For nearly forty years The Jaffa Institute, founded by Dr. David Portowicz and Col. Ze’ev Shaham has served as a private, non-profit, multi-service social agency to assist the city of Jaffa’s severely disadvantaged children and their families. Running daily programmes for these children – from many and diverse backgrounds including Jewish and Arab, Ethiopian immigrants, and children of migrant workers – the Jaffa Institute has opened the doors for them to educational and other life opportunities allowing them to flourish and equipping them with the tools to fulfil their true potential.

Holistic in approach and responsive to the diverse needs of service users, the Jaffa Institute operates more than thirty-five different programmes, including crisis residences for at-risk youth, educational enrichment centres, food security initiatives, support to elderly individuals and Holocaust survivors, and women’s empowerment programmes.

Each year, the Jaffa Institute provides service and relief to over 4,000 individuals covering a wide spectrum of solutions. The Institute’s staff includes 180 professionals and 6,500 caring and dedicated volunteers. In 2001, the Institute was awarded the President’s Prize for Most Outstanding Voluntary Organisation.