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During the second week of the conflict in Gaza (early January 2009), while schools and colleges are closed, students in the Katzir Scholarship Program from Sami Shamoon College of Engineering in Be'er Sheva and Achva College in Kiryat Malachi have come forward to serve the community.
The group of 15 students are part of Katzir's Social Leadership Group. While keeping up with their regular college studies, they take part in theoretical and practical training to nurture their interest and talent for leadership.
As part of the assistance to the local municipalities which is being coordinated at the Rashi's Emergency HQ in Be'er Sheva, a call went out to the Katzir Social Leaders. At first, 24 students came forward to volunteer but subsequently several were called up for reserve duty. The 15 who remained went straight to work in five school shelters and four other public shelters, supervised and directed by the municipality's team, and accompanied by two professional renovators who kitted them out with tools and paint. The shelters now look clean and fresh.
Under the leadership of a Katzir Social Leader in Netivot, a group of Ethiopian-origin students mobilized to assist their own community, leading activities in shelters (in this photo, the students are dressed up!), translating public announcements into Amharic, and generally helping the Ethiopian community weather the stressful period.
There are nine groups of Katzir Social Leaders around the country - in the academic colleges of Tel Hai, Jezreel Valley, Achva, Sami Shamoon, Ashkelon, Sapir and Holon Institute of Technology - totaling 140 students. Course instruction is given by staff of the Mimizrach Shemesh Association and Hillel.
The average annual cost of a Katzir Social Leader is $2,300 to cover the student scholarship and the course's workshops. Funding comes from the Rashi Foundation, the academic colleges and partners.
For more information about becoming a partner in the Katzir Social Leadership program, please call: Ronit Segelman, Director of Partnerships - 050-8855998 or email: ronits@rashi.org.il
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Ready with their rollers to paint the Kiryat Gat public shelters |
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Dressed up to keep the kids smiling in Netivot |
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