A home away from home

Issue of August 8, 2008

A new program called BAYIT (Building a Year in Israel Together) will pair students studying in Israel with families who have made aliyah from North America, attempting to ease the transition period for those who spend a post-high school year learning in Israel. Started by the National Council of Young Israel’s Eye Squad, BAYIT is scheduled to begin this fall.

“The reason this program is being initiated is because it is a natural extension of what the Eye Squad does, which is helping the 7,500 students who spend a year in Israel,” said Rabbi Aaron Tirschwell, founder and director of the Eye Squad.

He hopes that through the BAYIT initiative, students will gain a “home away from home, more than a place to do laundry; hopefully, they will feel comfortable, if they have an issue, to go to the family.”

Not only will these families have the opportunity to show what life is like in Israel, but the students will also be able to turn to their assigned families for support with any issues that may arise. The families will provide hospitality on Shabbos and on holidays, whenever the student needs it. However, the program will not place any real burden on participating families because the Eye Squad will be providing them with all the tools necessary to support these students.

The families are matched with the students based on their similarities. After meeting with the family, a social worker will match the two, based on “where students are coming from and going and where the family is,” explained Tirschwell. As a precaution, the families are researched thoroughly beforehand.

Tirschwell also noted that all services provided by the Eye Squad are completely free of charge. "Cost should not and cannot be an impediment to receiving help and guidance when it is needed,” he added.

The Eye Squad originally started with the Eye Squad Hotline, a confidential 24 hour phone service dedicated to helping students who are in distress. The hotline, launched this past February, receives tens of calls each week dealing with problems such as drug addiction and emotional disorders. Through the hotline and BAYIT and other programs, NCYI hopes to continue helping the thousands of North American students studying in Israel each year.