A catalyst for change
The education expenditure differential in Israel’s poorer peripheral regions, as opposed to those of wealthier central Israeli cities, has resulted in weak towns with high unemployment and a shortage of skilled, high-quality manpower.
For example – educational budgets (2015):
Tel Aviv: NIS 14,000 per pupil
Sderot: NIS 8,700 per pupil
Holon: NIS 15,000 per pupil
Arad: NIS 6,200 per pupil
KKL-JNF Houses will impact the lives of youth in Israel’s outlying communities by providing them with an engaging learning hub and inviting "second home".
Giving young people from disadvantaged communities the opportunity to enjoy the advantages of a supportive and empowering learning environment that promotes social mobility will help reduce prevailing social and educational disparities and create a healthier society.
Cities in need
The initial stage of the project involved identifying communities in the periphery according to need. The first cities that KKL-JNF chose were Bet She'an and
Nazareth Illit (Upper Nazareth) in the northern region and Kiryat Malakhi and Ofakim in the southern region.
KKL-JNF Promotes Education
KKL-JNF is working to create a network of learning and community hubs throughout Israel that will provide both educational and value-based activities, promoting empowerment for youth in periphery communities. These multifunctional learning hubs will help youngsters improve their academic performance and develop skills to facilitate the achievement of personal and social goals, including that of serving in the IDF.
KKL-JNF Houses will also serve the larger community in the morning hours, providing information and skills to promote quality of life and social mobility. Each KKL-JNF House will respond to the particular
needs of the community in coordination with the respective local authorities.
The activities will be housed in renovated interiors designed to provide spacious, colorful and inviting places conducive to learning and flourishing. The centers will contain meeting and lecture rooms, different sized learning spaces, and relaxation areas. They will be equipped with a variety of educational resources, multimedia facilities and technological innovations to encourage creative learning based on the edutainment model of informal education.
The educational facilitators will comprise professionals who have the skills and capability to encourage and direct youth to realize their personal and scholastic potential.
From the beginning, KKL-JNF has promoted
Zionist and environmental education in various frameworks, both formal and
informal, in Israel and the Diaspora. Many of the educational projects and activities have been designed for periphery communities, particularly those with a large proportion of new immigrants to help ensure their successful integration into society.
Throughout KKL-JNF's activities in behalf of Israel, from land acquisition,
helping establish the state, to meeting the changing needs of new generations, KKL-JNF has contributed to ensuring the social, educational and cultural prosperity of Israeli children. This, with the understanding that the development of human resources is key to ensuring a sustainable future for all.