The Rashi Foundation has established several programs to strengthen public education in Israel:
1) Milat provides after-school enrichment and support to 37,000 students, extending the school day in low-income areas. It is now run by the government with no Rashi funding.
2) Tzila, based on Milat, will eventually serve nearly 900,000 children with midday enrichment. Rashi's operating arm runs Tzila for 23,000 students.
3) Other programs provide school lunches, academic support for disadvantaged youth, a high school network, and science centers to encourage students in STEM fields. Rashi works with the Ministry of Education and local authorities to establish and expand
Making a Difference Through Research: Myers-JDC-Brookdale 40th Anniversary Br...mjbinstitute
Celebrating 40 years of the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute, with testimonials from key partners and highlights of research impacts. Learn how MJB has used applied socal research to help shape Israel's social policy and social service landscape since 1974.
For eighty years, the Jewish Agency has convened the Jewish people in an unparalleled partnership with a singular purpose: ensuring the Jewish future with a strong Israel at its heart. Together, we have built the State of Israel, bringing over three million Jews home, transformed deserts into communities, and offered opportunity where there was once devastation.
It is the donors, partners, and philanthropists around the world who join our efforts
through both undesignated and designated funding and enabling us to make a
difference. In Israel and around the world, we are able to be the Jewish world’s
representatives as we implement strategic activities, leverage other funds raised,
operate at capacity, and respond to rapidly changing realities and emerging
situations.
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In every society, development depends on investment in institutions and individuals. Wickliffe Rose, an early leader in The Rockefeller Foundation, called this “backing brains.” But developing human capital is a risky proposition. This intriguing history explores the challenges and triumphs in the Rockefeller Foundation’s efforts to invest in the people of Africa over the course of a century.
Israelis on the margins seek the chance to participate fully in the nation they love. We make it possible, increasing independence, opportunities, and support.
Making a Difference Through Research: Myers-JDC-Brookdale 40th Anniversary Br...mjbinstitute
Celebrating 40 years of the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute, with testimonials from key partners and highlights of research impacts. Learn how MJB has used applied socal research to help shape Israel's social policy and social service landscape since 1974.
For eighty years, the Jewish Agency has convened the Jewish people in an unparalleled partnership with a singular purpose: ensuring the Jewish future with a strong Israel at its heart. Together, we have built the State of Israel, bringing over three million Jews home, transformed deserts into communities, and offered opportunity where there was once devastation.
It is the donors, partners, and philanthropists around the world who join our efforts
through both undesignated and designated funding and enabling us to make a
difference. In Israel and around the world, we are able to be the Jewish world’s
representatives as we implement strategic activities, leverage other funds raised,
operate at capacity, and respond to rapidly changing realities and emerging
situations.
Shared Journey: The Rockefeller Foundation, Human Capital and Development in ...The Rockefeller Foundation
In every society, development depends on investment in institutions and individuals. Wickliffe Rose, an early leader in The Rockefeller Foundation, called this “backing brains.” But developing human capital is a risky proposition. This intriguing history explores the challenges and triumphs in the Rockefeller Foundation’s efforts to invest in the people of Africa over the course of a century.
Israelis on the margins seek the chance to participate fully in the nation they love. We make it possible, increasing independence, opportunities, and support.
3. GustaveLevenFounderoftheRashiFoundation
1914-2008
“GustaveLevenwasclearlyauniqueandspecialperson,
but because of his deep modesty and discretion, very
fewpeopleknewwhohereallywasandwhathebelieved
in. Now that he is no longer with us, it is time for his
story to be told.
Gustave came from a family strongly ingrained in
philanthropic tradition and culture; He was deeply
affected by the shameful attitude of the French
governmentduringtheSecondWorldWar,whichwas
a key factor in his focusing on Israel; And last but not
least, his exceptionally successful business career
gave him the means to realize his vision.
Gustave’s grandfather Narcisse, who came to France as a child, was a young lawyer
in 1860 when he founded with a few close friends the first modern international Jewish
organization: Alliance Israelite Universelle or Kol Israel Haverim (KIAH).
Alliance’s ambitious goal was to improve the lives of Jews living in poverty in the Muslim
countries around the Mediterranean, by creating a huge network of schools. Altogether,
over a million children were educated in Alliance schools, among them Mikve Israel –
the first agricultural school in Palestine.
Providing access to education as the key to social mobility, dignity and a higher standard
of living, was Narcisse Leven’s legacy. His son Georges, Gustave’s father, served as
president of Alliance in his turn. Gustave was brought up in this environment of concern
and dedication to the less fortunate.
Although he came from a traditional home, Gustave was not a religious man. He was,
however, profoundly Jewish, and had a strong sense of identity and solidarity with
the Jewish people. For him, social justice meant that everyone should be given equal
opportunities, and he was determined to provide these opportunities. From a speech by Hubert Leven, President of the Rashi Foundation, at the dedication of the Gustave Leven Campus at Tel Hai College
Gustave’s unfathomable generosity
has allowed many thousands of Israelis to fulfill their potential
and in this way strengthen the State of Israel.
Gustave felt the anti-Semitic policy of the French government during WW2 as a deep
wound. He understood that there is no assurance that the Jews in France would always
enjoy their civil liberties and basic human rights; only Israel could offer that.
ThisiswhyGustavewassoadamantonIsrael’ssecurity.HewastherewhenIsraelneeded
to strengthen its military capabilities, and he was particularly there to support what truly
makes the nation: its people. Investing in Israeli society, he believed, was crucial for
making Jews anywhere more secure. The overwhelming majority of his Foundation’s
resources would therefore be invested in Israel.
Gustavehadthetradition,
aswellasthevisionandthe
motivationtomakeIsraela
stronger and more secure
homelandfortheJews;he
also had the means to act on it, and the generosity to actually do so.
Although always on the lookout for an attractive business opportunity, his real life
business was Perrier. When he purchased the tiny mineral water company in 1948, it
was bottling some 15 million bottles a year. When he left it forty years later, Perrier alone
was bottling over a billion bottles, while along the way the group had purchased and
developed major brands in Europe and the United States, making it the world’s largest
mineral water company.
Gustave was an exceptional man, who had a great life but never forgot his ties to the
Jewish people and to Israel. His unfathomable generosity has allowed many thousands
of Israelis to fulfill their potential and in this way strengthen the State of Israel.
And this, I believe, is essentially what Gustave Leven should be remembered for.”
4 5
4. Members of the
General Assembly
Mr. Hubert Leven*
President
Lt. Gen. (Ret.)
Gabi Ashkenazi*
Chairman
Mr. Raphy Bensimon*
Vice President
Mr. Claude Broll*
Prof. Aharon
Ciechanover
Nobel Laureate for
Biochemistry
Mr. Joseph Ciechanover*
Ms. Florence de Lamaze
Mr. Ronny Douek
Mr. Amos Horev
Mr. Francois Leven
Ms. Geraldine Leven
Dr. Yitzhak Peterburg
Mr. Arnaud Saint Paul
Mr. Gabriel Bensimon
* Members of the Executive
Committee
6 7
Dear Friends and Partners,
While this report looks back at the Rashi Foundation’s activities in the
years 2012-2013,I would like to share with you some exciting developments and new
initiatives that we expect to mature in the near future.
Based on our strategic plan for the coming years, the Foundation is focusing on building
the capability to act as a social entrepreneur that identifies needs and designs innovative
solutions, and then scales them up through cross-sector partnerships and in reliance
on the operating capacity of its subsidiaries.
These efforts, led by our R&D and Entrepreneurship team, have already yielded an
agreementwiththeMinistryofDefenseonajointinitiativethatwilltakethecybereducation
program Magshimim through a quantum leap, expanding it from 400 participants to
4,800 within 5 years. Along with the tremendous value of promoting cyber excellence
for the country’s economy and security, it also presents an extraordinary opportunity to
catalyze social mobility; therefore the expansion is built on making a concerted effort
to reach youth from the geographic and social periphery and specific groups that have
been largely excluded from this field until now.
In a different sphere, the Ministry of Welfare has invited Rashi and JDC Israel to
cooperate in an ambitious program to help families get out of poverty. The program is
based on a model that we developed, which was adopted by the Ministry for large-scale
implementation – 5,000 families in 50 communities over the next two years. By offering
uniquesolutionsthatanswertheirneeds,wehopetominimizethefamilies’dependence
on social services until they become self-sufficient. And in yet another family-oriented
initiative, we are partnering with the Welfare Ministry and National Insurance to tackle
the issue of children and youth suffering from neglect.
Rashi views an investment in early childhood as one of its focus areas in the coming
years. We welcome the Ministry of Education’s initiative to formulate a comprehensive
national policy on early childhood and design a system that provides for a range of needs
and ensures good quality and accessible services. Accordingly, we intend to expand the
spread of our early childhood centers around the country, particularly in the periphery,
which will serve as a resource for any national program that will be developed.
Alongside the collaboration with government ministries, we are also working with other
philanthropies to develop a number of collective impact initiatives: projects to advance
the community of Ethiopian-Israelis, in partnership with the Tauber family; to promote
STEM education in partnership with the Trump Foundation and Intel; and to increase the
employmentopportunitiesavailabletoyoungpeoplefromunderprivilegedbackgrounds,
in partnership with the Gandyr Foundation.
I invite partners to join us in investing in these initiatives and others that are still in the
pipeline, to help secure their game-changing potential.
Lastly, my sincere thanks go out to friends and partners who have stepped up last
summer and took part in funding the relief efforts on the home front during Operation
Protective Edge. With dedicated work of the staff of Rashi and its subsidiaries, we were
able to reach nearly 40,000 children in southern communities and offer them much-
needed breathing space with learning- through-play activities and full-day outings. We
hope and pray for peaceful days that will allow us all to return to the “usual business”
of strengthening Israeli society.
Hubert Leven
President
5. 10 IntroducingtheRashiFoundation
12 MeetOurTeam
14 Strengtheningpubliceducation
14 Milat
15 Tzila
16 School Lunch Program
18 Revadim
20 Tafnit for Matriculation and Dropout Prevention
22 Darca – High School Network
24 Madarom
28 Science Centers for Youth
30 Carasso Science Park at the Gustave Leven Campus
34 Magshimim Program and the Ramot Campus
36 Future Scientists and Inventors
38 Mikve Israel Renewal Plan
40 Highereducationasanengineforindividualandsocialgrowth
40 Horizons to High-Tech
42 Katzir Scholarships Fund
45 Tel-Hai Academic College
46 Kinneret Academic College
47 Tzfat Academic College
Contents
48 Servicesforat-riskchildrenandyouth
48 Early Childhood Programs
52 Treatment Centers for Sexually Abused Children
54 Warm Homes for Teenage Girls in Distress
56 Goldberg Community Anchor Youth Village
58 Pharmadom Desert Spirit Village
60 Challenge Centers
62 Community Health Program
64 Solutionsforthespecial-needspopulations
64 Sheltered Employment and Housing
66 Migdal Or
68 TheoperatingarmsoftheRashiFoundation
69 Association for Change in Education
70 Yeholot Association
72 Darca Association
74 Beit Yatziv
76 Yahdav Association
78 Northern Goals Association
80 Gvahim Association
82 Ma’ase Association
84 Partneringwithotherphilanthropies
6. The Rashi Foundation is an independent private fund that has been working for nearly
30 years to assist the underprivileged in Israel, especially the younger generation, by
narrowing gaps in education and social welfare. Our activity focuses on core areas in
which we hope to achieve the most impact.
Strengthening public education
Awareofthelargegapswithintheeducationsystem,westrivetoempowerschoolsin
cooperationwiththeMinistryofEducation.TheFoundation’sprogramsallowchildren
to enjoy the benefits of an extended school day, encourage science and technology
studies and introduce youth with high potential to academia, while also advancing
low-achievingschoolstudentstowardssuccessfulgraduationandpreventingdropout.
Promoting higher education
Our scholarship programs aim to remove the social and economic obstacles that
prevent talented young people from pursuing academic studies. At the same time,
we invest in the development of colleges, which help to attract a young, dynamic
population to the periphery and generate regional growth.
Upgrading services for children and youth at risk
By enhancing community-based services and out-of-home settings, we aspire to
set a new standard of quality that will ultimately be adopted by the government.
Our efforts are directed at developing innovative, culturally-sensitive solutions for
prevention, detection and treatment of at-risk children, including an expansion and
improvement of early childhood services.
Developing solutions for special-needs populations
The foundation's activity focuses on housing and employment frameworks for
individuals with physical and mental disabilities, which help them to achieve a higher
level of independence and live in dignity within the community.
Inordertocreatearealaddedvalueandsustainableimpact,Rashiactsasanentrepreneur
inthesocialarena:Itprovidesanenvironmentfortestingthefeasibilityandeffectiveness
of innovative solutions, and develops them into programs and services that set new
standards in their fields. In this way, the Foundation has proven time and again its ability
to start up social initiatives and lead them to self-sufficiency, whether by transferring
the responsibility to the government or local authorities, or by helping to secure other
sources of funding.
Philanthropy in Action
Introducing the Rashi Foundation
The Foundation's structure reflects our effort to build the head office as an expert body
withprofessionalresourcesandthecapacitytoidentifyneedsandopportunities,whilethe
subsidiary associations gain experience and knowledge as operating arms and progress
towards independence. The various headquarters units deal with different aspects of
program development, implementation and evaluation, as well as partner relationships.
The Research, Development and Entrepreneurship Unit was established in light of the
needtodeepenourknowledgeandanalysiscapabilityasabasisfordecisionmaking.The
new unit will play a central role in determining the Foundation's future directions in an
ever-changing environment, building models and methodologies in response to trends
and developments in the social arena and in accordance with the Foundation's mission.
The Evaluation Unit carries out research studies (in-house or through outsourcing),
intended to define relevant and measurable goals for each program and to measure its
successinachievingthesegoals.TheUnitrecentlybegandevelopingtoolsforestimating
thesocialreturnoninvestment(SROI),whichwillallowustoassesstheactualeconomic
benefit to society from enabling individuals to realize their full potential.
The Capital Projects Unit deals each year with dozens of construction and renovation
projects, which expand or upgrade facilities required for the provision of education and
welfare services. We take on the full cost of managing the construction as a service to
ourpartners,evenwhentheFoundationisnotamongthefundingpartnersoftheproject.
Our financial and legal teams are involved in every project from the start, whether it was
initiated by Rashi or by a partner. The Finance Department is responsible for budget
planning,supervisesthefinancesofprojectsbeingimplemented,andreportstopartners
on the progress of the project and the utilization of their funds. The Legal Department
secures agreements and contracts with philanthropic partners, government ministries,
localauthorities,serviceprovidersandoperatingbodies,andhandlesotherlegalmatters
such as bids, permits, guarantees and so on.
10 11
7. Rashi’s activity is led by a professional team with a mandate to initiate new
programs and advance their implementation, under the guidance of the Foundation
management which includes representatives of the Leven family and prominent
figures in Israeli academia, economy and philanthropy. In addition to expertise in
their respective fields, all the team members share a commitment to work for the
benefit of our target population and Israeli society as a whole.
Shira Ben-Or
VP, Partnerships
Meet Our Team
Organizational Structure
Internal Auditor
Spirit Committee
Supervisory Board
Rashi Foundation (Amuta)
Israel
General Director
Deputy Director
Subsidiary Associations
Yahdav
Association
Northern
Goals
Association
Gvahim
Association
Ma’ase
Association
Yeholot
Association
Darca
Association
Beit Yatziv
Association
for Change
in Education
Head Office Units
Evaluation &
Measurement
Research &
Development
Marketing &
Communications
Finance &
Human Resources
Legal Services
Partnerships
Information
Technology
Capital Projects
& Purchasing
Avi Hardon
VP, Legal Advisor
Miki Nevo
Senior VP, R&D and
Entrepreneurship
Liron Azriel
Director of
Information Technology
Yaniv Zehavi
Director of
Purchasing
and Operation
Zehorit Perets
Director of Finance
and HR
Einav Karasenty
Director of
Marketing &
Communications
Eyal Lehr
Director of
Capital Projects
Yael Bala Avni
Director of Evaluation
and Measurement
12 13
Amir Nardi
Internal Auditor
Meir Elmaliah
Senior VP
& Deputy Director
Itzik Turgeman
General Director
Gabi Ashkenazi
Chairman
Lt. Gen. (Ret.)
8. Partners
Ministry of
Education
Local authorities
Operating arm
Association
for Change
in Education
Strengthening public education
Laying the Foundations
for the Future
Milat
Scope: 37,000 pupils in 2012-3
Milat(HebrewacronymforSupplementary
Learning Frameworks) is a nationwide
program to advance pupils educationally
and socially, focusing on the periphery and
onpopulationsinneedofspecialattention-
amongthemnewimmigrantsandchildren
whosefamilieswereevacuatedfromtheKatif
region. It began in 2006 as continuation of
the Enriched School Day program, which
was initiated by Rashi and adopted by the
Ministry of Education.
Milat extends the school day with lunch,
educationalreinforcement,enrichmentand
individual treatment for pupils with special
difficulties.Theprogramincludesatotalof
1,200 schools and kindergartens in about
70 localities. It is presently operated by the
AssociationforChangeinEducationunder
governmenttenderwithnofundingbyRashi,
indicating that the state has assumed full
responsibility for the pupils’ needs.
Partners
Ministry of
Education
Local authorities
Operating arm
Association
for Change
in Education
Tzila
Scope: 23,000 pupils in 2012-3
One of the main recommendations of the
Trajtenberg Committee, established in
response to the civil protest of 2011, was to
extend the school day for all children aged
3-9; this was approved by the government
in early 2012.
In carrying out the recommendation, the
Ministry of Education has launched Tzila
(Hebrew acronym for Midday Enrichment
Program), which is based on the model of
Milat. This program is planned to reach
eventuallycloseto900.000children,starting
with localities in the lowest socioeconomic
bracket. The Association for Change in
Educationwaschosenasoneoftheoperating
bodies.
While the new program is fully funded
by the government, in order to expedite
the implementation we have undertaken
the challenge of bringing a school lunch
to all the participants. This has been
accomplishedthankstothebroadcapabilities
and dedicated staff of the Association for
Change in Education, which operates the
national School Lunch Program.
Playing chess as part of
the enrichment element
of Milat develops
cognitive skills and
improves concentration
Over 80%of Milat pupils
improved their scholastic performance
in math and language skills
According to a study carried out by the Education Ministry in 35 elemantary schools
14 15Strengthening public education Strengthening public education
9. SchoolLunchProgram
Scope: 320,000 children in 2012-3
(including Milat and Tzila)
Rashi became involved in initiating the
national Lunch Program in the belief that
a nutritious meal is an essential part of
programs that extend the school day,
especiallythoseintendedforchildrenfrom
low-income families. We provided initial
support to launch the program in 2004,
and then rallied to ensure its continuation
through legislation.
Partners
Ministry of
Education
Local authorities
Operating arm
Association
for Change
in Education
Since 2006, the program operates under
governmenttender,whenmostofthefunding
comesfromtheEducationMinistryandlocal
authorities. We use the organizational and
professional capacityofouroperatingarm,
the Association for Change in Education, to
providemealsforparticipantsofotherformal
and informal frameworks, among them
Milat and Warm Homes for teenage girls.
In response to a request of the Welfare
Ministry, we took part in a new initiative
to provide meals as part of recreational
summer activity for children at risk during
August, when all the frameworks that
extend the school day are closed. After a
successfulpilotin2011andanexpansionto
2,500 participants the following summer,
the Ministry has decides to incorporate it
into the national program for children and
youth at risk.
Through a focused effort,
we doubled the number of daily meals
to 320,000 within a short time to
enable more children to enjoy
an extended school day
16 17Strengthening public education Strengthening public education
10. even surpassed itWhile the scores of Revadim pupils came close
to the national average and even surpassed it,
their peers in similar schools
that were not included in the program
remained well below the average
Revadim
Scope: 22,000 pupils in 2012-3
Revadim–anationwideinitiativetosupport
elementary schools in the periphery,
developed out of the experience we gained
with JDC Israel in comprehensive school
interventions aiming to provide a broad
solution to all school pupils – an envelope
of educational, social and emotional
support that helps every child to realize
his or her potential. After implementing
these interventions in different versions
over several years, we brought them all
together while refining the concept and
methodology – theory and practice. The
initiative began in the 2010-1 school year
and now includes more than 70 schools.
Revadim provides schools with a range
of pedagogic solutions and services that
connect with and supplement the Ministry
of Education’s resources. These solutions
are offered in an integrative approach that
takesintoaccounttheuniqueneedsofeach
schoolandinvolvestheentireschoolteamin
the process. Our goal is to see measurable
improvement in the management of the
schools,theprofessionalcapabilityoftheir
staff,thepupils’achievements,thephysical
environmentandthesocialclimate,aswell
astheschool’sconnectiontothecommunity.
Revadim targets low-performing schools
with a high rate of under-achieving pupils.
In order to examine the effectiveness of
the intervention, we looked to see how
Revadim schools scored in the nationwide
Meitzav exams compared to other schools
withsimilarcharacteristics(controlgroup).
The study found that while the schools
in the control group were well below the
national average, Revadim schools came
closetotheaverageandevensurpassedit.
Partners
Jewish Federation
of Metropolitan
Detroit
UJC of MetroWest
NJ
Jewish Federations
of Canada - UIA
Jewish Federation
of Chicago
Warren and
Mitzi Eisenberg
Foundation
Susan and
Leonard Feinstein
Foundation
Jacobson Family
Foundation
Jay and Jill
Bernstein
CEJP
JDC-Israel
Gazit-Globe Israel
Avi Chai Foundation
Glencore
Foundation
Agudat Sabah
UJIA - Britain
Operating arm
Association
for Change in
Education
Scores in the Meitzav exams
in relation to the national average
-1.07
-0.22
Hebrew
-0.04
-0.34
English
-0.14
-0.33
Math
0.28
-0.09
Science
National average
Revadimschools
Controlgroup
18 19Strengthening public education Strengthening public education
11. TafnitforMatriculationandDropoutPrevention
TheTafnitprogramaimstoincreasematriculationsuccessamongthelowest-achieving
high school students. Its method is based on accelerated learning to reduce large gaps,
building motivation and self-confidence through a chain of successes, and nurturing
fresh attitudes and skills among teachers.
Based on economic calculations,
we expect that the investment
in Start graduates will be repaid 3.4 timeswithin 10 years
Partners
Check Point
Software
Technologies
U.S. Department of
State: MEPI
JFNA Social Venture
Fund for Jewish-
Arab Equality and
Shared Society
Glencore Society
for Education and
Welfare
Dr. Steve Solomon
Rosalinde and
Arthur Gilbert
Foundation
Goldberg Charitable
Trust
Aurec Humanity
Earth Alliance Fund
Ben and Ester
Rosenbloom
Foundation
Jewish Funders
Network
Ministry of
Education
Local authorities
School networks
Operating arm
Yeholot
“Start” Program
Scope: 2,700 students in 2012-13
“Start”, one of the main models of Tafnit,
targets students who are on the verge of
dropping out at the end of 9th grade; they
get a chance to complete high school with
matriculation, through intensive studies
during the regular school day, after school
and during holidays.
The results are impressive: in2012,65%of
Start graduates attained matriculation - a
remarkablefigureforstudentswhosegrade
average before the program was under 54.
Yeholot(“Abilities”)Association,ouroperating
armspecializinginmatriculationprograms,
hasreachedanagreementwiththeMinistry
ofEducationonajointventurefornationwide
expansion of Start. At the same time,
knowing that matriculation is just the first
steptowardshighereducation,webeganto
helpgraduatesprepareforthepsychometric
examandimprovetheirmatriculationscores
to meet the admission criteria, and to offer
scholarships for their academic studies.
Theinterestinapplyingcost-benefitanalysis
in the evaluation of social programs has
beengrowinginrecentyears.Ourevaluation
department has designed a unique model
tocalculatethesocialreturnoninvestment
(SROI)usingtheStartprogramasanexample.
Based on the matriculation rate of Start
students,wecanpredictwithahighdegree
of probability how many will gain higher
education and thus reach better paying
jobs. This in turn will increase their direct
contributiontotheeconomythroughthetax
they pay (there are also indirect benefits,
but these are more difficult to quantify). A
calculationofthedirectbenefitindicatesthat:
• Theamountinvestedinastudentduring
the program (around $5,600) is repaid
within3yearsfromenteringemployment
• Over 10 years, the rate of return on the
investment is 1:3.4
• The average contribution of every
participant through his entire career is
$75,000 higher than a non-participant
from a similar background
“Last Hurdle” Program
Scope: 1,900 students in 2012-13
Alongsidethe3-yearStartprogram,Yeholot
operates another model of Tafnit - “Last
Hurdle”–whichappliesthesameprinciples
tohelpstudentspasstheexaminasubject
that is an obstacle to full matriculation.
The studies take place over one semester,
mostly after regular school hours and in
special “marathon” days. As a short-term,
relativelysimpleprogram,itoftenservesas
a “pilot” for entering the more demanding
Start program.
20 21Strengthening public education Strengthening public education
12. Darca–HighSchool
Network
Scope: 12,000 students (forecast for 2013-4)
Darca,thehighschoolnetworkestablished
byRashiinpartnershipwithAlliance-KIAH,
seeks to bridge the gaps and inequalities
in the Israeli education system in two main
ways: qualitative impact, by professional
advancementanddevelopmentofleadership
amongst principals and teachers; and
quantitativeimpact,byprovidingadditional
resources that increase the opportunities
available to students in the periphery.
The Darca Network currently includes
21 schools across Israel, from the Upper
Galilee to the Arava in the far south. After
undertaking the responsibility for the
school's operation, by the request of the
local authority and with the consent of the
MinistryofEducation,theNetworkinitiates
many changes, introducing programs to
advance youth at risk alongside a system
that promotes excellence and educational
innovation. When required, Darca also
takes remedial actions, including physical
renovation and intensive assistance with
operation,organization,safety,financeand
other matters.
As part of Darca's overall support, the
schoolsbenefitfrompedagogicadvisorswho
helpthemdevelopteachingstrategies,and
activitiesareheldtoempowereducationaland
administrativestaffandtoadvancestudent
leadership. In addition, the Network works
tostrengthenJewish-Israeliidentityandto
cultivate values of social responsibility and
community involvement.
Partners
Alliance-Kiah
American Friends of
Darca
UJA Federation of
New York
Adelis Foundation
Israel Center for
Excellence through
Education
Ministry of
Education
Agudat Sabah
André Chouraqui
Local authorities
Operating arm
Darca
Theinvestmentinteachinghours,
educationalprogramsandsupport
forteachersandprincipals
hasledtoanincreaseof15%
inthematriculationratesofDarcastudents
2011/2
2010/1 (before joining the Darca Network) Matriculation Rates in Darca Schools
Druze High School for Science, Yarca
Hamatmid School, Kiryat Shmona
Ulpanit, Kiryat Shmona
Danciger High School, Kiryat Shmona
New High School, Bat Yam
Comprehensive High School, Netivot
National Average
48%
92%
78%
90%
75%
88%
70%
64%
68%
60%
47%
55%
13%
22 23Strengthening public education Strengthening public education
13. Partners
Ministry of
Education
Ben-Gurion
University
Local authorities
Operating arm
Beit Yatziv
Thematriculationscoresoftheparticipants
oftheAccesstoHigherEducationprogramare
onaparwiththoseofthebeststudents
fromtownsincentralIsrael
Madarom
Scope: 22,000 pupils
Madarom, a long-term project to promote
scienceandtechnologyeducationinsouthern
Israel,beganasajointventureoftheRashi
Foundation and the Ministry of Education,
and has been operating since 2008 under
governmenttender.Itincludesawiderange
of programs, from introduction to science
forkindergartenchildrentoacademic-level
research for high school students. While
the project is fully funded by the Education
Ministry,Rashiinvestsadditionalresources
in activities of special importance, such as
the Ilan Ramon Physics Center for Youth,
the Access to Higher Education Program,
science summer camps, and more.
An expansion of the Madarom model to
the northern region that started in 2011
presently allows about 4,000 children and
youth in the Galilee and Golan heights to
enjoy a variety of science enrichment and
excellence programs. These programs
operate in cooperation with the schools
and with academic institutes such as Tel-
Hai College, Ort Braude College and Migal
– Galilee Research Institute.
Access to Higher Education program
The Access to Higher Education program
prepares talented high school students
for studies in competitive and demanding
academic programs. The participants
benefitfromextrareinforcementatschoolto
improvetheirmatriculationscores,andalso
attend academic courses at the university
on Fridays. Some 1,000 students from the
Negev,includingitsBedouincommunities,
took part in the program in the 2012-3
school year.
An evaluation of the program found that
nearlyallthegraduates(95%-98%)earna
matriculationdiplomathatmeetsuniversity
admissionsrequirements.Moreover,their
achievementsareequivalenttothoseofthe
beststudentsfromestablishedcommunities
in central Israel, who have a much higher
socio-economic background.
24 25Strengthening public education Strengthening public education
14. Ilan Ramon Physics Center for Youth
The Ilan Ramon Physics Center for Youth
(IRC) at Ben Gurion University offers
advanced physics studies with hands-on
experience in sophisticated laboratories,
as well as guidance in matriculation
researchprojectsforhighschoolstudents.
A second branch, the astronomy center in
BeitYatziv,operatesenrichmentprograms
targetingelementaryandjuniorhighschool
pupils, including special events such as an
annual astronomy quiz and science fairs.
Together they reach approximately 12,000
participants per year, among them 1,000
high school students working on individual
matriculation projects.
Since IRC opened in 2007, the number of
students who choose to study physics in
high school has increased by 21% in the
southernregion,whiletherewaspractically
no increase in the rest of the country. The
center’sstudentsconsistentlywinawardsfor
outstandingresearchprojectsinbothnational
and international science competitions.
In last year’s First Step to Nobel Prize in
Physics competition, a student of IRC was
awardedfirstprize,andeightothersreceived
honorablementions,togetherwithfiveother
Israeli participants. These achievements
enabled Israel to rank at the top of all the
participating countries, for the first time in
the history of the competition.
Anewinitiativethatweintroducedcombines
the work on research projects with an
educational visit to the world’s largest
particle accelerator at CERN, Switzerland.
After a successful pilot trip in 2012, two
groups of students visited CERN this year
as an official delegation sponsored by the
MinistryofEducation,andtheprogramwas
enriched by adding joint activity with youth
from the Jewish community of Geneva.
Nine IRCstudents won awards
in the First Step to Nobel Prize
in Physics competition, allowing Israel
to rank first among the participating countries
May Alon, who won
awards in physics
competitions in Israel
and abroad with her
research work at IRC,
tutors children at the
astronomy center of
Beit Yatziv as part of her
national service
26 27Strengthening public education Strengthening public education
15. Partners
Jewish Federations
of Canda - UIA
Carasso Family
Daniel Foundation
Check Point Software
Technologies
Ministry of Education
Academic institutes
The academiacan and should
play a major role in advancing
science education at school
ScienceCentersforYouth
Scope: 15,000 students
Reversing the alarming decline in science
and technology education in Israel is a
matterofnationalimportancethatrequires
a focused, intensive effort. The decline is
reflected in the continuous decrease in
the number of science students, as well
as in their achievements. One of its main
causes is the fact that schools, especially
in the periphery, have great difficulty
recruiting science teachers and providing
an advanced learning environment that
supports research-based learning.
In response to this situation, we developed
a model of regional science centers for
youth that utilize the excellent knowledge
andinfrastructureoftheacademicworldin
order to advance the teaching of science at
school. Operating within or near academic
institutes,thesecenterswillintroducehigh
school students to cutting-edge research,
support and guide them in their research
projects, and at the same time enhance
the professional skills of school teachers.
Based on the successful operation of this
model at Ben Gurion University (The Ilan
RamonCenter)andTelHaiCollege(Academic
CenterforYouth),weareplanningtodevelop
a network of such centers across Israel,
with an emphasis on the periphery. The
networkwillserveasaplatformforsharing
knowledgeandresources,andasachannel
for the school system to reach its goals in
science and technology education.
In partnership with the DanielFoundation,
wehavealreadybeguntheestablishmentof
the Jusidman Center for Science-Oriented
Youth at Ben Gurion University. The new
center,tobecompletedbymid-2016,willbe
a home for all of the university’s programs
aimed at attracting youth to science study
andnurturingtheirtalents.Itwillalsoserve
as a meeting space for youth, university
students and faculty, and as a center for
enrichment and empowerment of school
teachers.
28 29Strengthening public education Strengthening public education
16. “This is a festive occasion, a pleasure to see
the unique combination of history, architectural splendor and
educational vision: allowing children, even at the age of 90,
to enjoy a firsthand experience of science”
Israel’s President Mr. Shimon Peres at the opening of the Carasso Science Park
Partners
Carasso Family
Be’er Sheva
Municipality
State Lottery
Ministry of
Education
Ministry for
Development of the
Negev and Galilee
Israel Atomic Energy
Commission
Operating arm
Beit Yatziv
CarassoSciencePark
attheGustaveLeven
Campus
TheCarassoScienceParkinBe’erSheva,our
flagship project in science and technology
education, opened in June 2013 in a festive
inauguration ceremony with President
Shimon Peres as the guest of honor.
ThePark,aone-of-itskindsciencemuseum
inIsrael,opensthegatewaytothefascinating
worldofscienceandtechnologyforchildren
andadultsalike.Schoolchildreninparticular
willenjoyitsactivitiesaspartoftheirformal
studiesaswellasthroughextra-curricular
enrichment programs. The Park will invite
them to experiment and discover, exciting
andignitingtheimaginationsothatscience
becomes part of their aspirations and
future plans.
Theinteractive,thought-provokingexhibits
present a broad range of subjects from
unique perspectives that illustrate their
connection to our daily lives. Among the
topics:LightandSight,SoundandHearing,
The Code of Life (molecular biology and
genetics), The Nucleus of Science (nuclear
energy and its uses in medicine, industry,
etc.), Chip’s World (micro-electronics), and
more. Next to each exhibition there is a
laboratory,wherethepupilswilllearnmore
about the topic introduced in the exhibits
through demonstrations and experiments.
Among the many attractions at the Park:
an outdoor Science Garden with giant
sculptural displays that teach in a fun way
thescientificprinciplesbehindphenomena
we take for granted; and a Toddler’s Zone
resembling a playground, which invites
them along with their parents to explore
the world through their senses.
30 31Strengthening public education Strengthening public education
17. Thespectaculararchitecturaldesignofthe
Park combines a restored historic building
with state-of-the-art exhibition halls to
create a unique look that connects past,
presentandfuture.Itwillbecomeacentral
landmark in Be’er Sheva and a source of
pride for its residents, while serving as a
catalyst for the revival of the Old City and a
magnet for tourists. Moreover, we believe
that thanks to its close ties with the school
system, the Park will have a substantial
impactoneducationalachievementsinthe
entire region, thereby helping to bring new
residents to the Negev.
ThePark’sopeningcelebrationsbeganwith
amodestdedicationceremonyoftheGustave
Leven Campus, which encompasses the
science park and the adjacent Beit Yatziv
(our operating arm for science education
programs).GustaveLeven,Rashi’sfounder,
was among the major donors to the State
of Israel since its earliest days, primarily
throughtheFoundationbutalsoasaprivate
donor.
The integrated campus, with facilities
for education, guest accommodation and
recreation,ispresentlyundergoingphysical
upgrade designed to build its capacity as
an incubator for educational initiatives.
It will serve as a hub for the network of
existing and future science centers in the
South,assistindevelopingtheireducational
content and guide their activity.
NamingthecampusafterGustaveLeven
isasmalltributetothefounderoftheRashiFoundation,
whoinvestedthefortunehemadeinhisbusinesscareer
instrengtheningIsraelanditssociety
The President of Rashi
(left), The President of
Israel and the Mayor of
Be'er Sheva dedicate the
Gustave Leven Campus
32 33Strengthening public education Strengthening public education
18. Partners
Ministry of Defence
Israel National Cyber
Bureau
Ministry of Education
State Lottery
Adelis Foundation
Anonymous donor
Operating arm
Beit Yatziv
Accordingtotheircommanders
intheIDF,thegraduates
ofMagshimimoutperformtheirpeers
inIntelligenceCorpsunitsMagshimimProgramand
theRamotCampus
Scope: 200 students in 2012-3
In recent years it has become increasingly
clear that Israel’s prosperity and security
arecloselylinkedtoitsabilitytoprotectvital
information and communication systems
against cyber-attacks. The Magshimim
program was initiated in the belief that
there are many talented young people in
theperipherywhocanbetrainedtobecome
cyber experts in the IDF, and eventually to
lead the high-tech industry in Israel.
Magshimim targets high school students
who show a high academic potential and
computeraptitude,aswellascommitment
andself-discipline. Afterathoroughscreening
process,theybeginachallengingthree-year
training course with two afternoon study
sessionseachweek,alongwithmotivational
activitiesandvisitstohigh-techcompanies
and Intelligence Corps units.
Following a successful pilot project,
Magshimim was adopted earlier this year
by the Ministry of Defense as a national
program.Itpresentlyoperatesinsixlocations
innorthernandsouthernIsrael,andwillbe
expandedtoinclude600participantswithin
the next two years.
While the Magshimim program teaches
the skills required for serving in the elite
technological units of the Intelligence
Corps, we have also agreed to assist the
establishment of a pre-military training
facilityfortheIntelligenceCorps:theRamot
Campus.InajointinitiativewiththeMinistry
of Defense, the campus will be built in
Be’er Sheva as part of the national plan for
transferringIDFbasesfromthecenterofthe
country to the Negev. Locating the campus
within the city, near Ben Gurion University,
will enable it to play an important role in
shapingtheaspirationsandfutureofyoung
people living in southern Israel.
Rashi brings to the initiative its knowledge
and experience in managing large-scale
capital projects, and is also working to
recruit partners in Israel and abroad. The
planning of the campus has been finished,
and its construction is expected to be
completed in 2016.
34 35Strengthening public education Strengthening public education
19. FutureScientistsand
Inventors
Scope: 150 students in 2012-3
This unique program nurtures a new
generation of inventors, scientists and
engineers to lead R&D at universities and
inthehigh-techindustryinIsrael.Students
in 9th grade with exceptional abilities are
invitedtojoinachallengingprograminspired
by an initiative of President Shimon Peres
anddevelopedincooperationwiththeGifted
StudentsDivisionoftheEducationMinistry,
academicinstitutes,thehigh-techindustry
and the IDF.
Thefour-yearprogramcombinesacademic-
level courses with hands-on research and
training to provide tools for realization of
ideas–teamwork,creativethinking,planning
and management of projects. When they
graduate,thestudentswillbeguidedtoward
the IDF technology and intelligence units,
where their skills are greatly needed, or to
one of the Academic Cadets tracks.
The program began in August 2009 in
the Science-Oriented Youth Unit at Tel
Aviv University. Based on the experience
gained in the first two years, and thanks
to the recruitment of new partners, it has
expanded to the Technion in 2011-2; Ben-
Gurion University is expected to join next
year. The Ministry of Education takes part
in the steering committee and has agreed
in principle to join as a funding partner in
the next phase.
Partners
Check point
Software
Technologies
Karev Foundation
Ministry of
Education
Technion
Tel Aviv University
Mellanox
Technologies
Keter Industries
A group of Future Scientists
joined Space IL – the Israeli team
taking part in the global competition
to land a robot
on the
moon
Rafael Sherbu Cohen,
a student in the Future
Scientists program, with
a model of the Israeli
spacecraft competing in the
Google Lunar X-Prize moon
challenge
36 37Strengthening public education Strengthening public education
20. Partners
Alliance Israélite
Universelle - KIAH
Merage Israel
Foundation
Friends of AIU
in Southern
California
Agudat Sabah
Ministry of
Education
Ministry of Finance
Prime Minister’s
Office
Society for
Preservation of
Heritage Sites
MikveIsraelfacesthechallenge
ofshowinghowwecan
deepenourroots
whenthelandbecomescovered
bybuildings
MikveIsraelRenewalPlan
Rashi has a time-honored connection to
MikveIsrael,thefirstagriculturalschoolin
Israelfoundedin1870byAlliance–KolIsrael
Haverim (KIAH), an organization that the
Leven family supported since its first days.
Today,thevillagehastwolong-established
high schools (secular and religious), and a
one-of-its-kind French-Israeli School that
openedin2006;theyeducateatotalof1,200
youngsters, including 240 boarding school
students.
Over the years, as Israel developed into a
technologically-advanced country and the
village was surrounded by urban areas,
Mikve’straditionalstrengthslostrelevance;
this was reflected in a reduction of public
resourcesanddecliningstudentregistration.
RashiandKIAHjoinedforcesinanambitious
renewalplanthataimstopreservethebest
ofthepastwhilebuildingthefuture,sothat
Mikve Israel will regain its leading position
in shaping Israeli society.
The plan, implemented in conjunction
with the Education Ministry, the Finance
Ministry and the Project for Restoration of
National Heritage Sites (Tamar), has two
main elements:
• CreatingamodernEducationalCampus
that will allow the number of students
to grow and facilitate cooperation and
poolingofresourcesbetweentheschools.
A science center within the campus will
serve students of all three schools, as
well as youth from neighboring towns.
• Revitalizing the Historic Site that
represents the heritage of Mikve Israel
and developing it into an educational-
culturalcenterthatoffersamemorable
experience for visitors.
The implementation has started with the
constructionofnewpremisesfortheReligious
School, which is presently located in the
midst of the historic area; it is expected to
becompletedduring2014.Thethreeschools
werealsointegratedintotheDarcaNetwork
– another joint initiative of Rashi and KIAH
intendedtostrengthenIsraelihighschools
on their way to excellence. In addition, an
old,unuseddormitorybuildingisundergoing
renovationtoenabletheadmissionofmore
students to the Religious School.
Inthehistoricsite,thePractitioners’House
is being restored to serve as the new
educational center of KIAH.
38 39Strengthening public education Strengthening public education
21. 40 41Higher Education as an engine for individual and social growthHigher Education as an engine for individual and social growth
HorizonstoHigh-Tech
Scope: 530 students in 2012-3
The Horizons to High-Tech program offers
talented young people in the geographic
and social periphery an opportunity to
acquireanacademicdegreeinengineering
or the sciences, even if they do not meet
the admissions criteria or cannot afford
the cost of higher education. In this way
we hope both to narrow social gaps and to
addressthecriticalneedforhighlyqualified
engineers and scientists, who will enable
Israel to maintain its global position at the
forefrontofscienceandhigh-techindustries.
Theprogramidentifiesdischargedsoldiers
with academic potential and motivation,
and invites them to participate in a special,
extendedpre-academicpreparatorycourse.
Thosewhocompletethecoursesuccessfully
continue to degree programs, while they
enjoyatuitionscholarship,alivingstipend,
educationalreinforcementandsocialsupport.
We are making special efforts to recruit
candidates from the Ethiopian community,
andprovideadditionalsupporttohelpthem
overcome the initial difficulties.
HorizonstoHigh-TechbeganattheTechnion
inNovember2008,andwaslaterexpandedto
includeTelAvivandBenGurionUniversities.
TheHebrewUniversityofJerusalemrecently
joined the program as well. A total of 936
studentsenteredthepreparatorycoursein
thefirstfiveenrollmentperiods,and72%of
the graduates were accepted for academic
studiesinuniversitiesorcolleges.Ourlong-
term goal is for most of the participants to
haveacareerinknowledge-basedfields,and
eventually help new students as mentors
and funders.
Partners
Mr. Yehuda Zisapel
Ministry of Defense
– Discharged
Soldiers Unit
Technion Alumni
Association
Israel Association
of Electronics and
Software Industries
Jewish Community
Federation of San
Francisco
UIA Federation of
New York
Gruss Fund
The Art Foundation
RAD-Bynet Group
Business donors
Universities
Higher education as an engine for individual
and social growth
Taking Higher Learning
to the Next Level
70%At the Technion, 70%of the graduates
of the last pre-academic course
were accepted to degree programs,
even in the prestigious faculties
of electrical engineering
and computer science
22. KatzirScholarshipsFund
Scope: 1,200 students in 2012-3
The Katzir Scholarship Fund, established
13 years ago, is named after Prof. Ephraim
Katzir, Israel’s fourth President and one of
the first members of the Rashi Foundation
Board. Its goal is to help young people
overcome social and economic barriers
andobtainhighereducation,thusenabling
themtoachievepersonaladvancementand
change the course of their lives.
Unlikemostscholarshipfunds,Katziroffers
its students much more than financial
assistance; each student enjoys academic
and emotional support and even material
aid as necessary. The success of this
comprehensiveapproachisreflectedinthe
verylowdropoutrateofKatzirscholars:only
3% in 2012. We plan to further enhance the
programbyencouragingyoungpeoplewith
academic potential to register for higher
education, and helping the graduates find
suitable employment.
Katzirhasseveralscholarshipprograms,all
targetingdisadvantagedpopulationswhose
chancesofacquiringanacademiceducation
withoutassistanceareslim:singlemothers,
graduates of youth villages and boarding
schools, Ethiopian students, discharged
women soldiers who lack family support,
and others. To date, the fund has awarded
more than 14,000 annual scholarships,
and over 5,000 program participants have
graduated.
The Katzir Fund also aims to empower
students to become active members of
society. Every student is required to do
some volunteer work, and many of them
take part in a leadership group program
thatcultivatessocialawarenessalongwith
acommitmenttoputidealsintoactionusing
the tools they acquired.
Partners
Yahel (Recanati)
Foundation
Agudat Sabah
MK Humanitarian
Fund
Ted Arison
Foundation
Saban Family
Foundation
UJA Federation of
New York
Yedidut Toronto
Institutes of higher
education
Perach
Students who received
personal coaching had more confidence
in their ability to shape their future
by planning and hard work
From the findings of an evaluation study of the scholarship program for single mothers
42 43Higher Education as an engine for individual and social growthHigher Education as an engine for individual and social growth
23. The new library
at Tel Hai College
BuildinginfrastructureinAcademicColleges
TheRashiFoundationworkstoreinforceteachingandresearchinfrastructureinacademic
institutes, particularly colleges in the Negev and Galilee, by investing in the construction
ofclassrooms,laboratories,librariesandotherfacilities,aswellasstudentdormitories.
The regional academic colleges make higher education more accessible to residents of
the periphery, attract students and faculty from central Israel, and generate regional
growth.
Our experience has enabled us to expand our activity beyond the management of
construction projects to assistance in preparing master plans, pooling and leveraging
resources, and more. We also strive to strengthen the connection between academic
institutes and the community, and especially to increase their involvement in science
and technology education through excellence centers for youth.
Partners
ICA Foundation
Jewish Federations
of Canada - UIA
UJIA (Britain)
IDB Group
Council for Higher
Education
Carasso Family
Ministry of
Education
Tel Hai College
Tel-HaiAcademicCollege
InOctober2012,fouryearsafteritsopening,
thenew(eastern)campusofTel-HaiAcademic
College was named after Gustave Leven,
thefounderoftheRashiFoundation.Inthis
way,theCollegeexpresseditsappreciation
fortheFoundation’scentralroleincreating
thecampusthroughasubstantialinvestment
of financial and professional resources.
The campus was built in stages and now
includesthreemulti-purposebuildingswith
lecture halls, classrooms, laboratories, an
auditoriumandfacultyrooms,aswellasan
academiclibrarythatopenedinthesummer
of 2013. All of these facilities share a high
standardofqualitythatcompareswiththat
of leading universities in Israel.
The Academic Center for Youth that was
established on the College’s older campus
operates in close cooperation with the
Migal Research Institute in nearby Kiryat
Shmona. The Center enables students
from schools throughout the region to
experience hands-on laboratory work in
an advanced learning environment, as
the first step towards academic studies in
the future. Since its programs are in great
demand, an additional laboratory building
isunderconstructionattheCenterandwill
be completed in early 2014.
The academic colleges in the periphery
make higher education
more accessible to local residents
and generate regional growth
44 45Higher Education as an engine for individual and social growthHigher Education as an engine for individual and social growth
24. KinneretAcademic
College
AftersuccessfullyworkingwiththeKinneret
College to establish its academic library in
2010,wewereinvitedtotakepartincreating
a comprehensive physical development
program for the College. As part of that
program,a“twin”buildingwasconstructed
nexttothelibrary,whichhaswonanaward
foritsspectaculardesign.Thenewbuilding
was opened in December 2012, and serves
the students and faculty of the Achi Racov
School of Engineering.
WearepresentlyhelpingtheCollegeplanits
expansiontoanewsitesouthoftheexisting
campus. A historic train station on the site
willberenovatedtoservetheLandofIsrael
Studies program. Student dormitories and
additionalfacilitieswillalsobeconstructed
there in the future.
Following the example of Tel-Hai College
in its Academic Center for Youth, similar
activity was launched last year at Kinneret
College. This is part of a regional initiative
toadvancescienceeducationintheeastern
Galilee,ledbyTel-Haiandsupportedbythe
Rashi Foundation. An Excellence Center
to be built on the new southern campus of
Kinneret College will house this program
andallowforitsdevelopmentandexpansion.
Partners
Sklare Family
Foundation
CEJP
Achi Ezer
Foundation
Council for Higher
Education
Kinneret College
The School of
Engineering (left) and
the library at Kinneret
Academic College
Partners
PPSNI
Maurice and Viviene
Wohl Philanthropic
Foundation
Tzfat Academic
College
TzfatAcademicCollege
Rashi’sinvolvementinthefirstphaseofthe
new Medical School that opened in Tzfat in
October 2011 was accompanied by another
initiative, which aims to leverage it for the
social and economic development of the
town. The initiative, in partnerships with a
giving group of US business professionals,
supports several projects for enhancing
education,welfareandcommunitylife.Among
them is the improvement of infrastructure
at Tzfat Academic College, which together
with the Medical School plays a key role in
advancing the city and the entire region.
Today, Tzfat Academic College has 2,400
studentsenrolledinundergraduatestudies,
and an additional 350 participate in pre-
academic programs. Its development plan
includesanexpansionofthecampustothe
adjacenthistoricsiteofBeitBussel,allowing
theCollegetoincreasestudentenrollment
to 3,000 and to introduce graduate degree
programs.
Thefirststageoftheexpansionwillrenovate
one of the buildings at the Beit Bussell
complex to house the central academic
library and an auditorium for lectures and
conferences. The new library will offer a
variety of learning spaces for individuals
andgroups,includingcomputerstations.A
cafeteria in the foyer will provide students
and faculty with a place for relaxation or
informal study. As the intellectual hub of
campus life, the building will also be used
forprogramstargetinghighschoolstudents
and for educational and cultural activities
open to the public at large.
The new library of
Tzfat Academic
College (architectural
rendering)
46 47Higher Education as an engine for individual and social growthHigher Education as an engine for individual and social growth
25. Fostering a Safe Space
for Growth
Services for at-risk children and youth
Partners
JFN
Jewish Community
Federation of San
Francisco
Jewish Federations
of Canada - UIA
UJIA (Britain)
PPSNI
CEJP
Harry and
Jeanette Weinberg
Foundation
Samis Foundation
National Insurance
Institute
Local authorities
Operating arms
Northern Goals
Yahdav
EarlyChildhoodPrograms
Scope: 6,000 children
Understanding the crucial importance of
education, treatment and prevention in
the first years of life, we have undertaken
the expansion and improvement of early
childhood services. Particular emphasis is
placed on the periphery, where solutions
are often insufficient while risk factors are
widespread.
Thebasisfordevelopingcommunityservices
for young children and their parents is
the early childhood center (ECC), which
coordinatestheentiremunicipalactivityfor
children,parentsandprofessionals.Rashi’s
subsidiariesoperateearlychildhoodcenters
in 7 communities, from Kiryat Shmona in
the north to Mitzpe Ramon in the south.
Two more centers that are currently being
established will join the existing ones,
creatinganetworkofearlychildhoodcenters
that benefit from professional support and
a synergy of shared expertise.
Alongside our involvement in operating
the early childhood centers, we also invest
in building custom-designed premises to
housetheiractivity.TheprogramsinMerom
Hagalil and Kiryat Malachi moved into new
buildings in 2012. Earlier we completed the
constructionofECCsinKiryatShmona,Hatzor
HaglilitandAcco,andrenovatedastructure
for the ECC in Shlomi. In addition, daycare
centers were built next to the centers in
Kiryat Shmona and Hatzor, expanding the
rangeoftheirservicesandtheirclientbase.
48 49Services for at-risk children and youth Services for at-risk children and youth
26. Thereiscurrentlyalackofreliabletoolsfor
evaluating early childhood care, and very
little research is being done in the field. In
collaborationwiththeSzoldInstitute,weset
upanearlychildhoodresearchcenterwhose
work will be available to professionals and
decision-makers. As part of its activity, the
center is evaluating the ECCs established
by Rashi in an effort to define the optimal
model of operation.
The holistic approach guiding the ECC’s
activitystressestheimportanceofintegrated,
multi-disciplinary work of all the relevant
municipal agencies (education, welfare,
health).Initialfindingsofastudyexamining
multi-disciplinary work in Rashi’s early
childhoodcentersfoundthatitisperceived
by the parties as valuable in terms of
resource pooling, better service provision
and even local pride.
An ecology program
at the Early Childhood Centers
introduces children to the many uses
of plants they can grow
50 51Services for at-risk children and youth Services for at-risk children and youth
27. TreatmentCentersfor
SexuallyAbusedChildren
Scope: 1,400 children in 2012
The initiative for treating children and
youth who were sexually abused began in
2007 as part of a partnership between the
NationalInsuranceInstitute,Rashiandthe
Ministry of Welfare. Its goal was to create
a nationwide network of centers offering
therapytochildrenandtheirfamilieswhile
also engaging in community-oriented
education and training.
In close cooperation with the Ministry of
Welfare, we developed a unique model
of a regional center operating an on-site
treatment facility and satellite units in
nearby communities. Next, the Ministry
has adopted the model as the basis for a
national,state-fundedserviceforchildren
victims of sexual abuse. At present the
initiative includes 12 regional centers with
35 satellites; seven more centers that will
be opened over the next few years will
complete the nationwide expansion. The
centersreceivedatotalof1,400applications
andtreated930childrenin2012,inaddition
toworkinginthecommunitytoraisepublic
awareness and holding study days for
professionals.
As the Ministry takes full responsibility for
operatingthecentersfrommid-2013,itwas
agreed to continue the 3-way partnership
in a new initiative that targets children and
youthsufferingfromneglect,exclusionand
poverty, and their families.
An evaluation study examined various
aspects of the project such as: quality of
the service, professional development of
the staff, connection with the community,
andespeciallytheimpactofthetreatment.
An assessment of the treatment based on
its effect on the main symptom found that
80%ofthechildrenshowedanimprovement
while only 6% suffered any deterioration.
Partners
National Insurance
Institute
Ministry of Welfare
Operating arms
Yahdav
Northern Goals
As many as 80% of the children
benefitted from the treatment
at the centers, as indicated by an alleviation
of the symptoms they suffer from
18%
No change
5%
Slight
worsening
1%
Significant
worsening 18%
Significant
improvement
62%
Improvement
Impact of treatment,
based on the effect on
the main symptom
52 53Services for at-risk children and youth Services for at-risk children and youth
28. Partners
Ministry of Welfare
Isabel and Alfred
Bader Foundation
Hatmara Fund
Glencore
Foundation
Dan Nir and Jill
Braufman
Pharmadom
Operating arms
Northern Goals
Yahdav
Association
for Change in
Education
Girls who enjoyed the health education program
were more likely to use
healthcare services
and adopt
better eating habits
Based on an evaluation study in 36 warm homes
WarmHomesforTeenage
GirlsinDistress
Scope: 1,200 girls
The Warm Home is an informal social-
therapeuticcenterwheregirlsatriskenjoya
positiveexperienceofacceptancewhilethey
gain life skills for breaking out of the cycle
of distress. The Rashi Foundation played
a central role in a pilot project to upgrade
WarmHomes:extendingthehoursofactivity,
increasing the number of participants,
enhancing the treatment and enrichment
programs, providing professional training
and guidance for the staff, and more.
In light of the success of this initiative, the
Ministry of Welfare has decided to adopt
the Warm Homes as a leading national
program for girls at risk, and defined a
standard for their operation based on the
model we developed. In a tender issued by
theMinistry,threeofoursubsidiarieswere
chosentooperateatotalof60WarmHomes
across Israel starting in 2011.
Alongwiththeongoingoperation,wecontinue
to enrich the service with therapeutic,
educational and social elements, seeking
to create an environment where every girl
can imagine her future within mainstream
society and has confidence in her ability to
reach self-fulfillment. Special emphasis
is placed on professional training for the
staff – social workers, house mothers and
counselors, as well as on activities to bring
the teenage girls closer to their parents,
especially the mothers.
Ahealtheducationprogramthatweintroduced
into the Warm Homes is intended to raise
awareness and understanding among the
girls of topics such as nutrition, personal
hygiene, sex education, and more. An
evaluationstudyshowedasignificantimpact
of the program on the girls’ eating habits
and on their use of community healthcare
services.
54 55Services for at-risk children and youth Services for at-risk children and youth
29. continuum
GoldbergCommunity
AnchorYouthVillage
Scope: 600 particiapnts
The Rashi Foundation works to develop
solutions for children at different levels
of risk, including community-based after-
school treatment programs, out-of-home
frameworks,emergencysheltersandmore.
TheCommunityAnchorVillage,established
throughRashi’sinitiative,isauniquefacility
where several complementary services
cometogethertocreateacontinuityofcare
for youth at risk. Its therapists, counselors
and educators work together as a multi-
disciplinary team, allowing the village to
providecomprehensivesupportandtoofferthe
bestsolutionforeachyoungsteratanytime.
As its name suggests, the village is located
in the heart of a residential neighborhood
in Be’er Sheva, and was planned from the
outsetasanintegralpartofthecommunity.
TheCommunityAnchoropenedin2006,and
hasgraduallyexpandedastheconstruction
ofitsbuildingsprogressed.Todayitincludes
six group homes, each serving 12 boys
and girls; Meitar – a day center for school
dropouts; a short-term hostel for youth in
crisissituations;anafter-schooltherapeutic
club; and a Parent-Adolescent Center that
helps strengthen family relationships.
Werecentlyopenedaclassforvillageresidents
who are not yet ready to attend regular
schools. In addition, two apartments were
set up outside of the village for graduates
who do not have a home to return to while
they are in military or national service.
Counselors from the village provide them
with guidance during this period, and will
assist their integration into the community
as young adults.
Partners
Jewish Federations
of Canada - UIA
Matanel Foundation
Anonymous donor
Ministry of Welfare
Municipality of
Be’er Sheva
Operating arm
Yahdav
Thanks to the continuumcreated
by the different services within the village,
moving children from one framework to
another when necessary can be done
smoothly and without delay
56 57Services for at-risk children and youth Services for at-risk children and youth
30. Partners
Pharmadom
Ministry of Welfare
Operating arm
Yahdav
The desert landscapeand
the open space are an essential part of the
therapeutic environment, which helps the
patients reclaim their livesPharmadomDesertSpirit
Village
Scope: 100 adults and youth
DesertSpiritVillage,establishedatRashi’s
initiative,isthefirsttherapeuticcommunity
in southern Israel, offering comprehensive
treatmenttopeoplewhosufferfromaddiction
todrugsoralcohol.Ithasbeeninoperation
for three years, accepting patients who
have completed detoxification and working
to enable them to return to mainstream
society equipped with tools for leading
drug-free lives.
Nestled within olive groves, Desert Spirit
Villagehaslivingquarters,amulti-purpose
dining hall, a treatment center and a
vocational training center for adults, an
educationalfacilityforyouth,andmore.The
desertlandscapeandpastoralatmosphere
are an important part of the therapeutic
environment,andcombinewiththeservices
providedbythevillagetofacilitatemeaningful
rehabilitation.
TodaytheDesertSpiritcommunityincludes
55memberswhojoinoftheirownfreewill.
As they advance from one phase to the
next during the 12-month program, they
gain status and responsibility within the
community. The therapeutic approach is
based on the 12-Step Program, together
with group dynamics, individual and family
treatment according to a personalized
program. About 35 former addicts have
successfullycompletedtheprogramsofar.
Inadditiontothedrugrehabilitationprogram,
the village operates two frameworks for
teenage boys and girls who face judicial
proceedings,ofteninconnectionwithalcohol
and drug abuse. They are referred by the
Juvenile Probation Services, and remain
in the village for a few months while their
situation is evaluated in order to design a
program to assist them in setting out on a
new path.
58 59Services for at-risk children and youth Services for at-risk children and youth
31. Partners
Netanya
Municipality
Herzliya Municipality
Women’s Circle
Herzliya
Operating arm
Association
for Change in
Education
ChallengeCenters
Scope: 160 teenage boys
The Challenge Centers were established to
helpyoungsterswhoareatriskofdropping
out of school due to emotional or social
problems, learning difficulties, attention
disorders etc. A variety of tools are used
for this purpose, particularly challenging
tasksandadventuresports.Theexperience
of facing and overcoming physical and
mental challenges allows the participants
todiscovernewinsights,improvespersonal
and interpersonal skills and creates an
opportunity for change in all areas of
life. The challenging activity, combined
with homework help, social activities and
enrichment,restoretheadolescents’sense
of capability and confidence in their ability
to integrate into normative frameworks.
The two centers in Herzliya and Netanya
operate five afternoons a week as a
home-like framework offering support
and guidance, together with a clearly
structured schedule tailored individually
to each kid. The comprehensive care they
provide addresses the teenagers' needs at
thiscriticaltimeandbuildstheircharacter.
TheChallengeCentersarecomplementary
frameworks, working to develop the
youngsters' abilities alongside the main
factors in their lives – family and school –
whose involvement plays a major role in
their progress. Ongoing dialogue with the
parents,homevisits,andclosecooperation
withtheschoolstaffareallanessentialpart
ofthephilosophyandpracticeofthecenters.
Initial findings of an
evaluation of the program
show an encouraging
improvement in the boys’
future outlook, for example,
in believing that they can
graduate with a
matriculation certificate
60 61Services for at-risk children and youth Services for at-risk children and youth
32. Partners
Pharmadom
Local Council of
Yeruham
Ministry of Health
Clalit Health
Services
Promotingahealthy
andactivelifestyle
alongwithaccessto
healthcareservicesforall
isanessentialelement
inthequalityoflifeintown
andaconditionforitsgrowth
Another central element of the program is
thepromotionofahealthylifestyle,through
avarietyofactivitiesforchildrenandadults
alike. Among them are a women’s sports
team and a tandem bike club that includes
one visually-impaired individual in every
pair of cyclists. In addition, all of the town’s
residents enjoy sports days, lectures and
workshops that develop awareness of
health-related issues. A Health Trail in the
Yeruham Park is expected to be completed
next year.
CommunityHealth
Program
Our work in the field of health is intended
to increase access to quality healthcare
services in Israel’s social and geographic
periphery,withanemphasisoncommunity
health. We have recently begun a joint
initiativewithPharmadom,anorganization
of French-Jewish pharmacists, to develop
municipal healthcare services under the
slogan“toflourishacityneedstobeingood
health”.Thepilotprojecttakesplace inthe
southern town of Yeruham, where Rashi
is already involved in a broad intervention
focusing on education and welfare. The
program operates in partnership with the
Local Council and is supported by HMOs
and the Ministry of Health.
The first stage of the model program
addressedthecriticalneedformedicalcare
in emergency situations when the regular
community clinics are closed. Before the
establishment of the emergency medical
center, local residents had to travel 40 km
to Be’er Sheva to receive urgent medical
treatmentatnight.Theprogramalsoopened
a dental clinic that serves children whose
families have difficulty funding expensive
treatments.
62 63Services for at-risk children and youth Services for at-risk children and youth
33. ShelteredEmployment
andHousing
Scope: 420 adults in employment
frameworks, 40 in housing frameworks
TheYahdavAssociation,Rashi’soperatingarm
for welfare programs in the South, works to
develop community services for people with
special needs. Its activity in this field adopts
aregionalperspectiveandfocusesmainlyon
employment and housing solutions.
Yahdav currently operates employment
frameworksinBe’erSheva, Dimona,Ofakim
and the Shafir Regional Council, serving
individualswithphysical,mentalandcognitive
disabilities.Theparticipantsareoffereddifferent
typesofworkrangingfromsimplepackaging
to production of decorative items, as well as
social activities. We are constantly working
to upgrade and expand the workshops, for
examplebyopening“satellite”units.Twosuch
units for recycling electronic waste serve as
branches of the multi-purpose employment
center in Dimona. At the same time, there
is an emphasis on developing the workers’
abilities in order to enable their supported
placement in regular places of work.
The housing frameworks provide a home in
thecommunityforindividualswithdifficulties
inadaptationandfunctioning,whileadvancing
themtowardsindependencebyacquiringboth
social and life skills. A personal program is
adapted to each resident, according to his
particular needs and desires, and subject to
ongoing evaluation. In Be’er Sheva, Yahdav
established a network of six apartments for
people at different levels of functioning; it
alsooperates“HomesforLife”inOfakim (for
men) and in Yeruham (for women).
Partners
Ministry of Welfare
Ministry of Health
National Insurance
Institute
Local authorities
Operating arm
Yahdav
Embracing Individuals
with Individual Needs
Solutions for the special-needs populations
Astheshelteredworkshopin
Be’erShevaisingreatdemand,
weplantoopenabranch
thatwillfocusontrainingforsupported
employmentinregularjobs
64 65Solutions for the special-needs populations Solutions for the special-needs populations
34. 66 67Solutions for the special-needs populations Solutions for the special-needs populations
MigdalOr
Scope: 3,150 participants
MigdalOr(“lighthouse”inHebrew),amulti-
servicecenterforblindandvisually-impaired
people, came under Rashi’s responsibility
about two years ago, when the previous
operatorfellintoseriousfinancialdifficulties.
Itsactivity,nowunderthemanagmentofour
subsidiarytheNorthernGoalsAssociation,
focuses on two main areas: rehabilitative
instruction to allow visually impaired
individualstobeself-reliant;andvocational
rehabilitation to facilitate their placement
in suitable employment. The services are
provided at the main campus in Haifa and
at the branches in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem,
as well as in the home environment of the
visually-impaired person.
Soon after taking over, we prepared a
comprehensive revitalization plan, with
content-related and physical components,
to make Migdal Or a leader in its field. The
plan focuses on creating conditions for full
integrationofthevisually-impairedintothe
community,inaccordancewithcontemporary
trends, both in Israel and abroad.
Theprimarytoolthatsupportsintegrationis
theassistivetechnology,whichisdeveloping
rapidly thanks to the progress of scientific
research and technological innovation.
Especiallynoteworthyarethetouch-screen
deviceswithsophisticatedapplicationsinall
areasoflife–health,education,leisure,and
more. But enabling the target population
to use this technology requires training in
an ever-increasing scope and frequency.
AspartofthephysicalupgradeoftheMigdal
Or campus, we plan to build and renovate
classroomsforinstructionandtraining,and
alsotoexpandtheImpairedEyesightInstitute
thatdiagnosesvisually-impairedindividuals
and adapts technological aids to suit their
particular needs. In addition, we intend to
convert the existing sheltered workshop
fromaplaceoflong-termemploymenttoa
transitionalfacilitywhereparticipantsgain
skills for entering the job market.
Partners
Ministry of Welfare
Operating arm
Northern Goals
Newly developed applications
that adapt innovative technologies
to the needs of
visually-impaired people
may well transform their lives
35. Reaching Out
The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation
Alongside our efforts to initiate and develop programs, we recognized the need to ensure
their professional and efficient implementation. This has become even more crucial in view
of the growing privatization of public services and the lack of nonprofit organizations that
can act as service providers. During the past decade we therefore established a number of
subsidiary associations that directly operate our programs, each specializing in a different
field of activity or region.
Today our subsidiaries operate most of the programs supported by Rashi (except for capital
projects),whiletheysteadilygainexperienceandknowledgeandbuildtheirowncapabilities.
AssociationforChangeinEducation
The Association for Change in Education (ACE) is the first subsidiary created by Rashi to operate
its programs. ACE specializes in interventions in elementary schools and kindergartens, and
is committed to providing excellent service that focuses on the child and his or her needs.
Its activity reaches thousands of educational settings and hundreds of thousands of children
throughout Israel.
The association’s activity focuses on nationwide programs within the formal school system,
mainly those operating under government tender such as the National School Lunch Program.
Along with its school-based interventions, ACE also operates programs for youth at risk in the
center of the country.
In many instances, ACE operates a number of programs in the same community, so that their
combined effect promotes system-wide change. Based on this experience, it is now working
to develop a model of comprehensive intervention that may bring substantial change to the
municipal education system.
TheAssociationforChangeinEducationhasprovenprofessionalandadministrativecapabilities,
as well as excellent working relationships with the Ministry of Education and local authorities.
These serve as a platform for other activities of the Foundation and allow us to respond quickly
and efficiently to urgent needs, both local and national.
Michael Hen
Director
Contact Information
Association for
Change in Education,
Ben-Shemen Youth
Village 7311200
Phone:
+972-8-9146644/5
Fax:
+972-8-9152865
E-mail:
dannys@rashi.org.il
The Association operates programs
that reach many thousands of children every day,
without compromising the quality
of its service or the attention
to individual needs
68 69The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation
36. Contact Information
Yeholot Association,
Mikve Israel Youth
Village 5891000
Phone:
+972-3-5023800
Fax:
+972-3-5023801
E-mail:
nisim@rashi.org.il
YeholotAssociation
TheYeholot(“Abilities”)AssociationoperatesRashi’sprogramsaimedatincreasingmatriculation
rates and preventing dropout in high school, especially in the geographic and social periphery.
It works to bring hope and motivation to students who have accumulated learning gaps and
repeated failures over the years, seeking to set them on a path to success and in this way
promote equal opportunities, social mobility and access to higher education.
Yeholot’s activity is based on the belief that everyone can succeed at school, regardless of his
or her socio-economic background. In cooperation with the public school system and under the
academicauspicesoftheTelAvivUniversitySchoolofEducation,itimplementsacomprehensive
and accelerated approach to narrowing gaps in education.
The flagship program of Yeholot is
Tafnit, which operates in several
modelstoenablethelowest-achieving
students succeed in their studies.
Moreover, through the program the
schools acquire tools for helping
the students fulfill their potential;
the students gain confidence and a
senseofcontrolovertheirlives;and
theentireschoolcommunitybenefits
from an improved educational and
social atmosphere.
Nissim Cohen
Director
Yeholot enjoys
academic accreditation
by the School of Education at
Tel Aviv University,
where its flagships
program is being taught
70 71The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation
37. DarcaAssociation
Thesocio-economicgapsinIsraelarereflectedintheresourcesallocatedtowardseducation,
and consequently in low achievements of students in the periphery as compared with their
peers in established communities in the center of the country. The difficulties they face
cause many local authorities in the periphery to hand over the management of their high
schools to educational networks.
In order to deal with the complex challenge of narrowing these gaps, the Rashi Foundation,
in partnership with Alliance-KIAH, established Darca – a high school network that works to
advance educational leadership and improve scholastic achievements in the periphery. The
management team of Darca is comprised of experienced and outstanding educators, who
have a proven record in managing leading Israeli schools, in addition to social commitment
and a desire to generate change.
Darca invests in empowering the school community, developing pedagogic programs,
improvinginfrastructureandfosteringsocialvalues.Italsoprovidesprofessionalsupportfor
schools,encouragesthemtoshareknowledgeandexperience,whileworkingtoimplement
a system of assessment and control across the entire Network, and to secure funds and
engage partners.
Gil Pereg
Director
Darca seeks to allow the school principal
to play the role of a conductor who
leads the school with his vision, rather than a traffic policeman
who coordinates between external interventions
Contact Information
Darca Association,
Ben-Shemen
Youth Village 7311200
Phone:
+972-8-9146702
Fax:
+972-8-9146701
E-mail:
gilp@rashi.org.il
72 73The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation
38. Beit Yatziv creates
a continuum of science education
by giving scholarships for academic studies to graduates
of the science leadership program,
who coach the next generation of young counselors
Contact Information
Beit Yatziv,
79 Ha’atzmaut St.
Be’er Sheva 8431301
Phone:
+972-8-6277444
Fax:
+972-8-6275735
E-mail:
yosir@rashi.org.il
BeitYatziv
The Beit Yatziv Educational Campus was established in 1953 and is now owned jointly by Rashi
and the Municipality of Be’er Sheva, both of which are committed to preserve its character as an
educational center for residents of the city and its surroundings. The campus facilities include
classrooms, a guest house, a swimming pool and more. It serves as an Open University center
for adult education, and hosts conferences and seminars for various organizations.
AsanoperatingarmofRashi,BeitYatzivrunsawidevarietyofeducationalprogramsforchildren
and youth from kindergarten age through high school. The programs focus on cultivating
excellence in science, technology, and English in the southern region. Most of them are part of
the Madarom project, operated by Beit Yatziv under a Ministry of Education tender. Beit Yatziv
also holds science-oriented events for the general public, such as astronomy nights, lectures,
and a Sukkot science festival.
During the last two years, Beit Yatziv began to extend its activity to northern Israel, both through
Madarom and in other programs for science education. We are also planning to establish a
trainingcenterforscienceteachersatthecampus,inpartnershipwiththeMinistryofEducation.
Yossi Ron
Director
74 75The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation
39. YahdavAssociation
Yahdav was founded by a group of community leaders from Be’er Sheva and its vicinity, who
recognized the urgent need to expand and improve the social welfare services available to the
residents of southern Israel. After working in close cooperation with Rashi for several years,
Yahdav became a subsidiary of the Foundation and its operating arm for welfare programs in
the South.
The Association works to initiate, develop and operate social projects in Be’er Sheva and
throughout the Negev, mainly community services and frameworks for children and youth at
risk and for special-needs people. It also operates programs for vulnerable populations, such
as victims of domestic violence and substance abuse. Yahdav identifies social gaps and needs,
and dedicates its efforts to provide attentive and highly professional service.
Yahdav serves thousands of children, youth and adults through more than 40 programs. In each
area of activity, the different programs form a continuum that makes it easier for the service
recipients to change from one framework to another as needed.
Community Anchor
Youth Village
Opposite page:
Early Childhood Center,
Kiryat Malachi
Employment center,
Be’er Sheva
Yair Be’er
Director
Contact Information
Yahdav Association,
10 Ben Zvi St.
Be’er Sheva 8489328
Phone:
+972-8-6208000
Fax:
+972-8-6650176
E-mail:
yairb@rashi.org.il
Yahdav has recently won the
support of the Welfare Ministry for its pilot
program that prevents domestic violence by
working with the abusive men
76 77The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation
40. The Association took on the challenge of
operating and enhancing
the services for the visually-impaired of Migdal Or,
which were in danger of closing down
Migdal Or training center
for visually impaired
people
Warm Home for teenage
girls, Migdal Ha’emek
Opposite page:
Early Childhood Center,
Merom Hagalil
NorthernGoalsAssociation
The Northern Goals Association works to advance and improve social services for residents
of northern Israel, especially underprivileged and at-risk populations. It aims to implement
a multi-system perspective and to adapt the solutions to the many ethnic and cultural
communities in the region – Jews, Arabs, Bedouins, Druze, Circassians, and more.
As Rashi’s operating arm, Northern Goals operates programs that are part of nationwide
initiatives of the Foundation, including early childhood centers, Warm Homes for teenage
girls, and treatment centers for victims of sexual abuse. Recently the Association began
using its knowledge and experience to tackle new challenges in additional areas of activity,
suchastheoperationoftheMigdalOrCenterservingblindandvisually-impairedindividuals.
Northern Goals is presently increasing its involvement in the Druze, Bedouin and Circassian
communities after winning a tender to operate programs as part of the government’s
Urban Renewal Project. The initiative encompasses 35 localities and includes activities to
guide young adults towards higher education and employment, as well as early childhood
programs that focus on detection and treatment of developmental delays, enrichment and
parent instruction.
Contact Information
Northern Goals
Association, Carmiel
Children’s Village
20100
Phone:
+972-4-9027700/1
Fax:
+972-4-9027702
E-mail:
limor@rashi.org.il
Limor Lev
Director
78 79The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation
41. Contact Information
Gvahim Association,
68 Einstein St.
P.O.Box 39311
Tel Aviv 6139201
Phone:
+972-3-5347538
Fax:
+972-3-5347230
E-mail:
mickael@gvahim.org.il
The application developed by Parko,
a start-up that took its first steps with Gvahim,
has already been described as
“the Waze for parking”
Mentoring at the Hive
Finance Professionals’ Networking Event
Opposite page:
Denis and Masha, Gvahim graduates, in their
office at NICE
GvahimAssociation
Gvahim began as an initiative of Rashi, intended to help highly-skilled Olim find employment
in Israel at the level of their qualifications, and thereby contribute to its economy, society and
culture. It was later established as a nonprofit organization that works to expand the activity
in new directions.
Gvahim’s Career Acceleration Program provides immigrants with the skills and knowledge for
realizing their professional aspirations, through workshops on topics such as job searching,
negotiatingemploymentterms,socialnetworkingetc.Theyalsobenefitfrompersonalcounseling
from human resources experts, and guidance by mentors from their field. Participants enjoy
a placement rate of 80% after one year, and the vast majority (97%) would recommend the
program to their friends.
Among the new initiatives of Gvahim is The Hive - an incubator that provides entrepreneurs with
work space, mentoring, legal and financial advice, exposure to investors, and more. Another
initiative is the Young Leaders Internship Program, in partnership with the Masa project, which
invites students from around the world to do their internship in Israel while they consider
making Aliya.
Inadditiontoitscoreprograms,GvahimoffersonlineassistancetoOlimthroughsocial-professional
networks that allow them to establish contact with their Israeli counterparts (including veteran
immigrants) and explore opportunities for professional advancement.
Mickael Bensadoun
Director
80 81The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation
42. Ma’aseAssociation
Ma’aseoperatesvolunteerprogramsforyoungpeople,especiallyinthesocio-economicperiphery,
as a tool for social mobility and civil leadership; it serves as Rashi’s operating arm in the field
of volunteerism and young leadership.
Hundreds of young people (18-21) participate every year in Ma’ase programs that cover all
the existing volunteering options: pre-army gap year, National and Civic Service, individual
volunteering, and Israel Service Fellows - a joint program for young people from North America
and Israel. The volunteers work with thousands of children and youth throughout Israel in both
formal and informal educational settings.
Ne’urim Centers, a unique project of Ma’ase, promotes equal opportunity and excellence in the
Druze community. Operating in partnership with other foundations and with the support of the
Prime Minister’s Office, the project established youth centers in all 13 Druze communities in the
Galilee. The centers offer activities to narrow educational gaps, nurture academic excellence,
developidentityandleadership,andmore.YoungDruzewomenworkatthecentersasvolunteers,
assisted by students who graduated from the program.
Ma’ase develops the participants’ abilities during the volunteering period, and continues to
accompany them through its alumni organization, offering guidance with regard to higher
education and employment and encouraging their ongoing social involvement.
Left: Signing up for the
graduates’ organization
at the end-of-the-year
seminar
Right: Druze children
learn English through
informal activity with
volunteers from the
Israel Service Fellows
program
Opposite page:
Volunteers from all
Ma’ase programs
meet for a seminar
of discussion and
interaction
Yossi Malka
Director
Contact Information
Ma’ase Association,
Carmiel Children’s
Village 20100
Phone:
+972-4-9027700, ext 5
Fax:
+972-4-9027711
E-mail:
info@maase.org.il
Volunteers from North America and Israel
build a shared agenda based values on Tikkun Olam
as they work with youth at risk
in the Israel Service Fellows program
82 83The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation The operating arms of the Rashi Foundation
43. The Power of Partnerships
Partnering with other philanthropies
The purpose of building partnerships is to
achieve a greater impact in philanthropy. In
the face of great social needs, and given that
financialresourcesarelimited,aphilanthropic
organization working alone cannot bring
about a significant change. Through pooling
of funding and knowledge, driven by shared
determination, philanthropies have greater
power to seed and replicate successful
programs until they reach a critical mass,
and then negotiate for the government to
assume the responsibility for their funding.
Partnerships are made of different shapes
and sizes, and over the years we have built
variousmodels.Amongthemare thematching
grants program with the Jewish Funders
Network (JFN) to attract first-time donors
and significantly increase contributions to
Israeli nonprofits; the coalition of more than
a dozen philanthropies that came together
to fund a region-wide recovery plan in the
North; the innovative giving group which
has invested in game-changing projects in
Tzfat;andthepartnershipamongfourmajor
funders that rallied together to ensure that
the new Bar Ilan Faculty of Medicine in the
Galilee opened on time.
At the same time, Rashi joins initiatives
aligned with our mission that are started
by other philanthropic groups, such as the
NegevFundingCoalitionandtheJFNASocial
Venture Fund for Jewish-Arab Equality and
Shared Society.
In order to assist American foundations in
decision-making about allocations to Israel,
we collaborated with JFN to launch a series
of seminars about education in Israel. The
firstconferenceonSTEM(science,technology,
engineering and math) in 2012 triggered a
new effort towards collective impact.
Rashioffersvariousservicestoourpartnerswith
anemphasisontransparencyandaccountability.
Weprovideleveragingopportunities,planning
anddevelopmentexpertise,financialandlegal
control,riskmanagement,regularreporting
and evaluation. We cover the entire cost of
project administration so that one hundred
percent of partners’ money goes to the
project. From the outset, we coordinate with
governmentalauthorities,therebyincreasing
thechanceofeventuallytransferringfinancial
responsibility to a public body.
Overthepasttwoyearswehavecollaborated
withmorethan90philanthropicpartnersfrom
Inourexperience,a
strategicphilanthropic
coalitionworking
inconjunctionwith
governmentisaproven
modelforachieving
significantandsustainable
impact
Israel,NorthAmericaandEurope–individuals,
foundations, community federations and
business donors.
Rashi continues to seek partners for co-
investing in projects that we have developed
and piloted, and is keen to explore ideas for
cooperating on initiatives that fall within our
realm of interest.
84 85Partnering with other philanthropies Partnering with other philanthropies
44. 86 87Partnering with other philanthropies Partnering with other philanthropies
Philanthropic Partners in alphabetical order Partnership project
Achi Ezer Foundation Kinneret Academic College
Adelis Foundation Ramot Campus, Gvahim, Darca, Ben Shemen Youth
Village
Agudat Sabah Gvahim, Katzir Scholarships, Darca, Holistic
Intervantion in Yeruham
Alliance Israelite Universelle – KIAH Mikveh Israel, Darca
Alpert, Norm and Jane PPSNI*
Arison Foundation Katzir Scholarships
Aurec Humanity Academia, Tafnit
Avi Chai Foundation Ma’ase, Morasha
Bank Hapoalim Gvahim
Ben and Esther Rosenbloom Foundation Tafnit
Bensadoun, David Gvahim
Bernstein, Jay and Jill PPSNI*, Revadim
Caesarea Foundation Ma’ase
Carasso Family Carasso Science Park, Madarom Summer Science
Camps, Gvahim
Center for Entrepreneurial Jewish Philanthropy
(CEJP)
PPSNI*, Revadim
Check Point Software Technologies Tafnit, Future Scientists and Inventors, Youth Science
Center in Tel Aviv University
Chicago Federation Revadim
Chouraqui, André Darca, Ben Shemen Youth Village
Circle of Service Tafnit
Cummins, Marc and Lisa PPSNI*
Earth Alliance Fund Tafnit
Eisenberg, Warren and Mitzi PPSNI*, Revadim
Feinstein, Leonard and Susan PPSNI*, Revadim
Francis Minkoff Minkoff Desert Shanti
Franklin, Julie and Martin PPSNI*
Friends of Alliance in Southern California Mikveh Israel
Fundacion Dorset Raymond Leven Israeli-French High School
Gandel Charitable Trust Ma’ase
Gandyr Foundation Ma’ase, Sheatufim
Gazit Globe Israel Revadim
Glencore Foundation Revadim, Ma’ase, Tafnit, Warm Homes
Philanthropic Partners in alphabetical order Partnership project
Goldberg Charitable Trust Tafnit
Gross, Michael and Vicki PPSNI*
Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Early Childhood Centers
Hatmara Fund Warm Homes
Hirsch, Douglas and Holly Andersen PPSNI*
Hochberg, Larry Beit Yigal Alon, Ramot Campus
Hochfelder, Peter and Stacy PPSNI*
IDB Group Library at Tel Hai College
Isabel and Alfred Bader Foundation Warm Homes
Jacobson, Mitchell and Kathy PPSNI*, Revadim
JDC Israel Revadim
Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco Early Childhood Centers, Ma’ase, Horizons to High-
Tech
Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles Full Schools, Gvahim
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit English Program in the Galilee, Revadim, Ma’ase
Jewish Federations of Canada - UIA Goldberg Community Anchor Youth Village, Ma’ase,
Ma’of School, Renanim School, First Building of
Bar-Ilan University Medical School, Tel Hai College
Campus
Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) Ma’ase, Sheatufim
Jewish Funders Network (JFN) Tafnit, Ma’ase
JFNA Social Venture Fund for Jewish-Arab Equality
and Shared Society
Ma’ase, Tafnit
JNF–UK Gvahim, Early Childhood Centers
Karev Foundation Future Scientists and Inventors
Keren Daniel Jusidman Science Center for Youth, Ma’ase
Keren Yedidut (IFCJ) Youth Centers, Alut Hostel
Keter Industries Future Scientists and Inventors
Kuflik, Mitch and Karen PPSNI*
Lautman Foundation Ma’ase
Lefell, Michael and Lisa PPSNI*
Levi Lassen Foundation Gvahim
Lillian and Larry Goodman Family Foundations Goodman Child and Family Center, Inbal Center,
Soroka Medical Center
Masa Gvahim
Matanel Foundation Goldberg Community Anchor Youth Village, Gvahim
45. Contact Information
Itzik Turgeman, General Director
E-mail: itzikt@rashi.org.il
Shira Ben-Or VP, Partnerships
E-mail: shira@rashi.org.il
Rashi Foundation Ben-Shemen Youth Village 7311200, Israel
Phone: +972-8-9146600, Fax: +972-8-9219404, E-mail: partnerships@rashi.org.il
www.rashi.org.il
Philanthropic Partners in alphabetical order Partnership project
Maurice and Viviene Wohl Philanthropic Foundation Tzfat Academic College
Merage Israel Foundation Mikveh Israel
Mor Family Gvahim
Morningstar Foundation Ma’ase, Tafnit
Natan Fund Gvahim
Nir, Dan and Jill Braufman PPSNI*, Warm Homes
Ohana, Maurice Summer Camps for Children at Risk and for AIU
students
Pears Family Charitable Foundation Kaye College
Pharmadom Pharmadom Desert Spirit, Community and Public
Health Intervention, Emergency Medical Centers
Post Family Foundation Tafnit
Regina Heilborn Foundation Youth Science Center
Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Tafnit
Russell Berrie Foundation Best for Employment at Tel Hai College, First
Building of Bar-Ilan University Medical School
Saban Family Foundation Soroka Medical Center, Horizons to High-Tech, Katzir
Scholarships
Samis Foundation Early Childhood Centers
Selway Capital Gvahim
Steinitz, Benjamin Youth Center
Stephen Muss Foundation Urban Renewal in Sakhnin, Summer Camps for AIU
students
U.S. Department of State: MEPI - U.S. Embassy, T.A. Tafnit
UJA Federation of New York Ma’ase, Darca, Horizons to Hi-Tech
UJC of MetroWest NJ Revadim
UJIA (Britain) Early Childhood Centers, Revadim, Eshbal Education
Community, Ma’ase, Merom Hagalil Education and
Community Campus, Best for Employment at Tel Hai
College, First Building of Bar-Ilan University Medical
School, Kfar Galim, Western Galilee Academic
College, Yeshivat Netiv Tfachot
Weil-Bloch Foundation Women’s Shelter
Yahel (Recanati) Foundation Katzir Scholarships
Yedidut Toronto Katzir
Zionut 2000 Sheatufim
Zisapel, Yehuda Horizons to High-Tech
*PPSNI projects - Kishurit, Merom Hagalil Early Childhood Center, Tzfat: Musical City, Amal high school, public swimming pool, Beit Yigal Alon,
Tzfat Academic College, youth center
88 Partnering with other philanthropies
46. Produced by Marketing & Communications Dep., Rashi Foundation
www.rashi.org.il
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