Photo courtesy of The Kangaroo Family Center
2010
Becoming a parent is often described as one of life’s most joyful transitions. It is also one of its most demanding. The early years move quickly, from sleepless nights with a newborn to the restless curiosity of a toddler, each stage bringing new questions and unfamiliar challenges. Many parents find themselves learning as they go, searching for guidance while trying to build confidence in their new roles. In these moments, spaces that offer both knowledge and companionship become essential. The Kangaroo Family Center in Katamon was created as a place where parents can gather, learn, and grow alongside their children and one another.
Established as part of the Jerusalem Foundation’s broader Adopt a Neighborhood initiative, the Kangaroo Family Center grew out of a recognition that meaningful change in a neighborhood depends as much on supporting families as it does on improving its physical surroundings. The Gonenim neighborhood was adopted by Switzerland, a connection that later led to the involvement of the Simon Rothschild Foundation in the center’s renovation and expansion. Originally established with support from the Swiss philanthropist Samuel Josefowitz, the center was later renovated and expanded through the support of the Simon Rothschild Foundation, today the S. & H. Rothschild Foundation, and renamed the Simon & Hildegard Rothschild Day Care Center. Located within the Katamon Community Center complex yet housed in its own dedicated building, the center was designed as a welcoming space for young families and early childhood support. The Jerusalem Foundation played a central role in shaping and advancing this vision, helping transform the center into a lively hub of learning, guidance, and community connection. Today, the S+H Rothschild Foundation continues this commitment through its support for a new enlargement and renovation of the center, ensuring that it can continue serving Jerusalem’s families for years to come.
Today, the center offers a wide range of programs that respond to the realities of parenting. At its heart are opportunities for parents, particularly mothers of young children, to come together in facilitated groups where experiences can be shared and questions openly discussed. These gatherings create an environment where connections form organically, shaped by shared questions and everyday experiences. Alongside these circles, the center provides parenting workshops that address developmental milestones and practical caregiving skills, grounding parents in both knowledge and confidence.
For children, the center is designed as a place of exploration and play. A fully equipped playroom invites toddlers to move, build, and discover through hands-on activity, while quieter spaces allow for storytelling and shared moments. Activities support early development while strengthening the bond between caregiver and child. Exercise sessions for parents and toddlers introduce movement as a shared experience.
The center extends its reach through enrichment opportunities that reflect the evolving needs of families. Computer literacy courses equip both parents and children with essential skills. Cooking workshops emphasize nutrition and healthy habits, translating ideas into routines that can be carried into the home. Cultural activities provide additional avenues for expression, while individual parenting counseling offers more tailored support when needed.
What emerges from this combination of programs is something that exceeds the definition of a typical community center. The Kangaroo Family Center functions as a shared space of learning and connection, where relationships are formed and sustained. It recognizes that raising children does not happen in isolation, even if it can sometimes feel that way.
Parenthood will always carry moments of uncertainty. Yet within the walls of the Kangaroo Family Center, those uncertainties are met with openness rather than isolation. Here, parents find not only tools and guidance, but also one another. In doing so, the experience of raising a child becomes not a solitary journey, but a shared one, grounded in learning, connection, and a sense of belonging.
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