Continuing to Search for Answers

Yesterday I posed a question and am gathering responses. You can see the issue in this post: Posing a problem and Searching for Solutions.

Here is the first response to come in:

Someone on my FB page says: "Get in touch with a lawyer. They have no right to do this" 

My answer: Thank you for pointing that out. That is exactly what the bank said and why the bank will not provide a loan. However, it is also why I was not able to work in Misrad HaChinuch, the Ministry of Education as I had no solution to this 4 month no pay stipulation for new Olim and had no-one to assist me. 

Do you have a solution to the problem? 

BTW, if you can tell me that this is no longer happening I will be delighted to hear and to share the happy news.

In the meantime, I would like to know why the OT supervisors do not see the problem here. Why are the principles of the profession not being advocated for? What about ensuring that OTs are able to live the kind of quality lives we assist our clients to. OT is about promoting health and well being not creating causes for OTs to end up in a state of poverty, which refusing to pay can create.

This post is prepared for you by

Shoshanah Shear

Occupational Therapist, healing facilitator, certified infant massage instructor, freelance writer and co-author of "Tuvia Finds His Freedom" and author of "Healing Your Life Through Activity - An Occupational Therapist's Story"

Posing a Problem, Searching for Solutions

In this post I will be sharing a problem, one that other Olim (immigrants) are bound to come up against too and I invite all readers to please post ideas for solutions to this problem. If anyone can share why this is happening and how we can change it that would be great too.

When I made Aliyah, yes, quite a few years ago now, one option for work was within the Ministry of Education as a School based Occupational Therapist. The OT supervisors and all that I met who knew of these positions all warned me that I would have to be prepared to wait 4 months before I start earning my salary. So here are my issues and questions.

1. Why is there any delay to receiving ones salary? We live in a modern age where computers make organizing data fast and efficient, so why 4 months?
2. What is an OT supposed to live on while working full time and waiting to earn anything? None of the OT supervisors had any suggestions for this. Oh, sorry, one did! She stated you live off your savings. I explained that I had not brought savings. My life situation did not permit it. She had no solution, she said you just have to wait 4 months to start getting your salary. She did add you might get some money back, but what does that help if you have nothing for 4 months.
3. Working privately on the side might be one idea but that only works in a job situation where your private time is respected as being yours and you can then schedule clients without any pressure or difficulties. However, when the place of work demands that you be available for any meeting that they might spring at a moments notice and/or for all paperwork to be done at home after hours, unpaid of course, then how do you find time for those private clients?
4. Taking a bank loan is not an option. I have not found a bank to be prepared to advance any funds while you wait to be paid.
5. This leaves me with no ideas and I don't like situations that have no solution. 

Can anyone share ideas of how a new Olah who is an occupational therapist should best handle such a situation. If there are other professions affected in this way, please share too. What can we do to improve the job situation here in Israel?

This post is prepared for you by

Shoshanah Shear

Occupational Therapist, healing facilitator, certified infant massage instructor, freelance writer and co-author of "Tuvia Finds His Freedom" and author of "Healing Your Life Through Activity - An Occupational Therapist's Story"

A Successful YardSale at AACI

We had a lot of fun at the AACI Yardsale on Friday. With the short days here, I got well organized and prepared everything for Shabbat ahead of time. I'm very impressed that I did and we were so grateful too as we returned home tired and hungry. But let's get back to the sale.

The images taken here were while we were still setting up. Many of the items are the last items of our attempt at a "Thrift Store /Op Shop", which for now, we are stopping and putting on hold. We are unsure if we will re-start it, that depends on how we progress and the potential for the appropriate space.

Here are some more items. It was not easy to capture the full table in one pic, hence 3 pics. Actually, as we unpacked we realized that we needed more space. Being right next to the stage, we decided to spill over.

In the last image you can see the start of our putting the books onto the stage. It worked really nicely. I should have taken another pic as we later added more items here behind.

I am very happy to say that we covered all of our expenses and even made some profit. It makes the sale worthwhile when there is profit. We made a few new contacts too, which is always appreciated.

We do have some items left over, so if you are in the Jerusalem area, do be in touch to come and purchase. By supporting our sales you help us to continue to develop our Torah healing centre. For those not in Israel, stay tuned for our new website which will feature our handmade / creative items available for sale.

Happy Chanukah to everyone. Stay dry and warm and enjoy this beautiful Chag.