Survey: Ramat Hasharon leads in young volunteers

By MIRIAM BULWAR DAVID-HAY (TRANSLATED)
Ramat Hasharon leads the country in the number of young people doing volunteer work, according to a survey released by the municipality this week. The survey found that the percentage of Ramat Hasharon's teenagers involved in voluntary activities is higher than in any other city in Israel. According to the press release, the survey found that 55 percent of Ramat Hasharon's young people were involved in volunteer work, followed by 53% in Beersheba, 51% in Ashkelon, 48.4% in Alfei Menashe, 47.9% in Kfar Saba, 46.3% in Modi'in, 45.8% in Holon, 44.2% in Kiryat Shmona, 43.1% in Netanya and 40.9% in Ma'aleh Adumim. The survey quoted was conducted as part of the IMAN ("Ir Mitnadevet No'ar") program run by the Education Ministry together with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC Israel) that encourages teenagers to become involved in volunteer work. The press release said the program had enlisted some 47,000 young people so far from around the country to work as volunteers with children at risk, the elderly, new immigrants, and others. It said that in Ramat Hasharon, 1,700 youths were active volunteers in a variety of organizations. "The young people in Ramat Hasharon are a source of pride for educational action in the city … education for values and for volunteerism is no less important than scores in examinations," Mayor Itzik Rochberger said.