Rosh Hashanah, October 2024
As we approach one year since the outbreak of war, uncertainty is one of the biggest challenges we are facing. It is difficult, if not impossible, to know when the displaced residents of the north and south will be able to return safely to their homes, how many will actually come back, and what their return will entail.
Despite all the unknowns, as a foundation committed to level the playing field in the periphery, we don’t have the privilege to wait for the situation to become clearer.
We must continue to offer solutions to pressing needs, and at the same time find ways to create the basis for future recovery and growth: strong communities, excellent education and quality employment.
Thank you to all our partners who are already active in this vital mission. Together with you, and others who will join us, we strive to bring hope to the victims of war and strength to rebuild their homes and their lives.
May the new year bring good tidings and days of peace to all.
The events of the past year have emphasized the importance of strengthening the resilience of children and youth who experienced trauma, anxiety and helplessness – those who were uprooted from their homes and those who were not. Research shows that experiential education is one of the best ways to build emotional and physical resilience, along with social involvement, a sense of community and belonging, personal skills, and more.
Launched before the war, Rashi’s Education for Life initiative advances experiential education, and now also includes southern and northern communities affected by the war. The emphasis is on sports and group activities with therapeutic benefits, and includes training for the educational teams vis-a-vis resilience and extending emotional support for the children.
In addition, we are establishing Opportunity Centers for effective recruitment of children and youth to participate in the programs; developing new, innovative programs through our ‘accelerator’ in partnership with the Council of Children and Youth Organizations; and providing professional development for managers of municipal youth departments based on peer learning and personal mentoring.
Partners: Samueli Foundation, the Jewish Federations of Toronto and Ottawa, the Council of Youth Organizations, the Association of Community Centers, the Scouts, Aharai, Unistream, Or L’Hinuch, Mamanet, the Education Ministry, local authorities
Rashi’s investment in building capacity in local authorities is also shifting its focus to locales that were most affected by the war. Together with our partners, we have already started working in the southern towns of Sderot, Ofakim, Netivot and Ashkelon, in areas that can serve as growth engines: education, with an emphasis on experiential education, employment and economic development, local leadership and community resilience.
Partners: Scheinberg Foundation, Wohl Legacy, Gerald and Gail Ronson Family Foundation, FSJU, Jewish Federation of Toronto, Menomadin Foundation, Shahaf Foundation
In the north, which is still under daily attacks, the situation is more complicated. It is necessary to support the evacuated residents and those still living under fire, simultaneously planning for the day after. The strategy we have adopted aims to assist municipalities that act as metropolitan centers and will thus drive region-wide growth. The northern target cities at this stage are Kiryat Shmona, whose residents were all evacuated, along with Nahariya and Tiberias that have both absorbed a large number of evacuees from communities further north.
As part of our emergency assistance to the evacuees, we joined hands with partners to hold a special “Bootcamp” for grade 12 students from Kiryat Shmona. The camp allowed the youth to meet for the first time after long months away from home, school and friends. The week-long camp included educational reinforcement ahead of the matriculation exams, together with social activities and emotional support.
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Partners: Beyachad Foundation, Ruach Hagalil, Jusidman Foundation, Samueli Foundation, Rosenbloom Family Foundation, Tami Foundation, JFNA, UIAC, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, UJIA, Shahaf Foundation
Expanding career opportunities for young adults, especially in the periphery, is one of the main areas of Rashi’s activity. In addition to launching the PreTech program (watch the video), our team is engaged in designing and guiding the implementation of work plans in the field of employment for our target communities, while developing new initiatives in two complementary directions:
Partners: Cisco, Communities of Business (COB), the National Lottery, JDC, Rashi’s subsidiaries
Israel’s civil society organizations have played a crucial role following the terrorist attack of October 7 and the outbreak of war. Now, more than ever, they need strengthened leadership to guide them in the difficult times we are going through.
Consequently, the Rashi Foundation and its partners have decided to establish a school for management in the social field, which will provide its graduates with tools and practices for driving change based on clear professional standards and values. In the coming year, the school will run three programs in an on-the-job-training format:
Igal Jusidman, Director of Jusidman Foundation
“When we created the Jusidman Foundation about 15 years ago, we decided to support only the State of Israel, as we believe that a strong Israel will also strengthen the Jewish people. Our mission is to reduce socio-economic gaps in Israeli society through education. We want to see a strong and resilient Israel and we believe that through education we can create long term results.
Very early in our philanthropic journey we learned that working alone as a foundation can bring about limited results. We believe that working with NGOs, foundations and the government will create strong partnerships that will take us much further along the way.”
Members of Rashi’s business forum talk about their social involvement and what motivates them.
“In my experience, there is a close connection between experiential education and the skills needed in today’s dynamic job market. As a young counselor in a youth organization, I was able to motivate younger children to go hiking and build a camp in the heat of summer instead of having fun at the swimming pool. It also instilled in me values that I carried into adult life – for example, even in crisis, at the most difficult moments, remain calm and find your way out.
My involvement in the activity of Rashi earned me an invitation to a recent board meeting, where I had the honor of getting to know the people behind this impressive endeavor.”
“In my experience, there is a close connection between experiential education and the s... קראו עוד
As a member of Rashi’s business forum, EY was involved before the war in plans to promote economic development in the north. When the war started, the company decided to support the city of Kiryat Shmona.
“We are helping the municipality to estimate the amount of damage caused by the war to businesses and to the local economy. Our goal is to facilitate recovery and growth, working with the local teams to design a vision for the future and get ready for ‘the day after’. We are proud to take part in this mission, and believe that the northern region will flourish and prosper once more.”
As a member of Rashi’s business forum, EY was involved before the war in plans to promo... קראו עוד
“My acquaintance with Rashi’s activity began two years ago, with the launch of the experiential education initiative. I head the “Sport for Life” group, brainstorming on how to tap the potential of sports activity and to increase the number of children and youth participants. We also met with the professional teams in cities like Sderot and Dimona to help develop activities in this field.
The initiative as a whole is close to my heart, especially the field of sport, which is widely accessible and appeals to children from almost any background. As a resilience-building activity it is now even more valuable than ever.”
“My acquaintance with Rashi’s activity began two years ago, with the launch of the expe... קראו עוד
