The "Family Friday" Association
Do we allocate time and space to our family life?
Do we make the most of our family life- well being, love and shared experience?
'Family Friday' is a social association devoted to the empowerment of the family unit and to cultivating the connection between family members.
The continuous race after school, work and career comprise most of our busy schedule. This demanding marathon is energy consuming and does not leave free time to the really important things. As it turns out, in this modern age of communication there is less and less time for the family. Fewer conversations, fewer shared experiences, lesser quality time, and the most obvious: fewer family meals. A research conduced by the 'Mutagim' research institution shows as follows:
84% of the Israelis think that having a family meal once a week is important to very important.
59% stated specifically Friday to be the most suitable day for a family meal since everyone is at home and have time.
Despite these findings, one out of four families does not sit together for a weekly meal!
The research shows that a family meal is an efficient way of restoring the lost status of the family and that traditionally, the Israeli culture sees Friday as the best day for this. The 'Family Friday' association, which highly regards cultivating the family unit, was founded in accordance with these findings, and it is our belief that promoting the Friday night meal can be a great stimulus to improve family solidarity and a great opportunity to unite the family members and bring them closer.
The association received wide publicity through a comprehensive campaign by 'Adler Chomski & Warshavsky' advertising agency. The chairman of the association is Adv. Ya'akovNe'eman and famous key people are members of the association's forum. The association's activities are based solely on donations and cooperations, and respond to various issues:
• Family guidance and phone counseling given by a professional team.
• Workshops and in-house events delivered by the best speakers.
• Weekends, events and activities for families, young adults and children.
• Production of a guidance book and 'Friday Songs'- a song book containing Israeli and traditional Shabbat songs.
• Activities in schools, including classes and theme days.
• Activities among students, including: information, advice over the phone, and campus events.
• An enhanced and active website.
• The 'Friday Paper'- a booklet for the whole family.
These activities resulted in involvement and enthusiasm voiced in the many feedbacks we received, which expressed a keen desire to continue developing awareness and receiving tools to create the optimal family communication. The message of a united family which conducts itself with assurance and wisdom is accepted and positively affects young and older people. There is no doubt that the ultimate way to contribute to all layers of society runs through the home and that a strong family can empower the individual and the nation!