Eli Ofir, who has been appointed Manager, Unit of preparatory youth villages, was first associated with Youth Aliyah 40 years ago. "I began working with Youth Aliyah in 1963 when I became Director of the Bet Shemesh Youth Center," he recalled. "From 1971-84, I was Director of Kiryat Yearim. So it feels like I'm coming home."

Ofir served Youth Aliyah until 1996 when he was Deputy Director-General in charge of Institutions and Administration. Since then he has been Director General of Professor Reuven Feuerstein's International Center for the Enhancement of Learning Potential and Deputy Director General for the Enterprise for Educating Children. "The challenge before us," he said, "is to continue our marvelous work in enabling children from the most disadvantaged homes who have fallen behind children their own age, to close the gap and catch up again. This belief in the potential of all children is the basic belief of Youth Aliyah."

Heshvan 5764 - November 2003