Ruth & Henry Gafni Daycare Center – Tel Aviv University Campus

The Ruth and Henry Gafni Day Care Center at Tel Aviv University caters to university staff, including management, graduate students and academics, and to students. It is located within the university, near the ‘Broshim’ campus, in a well maintained, clean, blossoming, green area. The day care prides itself in its multiculturalism.

The families that utilizes the day care’s services are very diverse, and they all come from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Some students and scholars rely on scholarships. Nevertheless, all parents are very involved in the day care center and contribute their time and abilities to the development and progress of the center. Similarly, the staff at the day care center is very culturally diverse, and includes people from France, Ethiopia, Russia, Arabs, both Muslims and Christians, and more. Many of them come from distant places such as Yavne, Tira and Netanya, but all enjoy the family atmosphere and supportive work environment that is cultivated at the day care center. Two of the caregivers are from the Ministry of Education, and the entire team has gone through multidisciplinary training.

In partnership with Tel Aviv University a steering committee makes budgetary decisions, set up the program for the children, make the teaching material for the caregivers, and more. The university has a representative that is regularly involved in decisions concerning the day care, Prof. Dorit Aram, and she even gives lectures to the parents. The day care takes pride in having several diverse activities for the children. Such as an outdoors program were the children are out in nature, plant, and take care of the green area surrounding the center. Parents take an active part in the life of the day care and conduct experiential activities in various fields. And students at the university from various different faculties also volunteer to teach groups of children.