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Continuity of Amcha services
Each one of these services constitutes one sequence in the rehabilitation process of a Holocaust survivor in Amcha.
First, after a brief intake-procedure, short- or long term post-traumatic psychotherapy in an individual, group or family setting is offered.
Second, the survivor and his or her spouse are invited to a social network of peers within the social club.
Thirdly, for homebound survivors who cannot join such a club, but still feel lonely, home visits by volunteers is offered.
Fourth, homebound survivors are assisted by a professional staff member in their homes.
Fifth, survivors are encouraged to record their life stories on videotape.
Finally, inter-generational activities are initiated in which the young can learn from the old and the old from the young and both profit from interacting with one another.
1. Psychotherapy
Professional mental health counseling is provided to clients who are anxious, depressed or going through a personal crisis. In order to better meet the needs of these unique populations, Amcha has developed a number of special post-traumatic therapeutic approaches, including a variety of creative and expressive approaches that are especially adapted to this client population. Taking into account the various social, mental, physical and financial needs of the survivor-client; such an integrative approach frequently combines social, psychological and gerontological therapy with documentation and processing of the personal history within the family of the survivor, as well as psychiatric consultations if required.
Holocaust survivors, however, do not want to be treated as psychiatric patients. Most apply for help hesitantly and with significant doubts. When they do, however, their need for symptom alleviation is often pressing and urgent. It is therefore important to quickly establish a trusting relationship and to give some hope that the efforts in overcoming their resistance to seeking help have been worthwhile.
2. Social clubs
Built on the principles of the "thera-peutic community," Amcha's social support clubs are built to provide safety, autonomy, control and attention to each client in line with the idea that Amcha is a "second home for the survivor." An accepting social atmosphere prevails between the staff, administration and club members.
In contrast to other senior citizens clubs, these clubs are additions to the comprehensive mental health rehabilitation of Amcha rather than only social and recreational.
The aim of the Amcha-club is to strengthen the resolve of survivors and to actualize their lives to the best of their creative abilities. The club will strive to create a place where elderly survivors can relax, enjoy a cup of coffee and a warm reception by people who have time to listen; a place to feel a sense of camaraderie based on their common destiny. Led by social workers, rehabilitation activities are offered by occupational and expressive therapists, as well as by teachers in various fields of art, movement and recreation. Thus, survivors are encouraged to deal with their tragic past in an indirect manner.
3. Social Casework for homebound Holocaust survivors 
In order to ensure a continuity of services also to survivors with problems of mobility, Amcha provides professional assistance also to homebound survivors. The level of need varies tremendously, ranging from those who are mobile and can live independently with minimal assistance, to those who require a great deal of care. The very old clients who suffer from complex social, medical and/or social problems are thus helped to maintain independent living for as long as possible.
This program is aimed to provide home care services, which are complementary to those offered by community agencies that are ill equipped to provide for this frail, disabled and vulnerable population. Primary goals include: (1) to assist those survivors who cannot come to Amcha's treatment centers, but have various needs for psycho-social support; (2) to be a bridge between the survivor and other home care agencies; and (3) to help survivors share their traumatic experiences before it is too late. Except for visiting clients in their homes, staff also offers multi-lingual assistance in old age homes, hospitals, nursing homes and hospices.
4. Volunteer services
Carefully selected, supervised, trained and highly committed volunteers also provide companionship and support in the homes of survivors. The use of volunteers from different sections of the community include survivors who visit survivors, children and grandchildren of survivors and many others who feel that they want to establish and keep contact with this elderly population. Often, a mutual relation of give and take is established within which both the "host" and the "guest" feel highly rewarded.
More than five hundred Amcha volunteers visit lonely survivors in their homes on a regular basis.
Their ages, professions and cultural backgrounds are as diverse as the Israeli society. The volunteers include men and women who share a genuine willingness to break the isolation of lonely survivors. When these have no family of their own, the volunteer from Amcha is the only person who pro-vides the kind of social support that is so important for survivors who lost everything in the Shoah. The increase of volunteer work hours 1995-2004 is presented below.
5. Documentation
 Ever since its foundation has Amcha emphasized the importance of documenting the individual tragedies of the Holocaust. Survivors are assisted in recording their personal and family history spanning the years before, during and after the Holocaust on videotape. These testimonies have a profound therapeutic effect on the survivors. Not only do they create a legacy for future generations. They are also invaluable tools for survivors who have a need to tell and retell their traumatic life story as a way of working-through.
Videotape testimonies in Amcha are more gentle and are given more time than other such programs. Since this might be the first time that the survivor has talked about painful memories to anyone, he or she is offered extensive emotional support before and after the actual recording sessions and some choose to embark on a longer process of psychotherapy later.
6. Intergenerational projects
 As the Israeli society has become more open to the unique life experiences of Holocaust survivors, children and youth in different ages have come to Amcha to volunteer in various intergenerational activities.
During the last years, Amcha has therefore initiated such activities in which the elderly can interact with children and youth. Such activities benefit both the young and the old. The young are enriched by knowledge of living Jewish history by "first-hand" witnesses. The elderly Holocaust survivors enjoy the spontaneous company and attention of the young which helps ease their sense of isolation.
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