| Abstract: |
Volunteers for Clevelanders in Israel (VCI) was founded in 1978 as a non-profit organization with the goal of helping people
from Cleveland, Ohio, who had moved to Israel. VCI offered services to Clevelanders planning a long-term or permanent move
to Israel and to former Clevelanders now living in Israel. The group was founded by Shirley Goodman, who served as its director
until her death in 2006. In Cleveland, VCI offered weekly workshops for those planning to move to Israel. Topics included
packing and shipping, buying appliances, culture shock, and dealing with Israeli bureaucracy. VCI also offered Hebrew language
classes. In Israel, the majority of services were provided through the Daniel Haas Center, located in Jerusalem, opened in
1983. Former Clevelanders could rely on VCI to help them stay connected to one another and to friends and relatives in Cleveland.
A directory of Clevelanders living in Israel was published every few years, and meetings and social events were held regularly.
Other services offered included employment assistance, housing interviews, counseling, emergency financial aid, and interest
free loans. The Daniel Haas Center closed in 1996 due to lack of funding. VCI now continues its work through the Cleveland
Hometown Association in Israel. The collection consists of approximately 300 color and black and white photographs. These
photographs depict volunteers and members of VCI at events and locations in both Cleveland and Israel. The majority of the
individuals in the photographs have been identified.
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