It's a changed and far more challenging environment in Israel. The stakes are higher too. The ongoing challenges from within may possibly represent an even more serious long-term threat—especially as it impacts Israel's youth. Without the equal opportunity to reach their potential, young people weaken Israeli society instead of strengthening it.

At a time when Israel's government has been forced to cut social service budgets, the rise in the number of children and youth at risk remains one of the most serious social problems facing Israel. Today, every third child in Israel is living under the poverty line—an alarming increase of 50 percent over the past 6 years. Not surprisingly, the most dramatic rise has occurred in Israel's social and geographic periphery: in the Negev and Galilee.

The already widening socio-economic gap is consuming the future of literally tens of thousands of Israel’s children, aged 6 -18. Children at risk of not having the opportunity to become independent, constructive members of society. Those hardest hit are the most vulnerable to begin with—including large numbers of immigrants. Living in communities without resources and in families struggling to stay out of poverty, even those children who stay in school far too often fall into a cycle of underachievement.

This is an issue of monumental proportions. There is no easy fix—and while every effort must be made to continue to address immediate acute needs—our challenge is to create the responses that can alleviate the social imbalance that fuels poverty.

Investing in educational excellence is the way out of poverty and into hope. For youngsters. For communities.

FACT: Addressing the issue of youngsters in crisis is not a new area of work for the Jewish Agency—we have been deeply involved in transforming risk into opportunity for more than five decades. But this is a broad-based issue with enormous implications. Beyond the capacity of any single program, no matter how excellent. Utilizing its distinctive capacity to engage in projects of national priority and scope, through its new YOUTH FUTURES initiative the Jewish Agency will break through the traditional barriers individual NGOs have faced in their effort to give Israel's disadvantaged children an equal opportunity to succeed. Today, the programs below ensure that thousands of marginalized youth receive support every year; moving forward, working together through the Youth Futures collaborative partnership, their impact will transform the face of Israel’s future.

YOUTH ALIYAH

This flagship program of the Agency has been providing residential intervention for at-risk youth for 70-plus years—beginning in pre-State days. In 2004, over 1,070 youngsters moved from abusive or neglected home environments to live full time in one of the four YOUTH ALIYAH villages. These villages provide a safe, normative, environment where children receive both the academic and emotional intervention to heal and flourish, ultimately taking their place in Israeli society. For many, it is their last chance before dropping out of school completely.   More

ATIDIM

The Jewish Agency is one of the lead partners in this innovative partnership project designed to promote higher education and excellence in Israel’s geographical and social periphery by preparing disadvantaged youth to study in Israel’s best universities. In 2004, over 9,000 youngsters from 50-plus communities were participating in ATIDIM. More

NET@

This intensive, three-year after-school course puts teens on a fast track to future success. Through NET@, launched in Israel by Cisco Systems and Tapuach, and jointly funded by the Jewish Agency and Keren Hayesod-UIA, students participate in an intensive program that includes math, science and English enrichment in addition to computer technology. At the end of the program, they receive Cisco certification, qualifying them for good high-tech jobs. In 2004, over 1,000 youngsters from 14 communities were participating in NET@. More

For further information please contact: frd@jafi.org