Citizens Build a Community

Citizens Build a Community (a registered non-profit organization) was established in November 2004 by local residents and professionals living and working within the city of Lod. Seeking to promote social change and effective solutions to the issues of crime, drug abuse, and poverty, Citizens Build a Community has been implementing projects that focus on the various needs of Lod's diverse and at-risk neighborhoods. Composed of highly segregated communities of veteran Jewish Israelis, new immigrants, Arabs, Bedouin Arabs and others, Lod's municipality has been suffering from huge deficits that have led to the abandonment and closing of many social service centers and organizations."Citizens Build a Community" works with highly-motivated and promising young adults, from high school and the completion of their academic studies through finding suitable employment and building successful careers. 

For approximately five years, "Citizens Build a Community" operated five youth centers in different neighborhoods, providing the only services for youth during that period.  Concurrently, the organization developed a unique grassroots program, "Juzur",  offering academic guidance and support for high school graduates, who, as part of the program, volunteered in the community.  They have developed a multi-annual program that works with highly motivated and pronmising young adults, from high school through employment, helping them ultimately build successful careers.

The organization's primary goals include: creating a new generation of leaders, who will be more responsible and involved in the community; developing and expanding the network of social activities for youth in the community; increasing accessibility to higher education and quality employment for the city’s youth; strengthening their sense of identity and belong to Lod; and creating necessary conditions for dialogue between the city's different populations.