"But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself"
Leviticus 19:34
About Us
Every refugee has the right to live in safety and dignity. We work with state authorities and other organizations to advance the rights of asylum seekers in Israel, and support these men, women, and children through a wide range of assistance programs.
Our Vision
ASSAF (Aid Organization for Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Israel) is an Israeli NGO supported by donations from individuals and foundations and by volunteers who strive for an Israel that provides proper and fair treatment to the men, women, and children who fled from dangers in their homelands, seeking protection.
Asylum seekers in Israel have a right to live in security, dignity, inclusion and equality, according to the basic principles of Israeli and international law. Due to a long-standing, relentless government policy that refuses to allow asylum seekers to establish a home in Israel, we present an alternative: Anyone who Israel recognizes is in danger in his homeland deserves access to health and welfare services, equal education, the opportunity to work and support himself and his family, as well as equal treatment by the authorities. Anyone who has been in Israel for many years due to danger in his homeland deserves to be able to find shelter and a home in Israel.
We support policies that advances human and refugee rights, and produce positive and sustainable change by working with state authorities, courts and the Israeli public. We also provide the asylum seeking community with direct assistance through our Advocacy and Support Center, which is open to all asylum seekers in Israel, providing psychosocial services, helping the most vulnerable asylum seekers – minors, survivors of torture, the sick, people with disabilities, single parents and vulnerable women.
If you believe in the responsibility of Israeli society towards refugees, if you want to oppose incitement, if the moral character of the country is important to you, we invite you to join us and support our activities.
Our Work
Public Advocacy
We work with government ministries, the Knesset and municipal authorities to promote the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. We publish research documenting the plight of the asylum seeking community and publish proposals and research that promote appropriate solutions and responses. We build partnerships, and work in social media and the public sphere to create a dialogue that promotes the importance of dignity and security for asylum seekers.
Psychosocial Care
We provide direct assistance to the asylum seeking community, especially to the most vulnerable groups within this community. We support asylum seekers through their daily lives, work to apply their rights and make relevant information accessible to them. We run an Advocacy and Support Center and a Youth Club, and assist asylum seekers individually and in groups. We work with and for asylum seekers from a place of awareness and respect for their culture and life experience as an integral part of the process.
Meet the Team
Tali Ehrental Executive Director
From the Director
“As the daughter of Holocaust survivors who lost loved ones and lived as refugees for many years, I always saw the importance of supporting people who experienced loss and displacement in difficult conditions and found themselves in a foreign country, without help from the authorities. This is the reason I chose to combine my profession as a social worker with my passion to help asylum seekers.
I am proud to lead ASSAF, an organization working on behalf of people who fled dictatorships, genocide, and wars - women and men who were persecuted, imprisoned, abducted, and severely tortured in their homeland and during their journey to find shelter. I am proud to lead the dedicated and professional team of an organization that works tirelessly for the welfare and rights of asylum seekers in Israel, where the good within Israeli society is so visible.”
Tali was appointed as Director of ASSAF in 2019, following 6 years as Director of the Psychosocial Department. Tali holds a bachelor's degree in communal social work, a master's degree in social work specializing in trauma, and a master's degree in criminology from the Hebrew University. She has worked and volunteered in the social sector since 2005 and has managed various projects for young men and women at risk, trauma survivors, refugees and asylum seekers.
Miriam Meyer Psychosocial Department Director
Orly Levinson-Sela Public Advocacy Director
Emma Eytan Resource Development Director
Daniela Fields Volunteer Manager
Hadera Ziraei Co-director of Advocacy and Support Center, Translator and Community Mediator
Talia Hartman Co-director of Advocacy and Support Center - Follow Up
Nitsan Feldstein Youth Manager
Gilad Palombo New-Media Coordinator
Tal Harari Community Engagement and Resource Development Manager
Mika Foux Resource Development Manager
Shani Bar- Tuvia Parliament and Government relations, Refugee Rights Forum
Michal Shechter Social Worker, Coordinator of support program for Torture survivors
Avigail Pinto Social Worker, Coordinator of Support Program for Vulnerable Refugees
Aster Nuguse Sium Translator and Community Mediator
Mehari Damon Community Mediator
Hila Douvdevani Office Manager
Board Members
MSW Roee Metzer
Adv. Lea Miller-Forshtat
Jordan Rosenberg
Tali Kaminer
Prof. Jerome Bourdon
Adv. Orit Ronen
Adv. Osnat Cohen Lipshitz
Audit Committee
Dror Polak
Zvi Tropp
Volunteers
Many of our activities are made possible thanks to our dedicated and talented team of volunteers. For this reason, we consider it very important to provide professional and personal guidance to our volunteers. Each volunteer at ASSAF receives training, assistance, and guidance before and during the volunteering, in each of our projects. If you too want to join to fight for rights, recognition and status for the asylum seeker community in Israel - join us!
Funding
ASSAF (Registered Association 580474955) is a non-profit organization, and as such – we need help and support to continue our activities. We invite you to participate, to contribute to ASSAF, and to assist the refugee and asylum seekers community in Israel.
Contact us
Golomb 52, Tel Aviv, Postal code 6617141
phone 072-2513838, fax 072-2513837
[email protected]
Golomb 52, Tel Aviv, Postal code 6617141
phone 072-2513838, fax 072-2513837
[email protected]
Back to top