Ravit - be-atzmi

Ravit, separated with 8 children from Rosh HaAyin

Today: a caregiver and photographer and owner of a photography studio.

“You gave me a chance, confidence and faith in myself. Thank you for the empowering tools you gave me. I finally feel that I have meaning.”

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Ravit came to us, to the employment program, following a dramatic change in her life: after 15 years of marriage and living in Beit Shemesh, and with many doubts in her mind, she decided to separate from her husband and the closed society she had lived in, which advocate not going to work. Ravit moved to Rosh HaAyin with her 8 children, all under the age of 18, and after having not worked for 15 years.

Even though Ravit had no regrets about her decision to go out into the ‘real world,’ she did however experience many financial, logistical and emotional hardships due to her detachment from a ‘safe’ environment and a lack of tools suited to her new setting. Ravit contacted social services in Rosh HaAyin, which referred her to our employment program. “I was broken, but with a desire for a change. Without means, but with abilities. And you saw that,” she recounts.

After taking part in individual and group guidance sessions that helped her identify what her skills and desires were, examine the barriers, and formulate an employment dream, Ravit asked to pursue the field of photography, which had studied in the past in a diploma program at Prog College.

Today, Ravit works part-time as a caregiver for the elderly, and at the same time is developing the business she opened – a photography studio. Ravit has had photography exhibitions at the conservatory in Rosh HaAyin and at the Art and About Gallery in Jaffa, where her photographs are for sale.

Ravit has also started studying “Photoshop for Photographers” and purchased equipment with funding from our program, thanks to which she’ll be able to continue building her clientele.

Ravit also wants to express her gratitude to the community. She has volunteered to take pictures at the program’s events, and has also offered to talk about the photography profession with the participants’ children. Furthermore, together with a friend, she organized an evening for women who would like to open a business, and volunteers in other places as well.

In conclusion, Ravit says: “The program expedited the change process. You gave me a chance, confidence and faith in myself. Thank you for the empowering tools you gave me. This is a vital and hands-on program. I really needed it. I finally feel that I have meaning.”

And for those who are interested, here’s Ravit’s page and some of her photographs:

: D7%99%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%9D-%D7%9E%D7%A7%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%99-%D7%90%D7%95%D7%9E%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%99-Art-Photography-705140252947118/