Since September 2007, 5 new members joined our community. Recently we won a bid for the expantion our housing and are now in the process of renting another house to take in 6-8 new members. Kibbutz Harduf has approved the updated Beit Elisha building program and we are now planning another group-home to be built at Harduf for 15-20 new members in 2009. At present we are finalizing the upgrading of the herbal and food products' processing workshop with the help of The Ted Arison Family Foundation and with much effort from Avi Krauz – Head of the Workshop. The new lay-out will produce and pack organic soup-mixes and other organic products with the cooperation of Harduf Organic Products. This move will allow us to take more workers into the workshop. In January we had the pleasure of hosting Ehud Banai, a well known Israeli singer, for a musical performance especially for Beit Elisha at Harduf. Ehud Banai volunteered his show which was an intimate and warm event.

Purim was celebrated with much joy. Beit Elisha's members took part in the Harduf Purim Parade which ended with a very happy dance party. Later on we enjoyed a spring picnic in the Alonim Forest and have recently returned from a four-day trip to the Judean Desert and the Ein- Gedi Nature Reserve.

The number of children grew to 57 this year. Towards next year we expect there to be 62 children at Tuvia. As a result of our efforts, a new Special Education class for the 10^th grade was opened this year at the Harduf Waldorf School. This move has enabled the children who studied outside of Harduf to now study within the Kibbutz according to the Waldorf Education, which is an important element in our rehabilitation program.

At Chanukah we celebrated Tuvia's 14^th anniversary with many guests, graduates and guides who worked at Tuvia throughout the years. We have begun using the new Learning Center within the Kamah Center and are enjoying the rest of its facilities.

After a much needed, but dry winter came spring bringing with its wonderful aromas of spring blossoms.

We are preparing for the departure of a large group of graduates who are now completing their last year at Tuvia. For some of them Tuvia has been a home for many years. We are in the process of finding the right solution for each and every one of them towards their military or national service as well as defining the type of connection there will be with Tuvia after they leave.

Our 10^th graders put on Carlos Goldoni's Comedy "A Servant of Many Masters". Once again we were blessed with a special experience and enjoyed the sweet fruits of hard work of Tuvia's adolescents. The 8^th graders are, at present, presenting their play by an Israeli playwright, Talma Elyagon, "Born to be Free".

Further to the understandings we reached last year, we have started planning the building of a new home for the Tuvia adolescents' group with our architect, Dror Tzur who has accompanied us for many years and also planned Kamah Center and other homes at Tuvia.

As you can see, it has been a period of much activity and there is much to be accomplished. We are very grateful to you, our wonderful friends.

We wish you all a Happy & Kosher Passover.