About
We often get comments like - "what is Telfed ?" - here is a brief overview of our organisation and its miriad of activities.
The South African Zionist Federation (Israel), known as Telfed, was established 60 years ago to assist the volunteers from South Africa in Israel’s War of Independence. Over the ensuing decades Telfed has grown from strength to strength, servicing the interests and the needs of the Southern African immigrant community throughout Israel.
Our central office is located at 19/1 Schwartz Street, Ra'anana and is manned by a staff of 11. Volunteer committees represent the organization in 8 regions – Galilee, Ra'anana., Kfar Saba, Hod Hasharon, Modiin, Beit Shemesh, Jerusalem and Eilat. All services are provided free to persons registered on our national database and include professional pre-aliyah, initial absorption, social services and employment counseling; social events; support for special interest groups; information services regarding all aspects of life in Israel; housing solutions and special projects.
Our activities include the organization of individual pilot tours from South Africa; encounters with all visiting groups; training programs for Zionist emissaries to South Africa; lobbying for immigrant rights and interfacing with other immigrant groups.
Endowments, loans and scholarships provide Southern Africans and their children with extra-mural programs and tertiary education financial assistance. Loans and Assistances, as approved in committee, provide financial aid in times of need. Our social services are run by a professional social worker who offers short-term intervention solutions in times of stress and long-term advice for smoother integration.
Isrentco is Telfed's subsidiary housing company which manages about 90 Telfed-owned apartments in Raanana and Givatayim (near Tel Aviv). These apartments are made available to Southern African Olim under special terms.
Keren Telfed is Telfed's fund-raising and charity (amuta) under which a number of trust funds are managed and their proceeds are dispersed to various activites listed above.
The Telfed database comprises some 5,000 family units – a total of 22,000 affiliates, in all. We attempt to maintain constant and on-going contacts with the community at large at all times.
Telfed has a small professional staff at its offices in Raanana helped by over 100 dedicated volunteers around the country.
More…..
Learn through this website of the immense contribution that former Southern Africans are making to the State of Israel in virtually every sphere: academia, the professions, business, sport, art and culture.
Telfed Magazine – read our well renowned Telfed Magazine - issued 4 times a year. Our flagship printed magazine issued to 5,000 homes in Israel and abroad with unique features and news covering the Southern African Community in Israel. The magazine has been published non-stop for over 30 years and represents a true record of our activities.
“Find-a-Friend” or Forum sections on the web site; interaction with information on communal institutions are faring in South Africa and Zimbabwe, the local Israeli economy, the political situation, aliya information, South Africans in business, the torah parasha of the week are examples of information found on our website.
Electronic newsletter sent to our mailing list enabling you link up through our website to sites of interest such as: Jewish geneology; the English section of local Israeli newspapers; Government and Jewish Agency and many more.
Subscribe for the newsletter via the home page of this site.
Diaspora – we have initiated an outreach program in which we aim to connect and create a healthy dialogue between ourselves and Jewish former Southern Africans worldwide.
Telfed's Structure
Telfed's Executive is the main governing body and consists of representatives elected from the public, representatives of Telfed Regional Committees, elected Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson(s), Treasurer, immediate past Chairperson, Telfed Director, representative of the Telfed Board of Governors and co-opted members. The executive meets approximately 8 times a year to discuss and decide on main policy issues.
A managing committee (Mancom) consisting of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson(s), Treasurer, immediate past Chairperson, Telfed Director and co-optees is responsible for the day-to-day running of Telfed and reports to the Executive.
Sub-committees
As mentioned above Telfed has a number of sub-committees including Finance, Housing (Isrento), Aliyah and Klita, Media, Events, Regional Committees in Modiin, Beit Shemesh, Jerusalem, Kfar Saba, Hod Hasharon, Raanana and the Galil.