About us

WHO WE ARE
The local non-profit organization is a branch of the International organization in which there are currently 31 branches and 14 contact persons from around the world. The Israeli branch began its organized activity in 1991 and is registered in Israel as a non-profit organization since 2013. The organization deals with peace and understanding among people and cultures by means of organized professional and cultural programs, through unique learning and seminars using hospitality in private members' homes and through participating in professional conferences held by the organization.

OUR ACTIVITIES
The organization contributes to the training of social workers, psychologists and other professionals in the fields of social science and behaviour science who practice in the therapeutic and educational areas, by encouraging and pursuing this goal via participation in international professional exchange programs in the framework of the CIF (Council of International Fellowship) and the CIPUSA (Council of International Programs). The Israeli branch of the organization holds training programs for professionals from all over the world in Israel since 1997 every year (except for 2020-21 due to the Corona virus) and assists Israeli professionals to attend international exchange programs and conferences within the framework of the organization.

CIF (Council of International Fellowship)
Umbrella organization whose members volunteer to help train professionals from the fields of behaviour, education, and social sciences. The organization has a long history of striving for international friendship by means of promoting international professional and cultural programs. Every member of the International Organization participated in such a program either in his/her native country or in another country at some level (www.cifinternational.com).

CIPUSA (COUNCIL OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS)
The original organization was founded in 1956 to create a professional network and international professional programs for professionals. Since 1956 more than 15,000 professionals from over 147 countries underwent training in many professional areas (www.cipusa.org).

HISTORY
The origin of CIF is in the USA organization (CIPUSA). The founder of the organization was Dr. Henry Ollendorff‏‏, a German Lawyer who was forced to leave Nazi Germany in 1938 to the U.S.A. where he studied and practiced social work. Dr. Ollendorff's dream was to create meetings between social workers and youth instructors from around the world in the framework of a professional-social training program to prevent a return of the horrors of the World War 2. The program, which originated in Cleveland, Ohio attracted professionals from all over the world who sought training in various areas. The participants, who returned to their native countries, brought back insights and experiences, and decided to create an international organization (CIF) which was registered in the city of Bonn, Germany in 1960.

THE BRANCH GOAL
The purpose of the local organization is identical to that of the international organization – To contribute to the effort to find methods and solutions for social problems to promote international peace and understanding.

OUR AIMS
To enable professionals from different countries and cultures to share knowledge from their experiences for reciprocal studying in Israel.
To enable professionals from around the world to learn about professional services and various cultures.
To allow Israeli professionals from Israel to be exposed to other cultures and undergo professional exchange programs in CIF and CIPUSA organizations' branches.

THE PURPOSES TO ENABLE EXCHANGE PROGRAMS FOR PROFESSIONALS IN ISRAEL
Acquaintance with professional work in Israel in the areas of social work, social welfare, education, society and culture.
Acquaintance with the cultural structure of Israel in immigrant absorption's area.
Creating good will representatives from Israel for the other countries after they participate in an exchange program in Israel.
Close contact and acquaintance with various lifestyles in Israel.
Non-profit organizations and associations work in cooperation with the CIF for the purpose of advancing professional social workers and promoting the Israeli professional-cultural status in the world, which contribute to the purpose of the organization:
Sharpening cultural sensitivity and difference among people.
Promoting patience and tolerance for difference among people.
Strengthening and reinforcing the professional "myself" (identity).
Reciprocal professional learning.
Cooperation in developing professional and cultural initiatives.