Employers have started to welcome back people supported by Kisharon now coronavirus restrictions are lifting.

“Jobs have opened up surprisingly quickly,” said Shlomo Weltman, Employment and Opportunities Manager. “I’m pushing for as many jobs as I can in a safe way. It’s important our people are not left at home. It feels good to go back to normality and be part of the wider world again.”

Dozens of jobs were lost as the pandemic hit businesses with some employers fighting for their own livelihoods. Others let people go, anxious about social distancing.

The jobs were often a lifeline into the community and those suddenly without them lost self esteem and confidence as well as the money they earned.

But Shlomo added: “Companies have changed how they operate and there has been a big staff turnaround so jobs are not always as they were. There’s been preparatory work to do – managing expectations and managing hiccups.

At Kisharon, the Bike Shop has welcomed back Russell Kaplan, Yaakov Leon, Daniel Yefet, Boruch Hyams and Yossi Ashrae. Daniel is back at equipment supplier, the Safety Supply Company.

Yaakov, Russell and Daniel have also returned to their jobs outside Kisharon, and insurance broker Ashley Page has welcomed back Moishe Goldblatt.

Moishe de Lange will be returning to B Kosher while Bezy Gluck is to rejoin property company Farcastle Group later this month. Avrom Gruber is set to restart soon at wholesaler Steins Foods.

Before long, visitors to Kisharon’s Head Office will be on the receiving end of a warm welcome again from Talya Jacobson, who will also re-start her old job at Roundtree Real Estate.

Chaim Dovid, whose days were filled with a wide variety of work, has had two job restored – door-to-door deliveries of the Local News and the North Circular Advertiser.

Sarah Sharlott, Head of Social Enterprise and Community Opportunities, said: “We are so pleased to see so many people we support return to the jobs they love, and we hope that this will continue for some time as employers start to reopen their premises for work.”