Credit Avi Hayun

Yesterday, on Tuesday, March 13th, the President of Israel, Reuven “Ruvi” Rivlin, arrived at the inauguration of the first pilot of the “KKL-JNF Center for Excellence” that opened in Nazareth Illit. The center offers youth in the periphery free access to enriching informal education in a variety of subjects, with an emphasis on STEM education. The establishment of the “KKL-JNF Center for Excellence” was meant to allow for equal opportunity for youth in the area and to bridge the gap that exists between the peripheral and central regions in Israel. The project is a first pilot of ten total KKL-JNF Houses planned to open throughout the state of Israel in peripheral towns.

Young students use tablets and other academic tools at the new KKL-JNF House. Credit: Avi Hayun

The KKL-JNF House, which operations in cooperation with the veterans of 8200 association and private teachers, will be able to impart a unique educational experience after school hours to young students in a variety of subjects. Among the content offered will be: an “escape room” educational game using Virtual Reality goggles, an iPad for each student, a high-tech interior design and a music room. The aim of this project is to develop young leadership that can make a difference on a local level and in the future on a national one. Therefore, classes will be offered in core subjects and subjects such as physics, chemistry and languages, as well as electives such as graphic design, chess and enrichment lectures from experts in the various fields.

Credit: Israel Peretz

President of Israel, Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin: “I am happy that the first center established was specifically in Nazareth Illit. In 2018 there is still a gap between the chance a child in the center has of succeeding in science and technology fields, and the chance a child in the periphery has. This gap should be closed today, or rather, yesterday. It is up to all of us to ensure that a boy or girl from Nazareth Illit will reach every peak they aspire to. It is our obligation to the boys and girls in this country. It is our duty to the state” President Rivlin added, “the center we inaugurate today will encourage children and young men and women to dream and see themselves achieving all they can. The KKL-JNF Center for Excellence will give every boy and girl the belief that the sky is the limit and their efforts will pay off. The main thing is not to be at all afraid of hard work, goal setting, grand visions and a photo in the paper of a child from Nazareth Illit who won a Nobel Prize.”

KKL-JNF World Chairman, Daniel Atar: “Our work comes from the understanding that the most important task is to strengthen the periphery and provide support in the places where there are no other actors working. Among the first things we did was adopt the pre-IDF prep programs and youth groups in the country due to the understanding that the future of the state is its youth and the next generations. Part of the development program for each young man and woman is personal empowerment; therefore we try to guide them so the realization will be in the form of living and working in the periphery. We are establishing the KKL-JNF Houses and investing in education since the local authority may not be able to provide youth with the tools that would maximize their potential, and it was important for us to try and create this change.”

Mayor of Nazareth Illit, Ronen Plot: “We have outstanding young people in Nazareth Illit; just now some of our high-school students are at the Moscow Space Center after winning an international space competition. KKL-JNF’s initiative to establish the first center for excellence in this city is extremely welcome to the city and the municipal educational system, which places primary emphasis on excellence in all fields, with the understanding that each child can reach the highest level possible if he is only given the opportunity.”

For further information, please contact:

Gal Eliezer, +972 (0) 532778361, gal@k-b.co.il

Liel Edry, +972 (0) 508655305, liel@k-b.co.il

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