[29 Jan 12] The inauguration ceremony of the Hoshen sheltered workshop in the Shafir Regional Council took place last week, attended by the Director General of the Welfare Ministry and representatives of the funding partners – the national Insurance Institute, Shalem Fund, the Regional Council and Rashi.

The workshop provides rehabilitation and employment services for people suffering from physical, cognitive and mental disabilities. It is operated by the Yahdav Association, a subsidiary of the Rashi Foundation, and offers a variety of employment options to suit people with different needs and abilities.

The 40 participants acquire skills and habits that increase their level and independence; they volunteer in the community and enjoy social activities such as trips, holiday celebrations and more.

[27 Dec 11] Hundreds of school children from ten schools participated in old-time games as part of a community health project in Dimona.

The project, implemented in partnership between the municipality, Maccabi Healthcare Services and Rashi, is designed to promote a healthy lifestyle through a range of programs targeting schools, families and the entire community.

The goal of the event was to encourage children to spend their leisure time in physical activity through games, which can be played freely in public spaces. The children responded with great enthusiasm and enjoyment – a pleasant surprise considering that that these were not computer games…

[16 Nov 11] The new website of Tene Briut – a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health of the Ethiopian Israeli community – was launched recently with Rashi's financial and professional assistance.

Tene Briut (meaning “health” in both Amharic and Hebrew) is working to identify health needs of Ethiopian Israelis and obstacles to early detection of lifestyle-related conditions – diabetes, asthma, obesity, dental caries etc. It also engages in developing culturally-appropriate solutions including workshops and classes, a radio program, public "health fairs" and more.

Over the last two years, we have joined Tene Briut and other partners to hold health fairs in five communities – Ramla, Lod, Rishon Lezion, Rehovot and Kiryat Malachi. This activity is part of the Pharmadom-Rashi initiative promoting equality in healthcare.

Health fair in Ramla, August 2009

[15 Nov 11] A dedication ceremony for the new Medical School in Tzfat took place on Sunday, November 13, a few weeks after its official opening.

The ceremony honored the four foundations which came together to invest in the medical school’s first building – UJIA, UIA Canada, the Russell Berrie Foundation and Rashi.

The partnership quartet joined forces to fund the project in answer to the urgent call of Bar-Ilan University to ensure that the first academic year of the new faculty would indeed open in October 2011. Each of the partners is a major, long-term philanthropic player in developing and supporting projects to promote regional development in the Galilee; the partnership's collective goal is to advance the medical school's contribution to the Galilee, particularly in the field of science education for youth.

Four of the 124 students in the Faculty represented their classmates in presenting small gifts to the four foundation partners. Carmel Fink, who returned to Israel from three years studying in Florence, Italy; Joanna Araf, who lives in the Western Galilee village of Mah'ilya, who returned from pre-clinical studies in Jordan; Elad Ofir, who returned to study at the Faculty from the Republic of Moldova; and Aryeh Jaffee, who returned from Hungary.

Read about the Medical School project at the UIA Canada website

Architectural rendering


The partners' representatives at the official opening

[13 Nov 11] "You are leading the advancement of education in town and the closing of social gaps in Israel", said Benny Vaknin, Mayor of Ashkelon, in a special event honoring the Rashi Foundation last week.

The municipality initiated and produced the event as a tribute to the Foundation's work, and its involvement in Ashkelon in particular.

The implementation of the Merhav program in the southern town, in partnership with JDC Israel, served as the basis for Revadim – a nationwide initiative supporting empowerment and renewal in elementary schools. Recently, a local high school was among the first to join Darca – Rashi's new school network, further deepening the cooperation between Ashkelon and the Foundation.

[10 Nov 11] Ma'ase is one of the four recipients of this year's Knesset Speaker Award for Quality of Life, awarded to organizations and individuals that work to bridge gaps between groups in Israeli society.

Hundreds of young people from varied populations in Israeli society volunteer in the community through the different program of Ma'ase: Jews and Arabs, religious and secular, immigrants and native Israelis. They all work on an equal basis, interact and engage in dialogue on social issues.

Read about the prize in the Jerusalem Post

[25 Oct 11] "Were it not for the effective results obtained by cancer research teams throughout the world, I would not have the privilege of being here today”, said Hubert Leven, president of the Rashi Foundation, at the launch of the fundraising campaign of the Israel Cancer Association for 2011.

Mr. Leven, who is chairing the 51^st Door Knock campaign, has announced that Rashi's grant of 1 million NIS for the campaign will be designated for wide-scale activity among youth, aiming to promote a healthy lifestyle and prevent cancer.

A mobile education unit sponsored by Rashi and the Israel Cancer Association will visit schools throughout the country, with special emphasis on schools in the geographic and social periphery of Israel.

Read the full speech at the ICA website (see bottom of page for the English text)

"ICA marks half a century of activism" - Jerusalem Post article

From left: Leon Recanati, Vice Chairman of ICA; singer Corinne Alal; President of Israel Shimon Peres and Hubert Leven with young cancer patients 

[11 Oct 11] The first Warm Home in the central region serving Arab girls at risk was opened shortly before Rosh Hashana in town of Tira.

The activities planned for the coming month include a special joint session with the mothers, signing of a "treaty" with the girls, educational reinforcement lessons, aerobic exercise and more.

A week later, the Warm Home at Moshav Hadid, which was opened in July, was officially dedicated in a ceremony attended by the Head of the regional council and representatives of the welfare Ministry, Rashi and the Association for Change in Education - one of our operating arms.

Both Homes, renovated and equipped by Rashi, have activity rooms, a living room, kitchen and an office for the social worker who is part of the staff. Four more homes are scheduled to open in the central region; altogether Rashi is responsible through its subsidiaries for the operation of 60 homes nationwide, among them 30 in Arab, Druze and Bedouin localities.

Girls' choir at the ceremony in Hadid

[10 Oct 11] A ceremony marking the fomal inauguration of the Future Scientists and Inventors program took place last week at the President's Residence, attended by President Shimon Peres and Minister of Education Gideon Sa'ar, the partners in the program, senior academics and industry leaders.

The program, which is based on an initiative of the President, enables highly talented school students to develop their potential and become the next generation of leaders in R&D in universities and industry.

The pilot program has been operating for two years at the Tel Aviv University and was expanded this year to the Technion as a step towards becoming a national program. Partners in the program include the Ministry of Education, Tel Aviv University and the Technion, Karev Initiatives in Education, Check Point Technologies, Mellanox and Keter Industries.

The inauguration was accompanied by extensive media coverage, including TV and radio items and newspaper articles.

Read the story in the Jerusalem Post
Watch a video in the popular YNET website (in Hebrew)

[6 Oct 11] The Science Leadership Program with the academic team of the Ilan Ramon Center introduces the 5th Science Festival at Beit Yatziv in Be'er Sheva.

Interactive exhibits and activities will uncover the mysteries of physics, chemistry, geology, astronomy, biology, medicine, computers and more.

[26 Sep 11] Despite his busy schedule, Minister of Education Gideon Sa'ar found the time for a visit at Merom Hagalil that started at the renewed Hemed School and ended with lunch accompanied by local wines.

As a result of its upgrade, the Hemed Torani-Environmrntal School grew by 130 pupils over the last two years. Every child benefits from extra educational reinforcement thanks to the "New Horizon" reform of the Education Ministry and the Merom Educational Program supported by UJIA Britain and Rashi. In his tour of the school, Mr. Sa'ar visited the "Dream Space", a multi-sensory enrichment area, where he talked to pupils who wrote a book and published it as part of a project to promote reading.

In a work meeting at the regional council offices, Mr. Sa'ar announced that Merom Haglil will join the "Musical Schools" project, which allows pupils to learn to play a musical instrument of their choice. He expressed his confidence that the progress of the education system and the Education and Community Campus will help to attract new residents to the region and strengthen the existing population.

The Minister of Education talking to young authors at Hemed School

[31 Aug 11] Rashi's new network of high schools is opening with the new academic year on September 1^st in 8 schools.

The Network Director Gil Pereg explains that its name, Darca, is derived from the word for "road" in Aramaic, the language of the Talmud. "We believe that in education, the process is the key for promoting the welfare and achievements of each child; as the Bible says about wisdom: 'Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace' (Proverbs 3:17)."

The Network is planned to expand to 10 new schools next year, aiming to grow into one of the largest and most advanced high school networks in Israel. It comprises an important link in the array of educational solutions offered by our different programs, starting in early childhood and continuing beyond high school.

The School Network was established in partnerships with Alliance-Kiah and the Israel Center for Excellence though Education, and with the support of the Ministry of Education.

[25 Aug 11] For the first time, elementary school children performed at the opening of the Klezmer Festival in Tzfat. Hundreds of children learn to play at school as part of the City of Music program supported by the Ministry of Education. A new PPSNI-Rashi initiative allows 20 talented pupils to enjoy private tutoring after school as the basis for a municipal orchestra. The activity will expand to include 50 musicians in 2012 and 80 the year after.

The City of Music initiative is one of the projects sponsored through the third round of the PPSNI partnership, which focuses on Tzfat with the intention of leveraging the establishment of the new Medical School to promote the city's social and economic development.

[23 Aug 11] IVN – Israel Venture Network and Rashi have joined forces in a new Social Venture Program, aiming to identify ventures with the potential to create significant and scalable social impact and assist them in achieving success and becoming sustainable.

See call for proposals at the IVN website for details and an application form.

[4 Aug 11] 300 special-needs children aged 10-18 participated in a week-long summer camp at Lake Kinneret operated by the Etgarim Association, with Rashi's support.

The camp allowed the handicapped children, some of them in wheelchairs, to enjoy eciting experiences such as kayaking, rope climbing, bicycling and more – closely guided and helped by Etgarim counselors, volunteers and sometimes parents. Among the many volunteers there was a full bus of Air Force soldiers who came every to give a hand.

Most of the campers were referred by special education schools from all over the country, including the Renanim School in Kiryat Shmona where we have been working for several years in partnership with UIA Canada. 200 of the children spent the entire week on the beach, and the others came for the day or for several hours.

A parent to a special-needs child: "knowing that my son spends time in the camp with dedicated staff and incredible experiences – this is wonderful relief! Even if he can't always express his pleasure, I am sure that the counselors and volunteers in all these special activities give him an unforgettable experience.
I wish that such activities were possible year-round".

[3 Aug 11] The Ministry of Welfare and Rashi have reached an agreement that will ensure the continuation of the services for blind and visually-impaired people that were operated by the Migdal Or Association, which closed down due to financial difficulties.

A ceremony was held last week to mark the official transfer of the activity to Rashi, attended by Minister of Welfare Mr. Moshe Kahlon, Rashi's Director General Elie Elalouf, and participants and staff in the programs.

The activity of Migdal Or ("Lighthouse" in Hebrew) reaches 3,500 individuals per year. It includes a sheltered workshop, vocational assessment and rehabilitation, instruction and guidance, treatment of impaired eyesight and a transition program for youth. We are working now to finalize a reorganization plan aiming to improve the services through more effective utilization of the existing physical and human resources.

The Minister of Welfare and his senior staff were actively involved in formulating the agreement, and have undertaken to support the provision of services. The activity will be managed by our operating arm in the north – Northern Goals Association.

[2 Aug 11] Summer activity for children at risk usually lasts until the end of July, leaving the children unattended during August. Knowing that these children suffer from food insecurity year-round, we joined forces with the Welfare Ministry to extend the summer program – with a nutritious lunch – for three more weeks.

The pilot program will reach 2,500 children in 25 localities throughout the country – Jewish, Arab and Druze – who will enjoy fun activities such as swimming, trips and enrichment classes in addition to breakfast and lunch. An expansion next year will be considered based on the impact of the pilot.

The program, at a total cost of 2 million NIS (funded equally by Rashi and the Ministry) is operated by the Association for Change in Education – our operating arm for many educational programs, including the national School Lunch Program.

[21 July 11] The festive opening ceremony of Ma'arag took place on Wednesday, July 13 at Kfar Vradim in the Galilee. Ma'arag is unique center offering creative and productive employment for disabled people along with social interaction on an equal basis with the wider community.

The project was implemented in partnership between the National Insurance Institute, Shalem Fund, Legacy Fund, Weinberg Foundation, Rashi (which also managed the construction), PPSNI, the Ministries of Welfare and Health, the local authority and Kochav Hatzafon Association, which initiated the center and operates it.

The Ma'arag coffee shop and gallery

From left: Stan Goldman, representative of the Weinberg Foundation; Sivan Yechieli, Head of Kfar Vradim municipality; Bat-El and Peter from Ma'arag; Elie Elalouf, Director General of the Rashi Foundation; Shmuel Wineglass, National Insurance Institute

[19 July 11] Prime Minister Netnyahu held a reception for the Israeli delegation to the Special Olympics world games in Athens, among them our employee Tal Golani, who was part of the basketball team.

The reception, held on July 12 at the Prime Minister's Office, was also attended by the Minister of Culture and Sport and the Minister of Welfare.

Tal gave the banner of Special Olympics Israel to the Prime Minister, who told the athletes : "You are forced to compete every day and deserve a medal every day".

The 86 Israeli athletes won 66 medals altogether: 25 gold, 25 silver and 16 bronze.

[13 July 11] A cooking workshop led by Orit Moshkovitz, a "social chef" who founded the Little Women catering firm for girls at risk, was the first activity offered by the newly opened Warm Home for girls at Moshav Hadid in the Modi'im Regional Council.

The workshop for girls and mothers was part of a meeting intended to introduce them the home and its staff.

The Warm Home is located in a former kindergarten which was renovated and equipped by the Rashi Foundation in partnership with the regional council. It serves 19 girls aged 12-15 and operates twice a week from 2 until 8 PM.

The Association for Change in Education, Rashi's operating arm, won the tender to operate Warm Homes in the central region and is getting ready to open 6 more homes in other localities. Altogether, Rashi is responsible for the operation of 60 homes throughout the country.

Mothers and daughetrs cooking at the Warm Home

[4 July 11] Hundreds of volunteers, staff and guests attended the annual event of Ma'ase that was held on Sunday, June 26 at the Ben Shemen Youth Village. Among the speakers were MK Zevulun Orlev, Head of the Civil Society Lobby; Amram Mitzna; Noam Lautman, Chairman of the Board of Ma'ase; Judith Yovel Recanati, founder of the Gandyr Foundation; and representative of the volunteers who told the audience:

"Starting the program in August 2010 we could not imagine that within one year we will be that much more mature, independent and responsible; better citizens who are aware of the social gaps and the distress in the periphery – and ready and willing to confront this situation in order to change even the little corner where we live."

MK Orlev called the government "to give every young person the opportunity to volunteer, so that this yard will hold thousands instead of hundreds of volunteers. I strongly hope that this gathering will covey the message: Let the Young People Volunteer!"

Masters of Ceremony 

[3 July 11] Inauguration ceremonies were held recently to mark the completion of several projects, with the partners that helped to realize them.

In Acco, the new Early Childhood Center joins other centers that were built over the last 3 years in the northern region (Shlomi, Hatzor, Kiryat Shmona) to improve municipal services for young children and their parents.

Mayor Shimon Lankry thanked the partners in the project – the Jewish community of Toronto (represented by President Ted Sokolsky), JFN and Rashi, which managed the construction in addition to its funding share.

In Be'er Sheva, Mrs. Joëlle Aflalo, President of the Matanel and Dorset Foundations, visited the Community Anchor Youth Village to dedicate the events hall, and also the Ashalim Children's Village where a multi-purpose building was completed.

The event at Ashalim was especially cheerful, as the new facility was inaugurated with a Bar\Bat Mitzvah celebration for children living in the village. The children impressed the guests with acting, playing and singing, and a traditional henna ceremony completed the festivities.

[30 June 11] "Our goal is to bring the best to the periphery" says Gil Pereg, director of the new high school network initiated by Rashi. "We believe that the gaps in Israeli society are intolerable, and we want that every student in Kiryat Shmona or Yarka to get at least the same education as students in Ra'anana or Herzliya. To this end, the network is committed to give its schools not only the full government funding but also additional resources, as the well-established municipalities are doing."

TheMarker, the business section of Ha'aretz, reported last week that the network will start operating next September. It is expected to include 10 schools in the first year; 7 schools from 5 localities have already joined while negotiations with other schools are continuing.

Unlike other networks, Rashi's network will channel the entire budget allocated by the Education ministry to the schools without any overhead charge; on top of that it will provide another 15% from its resources for special programs and physical facilities.

Read the full story (in Hebrew)

[21 June 11] In response to the closing of the community center and the municipal library in Kiryat Shmona due to financial difficulties, the leadership group of the Katzir Scholarship Program has decided to initiate cultural activity on their own.

Last week, the students organized a "film day" in cooperation with the municipality and local businesses, which included a children's movie followed by another for youth and adults. Hundreds of children and youth showed up and the theater was filled with an enthusiastic audience.

The leadership group operates at the Tel Hai College in collaboration with the college and Hillel Israel. Its members meet once a week to discuss pressing social issues and plan community initiatives. They held the film day in light of the lack of after-school programs for children and youth in Kiryat Shmona, working hard to advertise it in schools and all the neighborhoods. Talking to the local paper, the group's counselor said: "the community voted with their feet in favor of the initiative ".

Getting a drink in addition to the movie

[15 June 11] The cornerstone-laying ceremony for the new Pediatric Outpatient Clinics took place at the Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva on June 2. It was attended by Mr. Larry Goodman from Chicago, founder of the Lillian and Larry Goodman Foundations which support the project. Other funding partners are the Saban Family Foundation and Soroka.

The Pediatric Outpatients Wing project will complete the medical facilities for children at Soroka, which include the Saban Pediatric Medical Center, the Pediatric ER and other services.

The project will renovate the building that formerly housed the pediatric hospitalization wards and transform it into modernized and upgraded premises for the outpatient clinics. The Rashi Foundation will oversee the project - implemented by Clalit Health Services - on behalf of the Goodman and Saban Foundations.

Larry Goodman (center) with his granddaughter Hailey and Elie Elalouf, Director General of the Rashi Foundation

Meanwhile, we are also involved in the establishment of the Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Department at the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, which is part of the new Ruth Rappaport Children's Hospital currently being built. Last month the hospital marked the installation of an advanced scanner that was purchased with Rashi's assistance and will be used to plan irradiation therapy for children who are cancer patients.

Ms. Geraldine Leven, Rashi Board member, with the new scanner

[14 June 11] The first stage of the admission process to the Magshimim program for the next school year has started.

The program is intended for excellence high school students from the Negev, offering exciting and challenging technology studies that will lead them upon graduation to the elite units of the Intelligence Corps.

See the program's website for details (in Hebrew)

[23 May 11] A special meeting of the partners in the Merom Program was held on May 15 to launch the next stage of the intervention, which aims to create a continuum of quality education from early childhood to high school, including the construction of a regional Education and Community Campus.

The agreement signed between the regional council, UJIA Britain and the Rashi Foundation ensures the continuation of the educational programs for 3 more years.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the 24 localities making up the regional council, as well as directors of municipal departments. The Head of the regional council Amit Sofer thanked the partners for their outstanding contribution and investment in the region. He announced that during the 60-years celebrations of Merom Hagalil in August, the Directors of Rashi and UJIA will be awarded a decoration of honor for their work to advance the community and its children.

This important event represents a milestone in the development of the partnership, which builds the regional council's capacity for realizing the vision of a thriving community at Merom Hagalil.

From Left: Natie Shevel, UJIA Israel Regional Director; Amit Sofer, Head of the Regional Council; Elie Elalouf, Director General of the Rashi Foundation

[22 May 11] A unique catering kitchen employing single mothers in the Bedouin town of Hura supplies 3,000 meals per day to the School Lunch Program.

This pioneering business initiative within the Arab sector aims to provide employment and personal and social opportunities to single mothers. It is the fruit of cooperation between the local authority and the Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Development, and was launched with funding by the Dutch embassy in Israel, UJA-Federation of New York, and JDC Israel.

The existence of the Lunch Program in Hura's schools jumpstarted the initiative, by providing a concrete and immediate demand that the women could meet. The kitchen is managed by a local nonprofit organization with supervision of the Association for Change in Education, which operates the Lunch program on Rashi's behalf. At present it employs 12 local residents, 10 of them women.

Starting with 470 meals per day when it opened in October 2008, the kitchen has recently reached the target capacity of 3,000 meals a day delivered to school children in Hura.

[14 Apr 11] Hubert Leven,  President, and the Board of Directors of the Rashi Foundation are happy to congratulate Elie Elalouf, General Director of the Rashi Foundation, for having been nominated for the Israel Prize.

This award is a tribute to his outstanding work as well as recognition of the exceptional professionalism and dedication of all the staff of the Foundation and of its subsidiary operating arms.

The considerable resources made available by its founder and its partners have allowed the Foundation’s programs to change the lives of thousands upon thousands of Israelis.

The Israel Prize is granted in a number of categories – Elie shares the prize in the Lifetime Achievement category this year with Hulda Gurevich, honored for her voluntary work with hospitalized soldiers. The awards ceremony is held on Independence Day in the presence of the President, Prime Minister and Minister of Education.

[14 Apr 11] A pilot project was launched this week to examine whether the plastic or aluminum food trays used in the Lunch Program can be replaced by degradable trays made of sugar cane.

Out of 170,000 meals distributed daily to children in schools and kindergartens as part of the National Lunch Program, 140,000 are served in individual trays. The new trays will disintegrate in about 90 days, while the regular ones disintegrate over many years (or not at all).

[13 Apr 11] A network of treatment centers for victims of sexual abuse was created as part of a joint initiative of Rashi and the National Insurance Institute's Fund for children at risk, launched in 2007 and aiming to provide a highly professional service that is accessible to the children and their parents without charge.

In close cooperation with the Ministry of Welfare, we developed a unique model of regional centers operating an on-site treatment facility and satellite units in nearby communities. 8 such centers were established in the geographic and social periphery, where the need is most acute; 900 children have been treated through the project in 2010.

Now, the Ministry of Welfare has joined the initiative and will match the funding by Rashi and the National Insurance Institute over the next two years in order to reach a larger population. Operating bodies were invited to submit proposals for establishment of new treatment centers or expansion of existing ones, with the goal of operating a total of 12 centers – each treating around 200 children per year.

Moreover, the Ministry has adopted the model and will take full responsibility for operating the centers as a public service at the end of the 2-year period.

[29 Mar 11] An impressive display of talent by children actors, musicians and writers welcomed the heads of the Milat Program at the Education Ministry in a recent visit to participating schools.

The children study at the Gevim School in Be'er Sheva, which is located at the heart of a distressed neighborhood and serves a varied population including immigrants from Ethiopia and Russia, single parent families and others. As a school whose motto is "Education towards excellence as a springboard for success in life", it has excellence groups in theater, music and writing. The visitors met children from the different groups, among them two children from Ethiopia who read stories they wrote out loud.

One of these stories has been selected from among 10,000 to be included in a book of 63 stories by Israeli children, which will be published to mark Israel's 63^rd Independence Day.

The theater group of Gevim School

[7 Mar 11] The investment in the Full School Program in the northern region, which was launched in 2007 following the 2^nd Lebanon War, in bearing fruit – as indicated by the prizes awarded to the schools.

Letters from two schools announcing education awards were received recently at the Association for Change in Education, Rashi's operating arm: a regional award for "best educational team" to a school in Kiryat Shmona, and a national award for co-existence to a school in Mrar.

The principal of the school in Kiryat Shmona writes in his letter: "we filled the teachers again with enthusiasm, introduced new programs and new methods, and above all created a family-like atmosphere (…) the connection between us was one of true partnership – we have won this award together."

The program includes more than 30 northern schools and focuses on the empowerment of principals and teachers, improvement of the school climate and reinforcement of scholastic achievements. It operates in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the local authorities and is supported by a coalition of partners including JFN, the Jewish Federations of Detroit, San Francisco and New York, UIA Canada and UJIA Britain.

[3 Mar 11] As the first step towards the establishment of a network of high schools, Tnu'ah - a new nonprofit organization created as a subsidiary of Rashi - held its first official meeting recently in the Foundation's offices with the participation of leading public figures and academics.

The school network will operate mainly in the social-geographic periphery, in an effort to reduce inequality, improve scholastic achievements and adapt the education system to 21^st century requirements. The network will combine first-rate, innovative and inquiry-based education with development of leadership and social responsibility. It will include schools serving different communities, and will work to promote dialogue and cooperation between them.

The establishment team is currently working to select the schools that will be included in the network out of the tens of applications received from local authorities and schools. The network is expected to start operating next year with 10 schools throughout Israel, growing to 40-50 schools within 5 years.

Tnu'ah Network is a created in partnership between the Rashi Foundation, Alliance - Kol Israel Haverim and the Israel Center for Excellence through Education. The establishment team is headed by Mordechay Cohen, Director of Educational Programs of Rashi.

[2 Mar 11] The film "Strangers No More", which won the Academy Award for best documentary this week, focuses on children of foreign workers and refugees at the Bialik-Rogozin School in Tel Aviv – where a support program based on the Full School model is operating for the fifth year in partnership between Rashi, the Federation of Los Angeles and the municipality.

Following a visit of the Foundation's Trustees last June, Rashi has allocated a special grant of $100,000 to the school on top of its commitment to the partnership project. This grant will be used to upgrade a science and technology center serving the older students, and also to create a fund for individual assistance to students, for example for continuing their studies beyond high school.

Kirk Simon, producer-director of the film (with Karen Goodman), said in a post-nomination interview to Ynet: "What this small school in the heart of Tel Aviv is accomplishing is just fantastic (...) with tremendous effort and dedication, the school provides the support these children need to recover from their past."

[28 Feb 11] Congratulations to the Akiva School in Bat Yam, which won the national Religious Education Prize for 2011. The prize was awarded to the school for its educational and social achievements, including high grades in the GEMS examinations (Growth and Effectiveness Measures for Schools – Meitzav in Hebrew) and success in the absorption of immigrants from Ethiopia.

For the last three years, the school has been operating the Merhav Program as part of a joint initiative of the Rashi Foundation and the National Insurance Institute, and with the support of the Federation of Toronto, Canada.

The program is based on the Full School Model, which offers a comprehensive envelope of support to pupils with educational reinforcement, enrichment and individual welfare solutions within a long school day.

[28 Feb 11] A delegation from MetroWest, New Jersey came to Ofakim for the February 16 official opening of the Isha Center – a unique facility combining a women's club and a Warm Home for teenage girls, built in partnership between Rashi and the MetroWest Federation.

Bringing together the two groups into one center offers opportunities for mutually enriching interactions, while pooling resources and empowering the municipality to provide a higher standard of social services.

Leslie Dannin Rosenthal, vice co-chair of Major Gifts at the Federation and a past president of Women’s Philanthropy, writes in her blog about the visit: "The warm, inviting space was […] clean, bright, colorful, and airy; it is everything I hoped it was going to be and more […] The girls love the colors, the space, the computer room, and the simple fact that they have someplace to go."

Read the full blog

At the unofficial opening of the center, July 2010

[24 Feb 11] The Rashi Foundation will increase significantly its involvement in the Warm Homes initiative after winning the new national tender through its operating arms.

The subsidiary associations – Northern Goals, Yahdav and the Association for Change in Education - will operate more than 60 therapeutic day centers for teenage girls at risk throughout the country.

The tender was issued following a pilot project that was launched by Rashi 5 years ago, aiming to broaden, deepen and improve the services being offered by the Warm Homes – enabling the Homes to be open for more days and hours, improving the range of therapies and other activities, reinforcing the staff and adapting the physical facilities to the girls' needs. The upgraded model that we developed and implemented was endorsed by the Ministry of welfare, which based the tender for nationwide operation of Warm Homes on our recommendations.

For more information: Debora Fried, Director of Welfare Programs

Girls in one of the Warm Homes

[20 Feb 11] More than 450 people came to the Goldberg Community Anchor Youth Village in Be'er Sheva on Monday, February 14, to attend the festive opening session of the 10^th annual Be'er Sheva Conference for Child Welfare – a joint imitative of the Israel National Council for the Child, Ben Gurion University, the Municipality of Be'er Sheva and the Rashi Foundation.

Rashi's Director Elie Elalouf, speaking in the opening session, said that "there is a need for synchronization between the different bodies, including the local authorities and government ministries, in order to provide a long-term, holistic solution for children and youth at risk. This, together with an enlargement of government budgets allocated for this purpose in the southern region, joining forces with philanthropic bodies, will lead the region's children towards a better future."

As part of the session, the participants toured the Community Anchor and learned from its staff about the different frameworks that operate within the unique village, which was built and co-funded by Rashi and is operated by its subsidiary, the Yadhav Association.

Dr. Yitzhak Kadman, Director of the National Council for the Child, at the opening session of the conference

At the inaugural meeting of the new "Abilities" Association
From right: Nissim Cohen, Director of "Abilities", Gil Shwed, Founder of Check Point and strategic partner of "Abilities", Elie Elalouf, General Director of Rashi, Yosef Alatouna, Head of Education in Hura Local Council (Bedouin town in Negev)

[24 Nov 10] Congratulation to Ma'ase for receiving the Social Award for 2010 of the Sderot Conference for Society at the beginning of November.

The Sderot Conference is an annual event taking place in the southern town of Sderot and nearby Sapir Academic College, which serves as a central stage for discourse on a social-civic agenda for Israel. Traditionally, the award is presented on the last evening of the conference; recipients are selected by a special independent committee.

This year the award for contribution to the social and economic security of Israel went to three organizations, among them Ma'ase, for "acting as an incubator fostering social leadership, developing the volunteers' abilities, encouraging and providing them with tools, thereby narrowing social gaps, instilling values and creating the infrastructure for an egalitarian society."

Miki Nevo, Director of Ma'ase, said at the award ceremony:

"Our generation experiences both the dream and the disillusionment; the distance between what we wanted to be and what we are is evident every day by watching the leaders of the country.

The young people with whom Ma'ase works are essential to us in order for the dream to overcome the disillusionment and be transformed anew into reality.

The flame burning within thousands of young people in the periphery, Jews and Arabs, should be properly acknowledged, and lead us to a better place of equal opportunity and fulfilled potential.

This award is dedicated to these young adults – let us hope we can be worthy of them."

[07 Nov 2010] In a recent visit at the Danciger High School in Kiryat Shmona, Jack and Barbara Prince from Canada were excited to see the Full School program they support (through a UIA Canada-Rashi partnership) and its impact on the students, as well as on the entire school. The program was launched last year and has already resulted in an increase in matriculation rates from 57% to 64%, among other achievements

As trustee of the Sydney Warren estate of Halifax, Canada, Mr. Prince has allocated funding for a 4-year partnership in the program. During the visit, he was presented with a certificate of appreciation signed by all the partners – the directors of UIA Canada and the Rashi Foundation, the mayor of Kiryat Shmona, the school principal and the head of the student council.

Representatives of UIA Canada and Rashi accompanied the couple on the visit, which Mr. Prince summarized by saying: "of all my investments, the investment here in a school in Kiryat Shmona has proved to be the best!"

Jack Prince receives the Certificate of Appreciation

[14 Oct 10] The Association for Change in Education, Rashi's subsidiary, has won the tender for the continued operation of the extended school day program Milat, issued recently by the Education Ministry.

When the program was launched 4 years ago, Rashi has won the tender and the Association was charged with the implementation. Now it competed in its own right, further building its status as a major operator of nationwide educational programs after winning last year the Lunch Program tender (120,000 participants).

Milat will benefit 35,000 children in kindergartens, elementary and junior-high schools – including Full Schools – in 70 localities throughout the country.

Under the new tender, the program staff will be able to deepen the professional support offered to the schools and pupils, as well as to the localities taking part in the program. As it is, the requests by the local authorities to allow their children to participate already exceed the allocations of the tender, showing the widespread belief in the program's value.

[14 Oct 10] On October 10^th, the second anniversary of the death of Robert Sklare, founder of the Sklare Family Foundation whose generous donation enabled the establishment of a new academic library at the Kinneret College, the magnificent building named for him and his wife Yadelle was inaugurated.

The festive ceremony took place in the presence of Prof. Avishay Braverman, Minister of Minorities, the Sklare family and representatives of the Rashi Foundation, which was a funding partner and also managed the construction.

Although Robert z"l did not live to see its completion, the library project beautifully expresses his deep love of Israel and his wish to support projects which impact society in a fundamental way, as well as his commitment to doing things in the best possible way, down to the last detail.

We know that he would have been very proud of what we have accomplished together through this partnership.

[07 Sept 10] 4,622 pupils attended this summer science camps in 16 centers and academic institutes around the country, from Kiryat Shmona in the north to Sde Boker in the south. The camps offered an introduction to a wide range of subjects as: solar energy, astronomy, aviation and aeronautics, ecology and recycling, ornithology, zoology, botany, oceanography, veterinary science, genetics, biotechnology and more.

An online feedback questionnaire filled by the participants at the end of each camp shows a high level of satisfaction with regard to the studies and the instruction, and also the social activity, accommodation and food. The answers indicate that the camp experience has increased the participants' interest in further science studies.

The science summer camps of Madarom – a joint project of the Education Ministry and Rashi – have been operating for 12 years. Over this period, nearly 45,000 pupils altogether have enjoyed a summer activity focusing on science and technology education.

[31 Aug 10] The Minister of Education Gideon Sa'ar and the Director of the Southern District Amira Haim visited yesterday the Madarom Science Park being built in Be'er Sheva, as guests of the Mayor Rubik Danilovitch and Elie Elalouf, Director of the Rashi Foundation.

The visit presented the varied activity of Madarom - a joint project of Rashi and the Education Ministry - with an emphasis on the Science Park, which is scheduled to open in January 2012. The Minister met participants of different Madarom programs, among them students and graduates of the Science Leadership program, graduates of the Ilan Ramon Physics Center for Youth who won awards in international competitions, and students in the new Cyber Skills program launched in cooperation with the Intelligence Corps.

The Minister was quite impressed with what he saw, and asked the District Director to examine ways to assist in exapnding and deepening the activity.

The Sciene Park is presented to the Minister of Education (center) by Rashi's Director

At the start of the new school year, the nonprofit organization Hakol Hinuch has set up a special hotline in an effort to combat discrimination at school on the basis of religion, ethnic background, grades or the parents' financial status. The hotline, which will remain open until September 16, is operated with Rashi's support .

The full story

The Rashi Foundation contributed to the creation of new educational facilities in the north (Ha'aretz 30.8.10)

1st grade pupils enter school accompanied by 6th graders in the opening of the school year at the new Hemed School

[26 Aug 10] Over 6,000 patients underwent surgery to date in the new operating rooms at the Scottish Hospital in Nazareth of, built with Rashi's support.

The 4 operating rooms in the state-of-the-art surgery wing have been active since their completion about a year ago. During this period they have served more than 6,000 patients from all sectors of the population – Jews and Arabs, Moslems, Druze and Christians, new immigrants and veteran Israelis – in the spirit of universal values that inspire the hospital's mission.

The project is an outcome of a joint initiative with the government following the Second Lebanon War in 2006. it aims to prepare hospitals in conflict zones for future emergencies by enabling them to admit and treat casualties within secure facilities, including emergency rooms, surgery and hospitalization wards.

Various partners were enlisted to support hospitals of their choice; Rashi decided to focus on the three Nazareth hospitals – the Scottish, French and Italian Hospitals – with a total investment of $3 million. Needless to say, we hope that the vital new facilities will be needed only in times of peace.

[29 June 2010] The Hemed School in Merom Ha'Galil celebrated this week not only the end of the school year, but also the completion of the new premises, which will be opened next September to accept up to 600 pupils.

The school design incorporates many special features: every classroom has large windows with a magnificent view of the Galilee scenery, and an exit to a landscaped yard; there are five laboratories – for science, technology, computers, English and music – as well as sport facilities, advanced communication infrastructure, personal lockers for the pupils (a rare item in Israeli schools) and more. The school has 3 special education classes and a separate wing for the youngest children, grades 1-2.

The project, implemented in partnership between UJIA Britain, Rashi, the Education Ministry and the Regional Council at a total cost of more than 20 million NIS ($5.5 M), is the first stage in the creation of the Merom Ha'Galil Campus, which is intended to raise the level of education and community services and to create a source of pride and identity for the region's residents.

[27 June 2010] Honorary doctorates were granted by the Technion on 14.6.10 to several distinguished persons, among them Elie Elalouf, Director General of the Rashi Foundation. He was awarded the doctorate, among other achievements, for his role in the Foundation's contribution to Israel in general, and to the Technion in particular: