Mission Statement

Yaffa House is a Jewish group home and center for adults with mental illness, located in Vancouver, British Columbia. The uniqueness of Yaffa House in British Columbia is that it provides care, opportunity, and support within the context of Jewish values and practice. The intent of the Society is to maximize the individual potential, growth, personal fulfillment, and independence of its residents, as well as provide a centre within the Jewish community for mental health education, recreation, and support./h4>

Yaffa Housing Goals

– Create a sense of security, acceptance and belonging through compliance with Jewish dietary laws, religious observances and collective celebration of the Jewish customs, lifestyle and traditions

– Help residents improve and maintain their mental and physical health.

– Assist residents in developing and using effective coping and community living skills. – Foster personal growth and goals achievement in an environment of mutual respect, acceptance and understanding.

– Promote residents’ self-confidence in personal strengths and abilities.

Don’t Turn Your Back

Don’t Turn Your Back Don’t turn your back on my son Just because he does not fit into your world His torment is real And he would change it if he could.

His illness is not something you can see But is real, all too real, nonetheless And the boy we know is lost to us Like a missing child the pain never dies But haunts us with hopes that someday We will find him again.

He struggles daily with an illness, It is not a terminal illness but a life sentence He has no place of refuge To escape his own mind.

I can’t desert him. He is my son, And he is the same son that held My hand when we laughed and ran Through the flowers, In the meadow at his grandmother’s farm.

My son’s suffering and his mother’s Tears have given me the courage To ask you to listen and learn. If you take the time to understand You can make his world a less Painful place

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