6/13/2015
Last updated: 5:32 AM 6/13/2015