More Than 1000 People Living on Tel Aviv Streets: What Happens in Shelters and Why Many Stay Outside

We sometimes see them at the market entrance or on a street, sitting on a blanket and sometimes begging. We generally tend to ignore them and look away. Tel Aviv has more than 1000 such people living on its streets.

Perhaps they are victims of difficult economic circumstances, or people who have not found their place in this world. Politicians competing for homeless people's votes have yet to appear, so almost nobody looks after them apart from the limited resources of the Ministry of Welfare or the municipality and a few volunteers. As winter approaches, their situation becomes particularly difficult.

According to the Ministry of Welfare, an estimated additional budget of 17 million shekels is needed to expand and improve existing services and add necessary services not currently provided. This is indeed a small sum in state-budget terms, but as noted, we do not see a politician who will fight the Ministry of Finance for it.

The Tel Aviv Municipality recently opened a Gagon shelter for people living on the streets. With an impressive investment of 36 million shekels, a rather impressive center opened in Jaffa, intended to serve homeless people addicted to drugs. The substantial investment deserves appreciation, and the design is certainly impressive; some would say it looks like a new boutique hotel. But does the place offer an effective solution, or merely decorate the problem?

A response for homeless people with addictions

According to the Tel Aviv Municipality, the facility provides "a response for homeless people with addictions living in Tel Aviv-Yafo and will serve as a spacious, safe, compliant, dignified, and respectful shelter, providing residents with a bed, food, bathing, laundry, a locker for belongings, and referral for medical treatment."

At present, the shelter serves men only. It has a shared shower and toilet for every 2 rooms. There is a kitchen and a dining room for 60 people. There are recreation and workshop rooms, and even the opportunity to browse the internet and enjoy a sea view.

No meaningful response

The shelter has 19 sleeping rooms accommodating 144 homeless people, only about 15% of the actual number. But that is not the problem. According to welfare-sector sources, the facility provides no meaningful response to their treatment and rehabilitation needs.

Under its policy, the facility offers shelter at night. Residents must leave at 9 in the morning and cannot return before three. According to the municipality, this allows homeless people to attend appointments, including meetings with social workers, and try to find work.

What happens in practice is that they simply wait outside until they can enter. Many say they are simply afraid of ending up in prison and prefer to remain near the shelter.

This is general news information and is not a substitute for personal advice from a doctor or dietitian.