The City of Lod is home to residents from a variety of different identities and cultures, forming a mosaic of Israeli society. The Community Services Department operates on the understanding that the city's cultural diversity is a resource and strength that can lead to the city's development and improve the quality of life of its residents.

The Department's services work, among other things, to develop local leadership in the city, based on the concept that a strong city is a city with strong and involved resident leadership. This development will contribute to the advancement of the individual, the family, the community, and the city, and to building the resilience of the population in preparation for emergencies.

  • Center for Human Capital Development – education, training, assistance in obtaining scholarships, etc.
  • Center for Mediation and Dialogue in the Community – a center that works to bring about social change and improve quality of life through processes of consensual conflict resolution, including community mediation and multicultural dialogue.
  • Citizen Advisory Service – Assistance to residents in exercising their rights vis-à-vis employers, authorities, etc.
  • Volunteer Unit – A unit for strengthening volunteer forces in the city.
  • Immigrant Absorption – Activities for the absorption of new and veteran immigrants and their integration into Israeli society, in cooperation with the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption. The department's services include the “Absorption Center for Ethiopian Immigrants.”
  • Women's Issues – Developing programs and accompanying women's groups in cooperation with the mayor's advisor for the advancement of women.
  • “Accessible Community” – A group of activists promoting accessibility in the city.

Human Resource Development Center

A municipal center that aims to provide professional training, educational completion, and scholarships in the City of Lod, in cooperation with neighborhood rehabilitation. The services provided to residents are:

  • Personal counseling - Information and guidance for residents on education and professional training. Counseling is provided in areas such as completing high school education, matriculation studies, academic studies, professional training courses, and more.
  • Vocational training courses and completing education - The center, in cooperation with the municipal library, the “Good Thought” computer center, and “LaBaHa,” operates a variety of courses at subsidized prices. Such as: computer literacy, secretarial skills, Hebrew, English at various levels, and more.
  • Academic scholarship counseling - The center provides information about organizations and funds that award scholarships for academic degrees. To receive a scholarship form, send an email with your personal details - name, age, address, field of study, and phone number. The service is intended for residents aged 18 and over.

For more information: Nissim Lankri: 08-9279755, email: nisiml@lod.muni.il

The Center for Mediation and Dialogue in the Community

The Center for Mediation and Dialogue in the Community is a service operated for all city residents by the Social Integration Department of the Lod Municipality. The center works to enable social change and improve the quality of life in the city by implementing and integrating processes for resolving disputes by mutual agreement, including community mediation and multicultural dialogue.

Services provided:

  • Mediation services on a variety of issues: community disputes, neighbor disputes, consumerism and services, labor relations, family disputes, business disputes, and more. 70% of cases end in agreement!
  • Training and courses: Basic mediation courses, practicum, mediation leadership training, training in schools, etc.
  • Building agreements in shared apartment buildings
  • Urban projects in the field of community dialogue and cultural competence

Center Director: Orit Ackerman, 5 HaNarkis St., Lod, Tel: 08-9279693, 073-3348401, Hours of operation: Sunday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

WhatsApp number for the Mediation Center (for WhatsApp messages only) 050-2368962.
 

SHIL - Citizen Advice Service

The SHIL Citizen Advice Service Center provides counseling, guidance, and information on a variety of topics, such as: social security, legal advice, labor law, housing, tax advice, property taxes and other taxes, debt collection, small claims, and more. In addition, the center's volunteers assist with filling out forms, writing letters, and calculating wages.

The service is available to all residents of Lod and is free of charge!

For more information:

Station Manager: Shuli Yehiel

Address: 5 Hanarkis Street (Neve Zayit neighborhood), Lod

Telephone: 08-9283106, 08-9279633

Hours of operation and telephone service: Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Tuesdays, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

On Tuesdays, reception is open from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the City Hall, 2 Bar Kochba Street.

Volunteer Unit

The Volunteer Unit leads the volunteer program that promotes social and community involvement and commitment among residents, addresses a variety of challenges in the city, and strengthens residents' sense of belonging to the city. The unit leads the volunteer program in cooperation with all municipal departments, organizations, and volunteers in the city.

The unit builds and initiates professional infrastructure and responses and works to develop innovative practical programs in the field of volunteering, making volunteering an integral part of life in Lod.

Service objectives

  • Developing a professional infrastructure and an active and large volunteer network.
  • Branding and positioning volunteering.
  • Recruiting and placing volunteers
  • Liaising with volunteer organizations in the City.
  • Rewarding volunteers with lectures, team-building meetings, trips, and end-of-year events.
  • Projects such as: “ZAH”AV in Gan – Traffic Safety in Gan - retirees in kindergartens, “Walking Community” for volunteers and the community, “Painting with Seniors” at the Senior Day Center, “Shlam in Education – National Civic Service for Seniors in Education” volunteers in schools, volunteering in emergencies, and more.
  • Businesses and Community – Recruiting businesses to hold one-time or ongoing activities for the benefit of city residents.

Volunteer Unit Manager – Community Social Worker Aliza Shaked.

“Volunteer House” Coordinator – Rivka Rossi.

Phone: 08-9279886/753 Email: alizas@lod.muni.il, rivkar@lod.muni.il

“Volunteer House”: B'nai B'rith Club, 30 Chana Sneh St., Lod

Hours of operation: Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Volunteer Club Hours: Sun, Mon 16:00 – 18:30

Absorption of Immigrants

Lod is home to approximately 23,875 immigrants, who make up 25.7% of the total population and come from a wide variety of countries. The Social Integration Department conducts various activities aimed at assisting the absorption of new and veteran immigrants and integrating them into Israeli society, while emphasizing the preservation of culture, recognizing the great wealth that comes from each country of origin. The department strives to create, encourage, and strengthen cooperation with various entities in the city. The activities are carried out in close cooperation with the Lod Economic Company.

Absorption Coordinator: Community Social Worker, Osherat Aharon

Phone: 08-9279747

Email: oshrata@lod.muni.il

 

Ethiopian Immigrants

Ethiopian immigrants came to Israel after enduring many hardships, settled in Lod, and for many years have been a prominent and significant cultural group. The Community and Absorption Services Department has been working for many years to develop community leadership and implement projects to assist in the absorption and integration of these immigrants into the city.

Services in the City

  • “Enrichment Center for Children and Youth of the Ethiopian Community”

This learning center has been operating for 12 years and provides enriching and diverse activities for students in grades 1-12 from the Ethiopian community. The center provides assistance with homework, strengthening and improving learning skills, and enriching children's knowledge through workshops, clubs, theater performances, and more.

Coordinator: Daniel Ben Baruch

Days of operation: Sunday-Thursday, 4:00-6:00 p.m.

  • “Senior Citizens' Clubs”
  • Social activities and clubs such as lectures on health, physical activity, language enrichment, and more.
  • Absorption Center for Ethiopian Immigrants– A service that handles various issues for Ethiopian immigrants – employment programs, programs for youth, women, community and cultural activities, and more.

Women’s Issues

The City of Lod is mostly made up of women, who are the heads of most households and the main recipients of services. However, in terms of employment, wages, representation, and social positions, there are gaps between them and men. The Social Integration Department views women as a significant axis that touches on all aspects of the city. Based on this concept, we work to raise awareness, develop leadership, and plan services based on gender sensitivity.

The department's activities in the field of women's issues:

  • Lod Women's Forum

The forum operates in cooperation with the city's Commissioner for the Status of Women and aims to advance the status of women in the City of Lod by creating a platform for strong, deeply rooted female residents of the city, through which they will learn about social leadership and the advancement of women, raise issues related to women and residents on the city agenda, and promote events and projects for the benefit of the city's women.

  • Developing and promoting services and programs for the welfare of women residents of the city of Lod.

Developing and partnering in projects that promote the welfare of women in the world of employment, rights, parenting, education, and leisure.

For details: Shuli Yehiel, Women's Coordinator 08-9279759 shulii@lod.muni.il