Orot HaKirya was founded 19 years ago by a group of citizens in Kiryat Gat the the aim in mind of forming a strong community which will both contribute to the city and promote the cities strenghths. We strive to help these and local and families to integrate into the city becoming positive emissaries of change, thereby reversing the trend of the young fleeing the city.
As of today, the Orot HaKirya community in Kiryat Gat consists of over 150 young, stable families with a social-communal orientation who live in the city with the intention of settling there permanently.
The community is mainly comprised of residents who once lived in the city but left, not being able to see a bright future for themselves. These families have now returned to live in the city near their families, have bought homes and integrated into the workforce, and therefore blend naturally into the city’s fabric.
The community is an island of stability and resilience which is growing in number and influence.
The peripheral city of Kiryat Gat has to deal with financial and social difficulties such as high unemployment and dependence on social welfare, high divorce rates, violence and vandalism coupled with particularly low school graduation results and limited pursuit of tertiary education. These phenomena are being passed down to the next generation.
Kiryat Gat ‘s population (~55K) was formed by immigrants, created by wave upon wave of over 40 years of non-stop immigration, starting with the first immigration from North Africa, and then from the Soviet Union, Ethiopia and Argentina. These waves of immigration have brought many challenges for the city, and has lead to the destruction of the resilience of many of the immigrants, and in fact, that of many of the cities' residents.
There is a breakdown of the original traditional-cultural values and there is no replacement value-based society which has caused a cultural vacuum.
The Organization is active in three main areas:
1. Educational programs aimed at improving the educational system in Kiryat Gat.
2. Creating a positive supportive community, helping strong families remain in the city.
3. Kiryat Gat Family Center