Israel
Project BOOST: Changing the Lives of Youth-at-Risk, One at a Time
Meet Yitzchak Abuchatzeira. Yitzchak works for the Department of Youth at Risk (Kidum LeNoar) in Jerusalem with young adults from the Bratzlaver community. The ones that find their way to him are not in school, often living in the streets, and without parental guidance.
He takes them in, sets boundaries and rules and offers them a chance to finish their twelve years of schooling. He provides courses that might interest them and get them on a path to taking responsibility for their lives.
Yitzchak is the kind of guy who loves the kids he works with. They can call him any time of night for anything. On a visit to his office you can witness a bunch of extremely rambunctious young men actively vying for his attention. Yitzchak currently has 16 participants in his program. He’s professional, kind, devoted, insightful and smart. But he, and other youth workers all over Israel, have their work cut out for them. The numbers are sobering.
Over 260,000 children and adolescents in Israel are at-risk. They suffer the gamut of problems: family neglect, social and life skills deficiencies, emotional trauma, physical disabilities and abuse. Over the past 10 years the Israeli government has created several programs to help individual segments of this population, but unfortunately, the available resources are not enough. That’s where an organization such as Ten Gav (www.tengav.org), an internet crowdfunding platform that matches donors to individuals and families with modest needs, has an important role to play.
Through its Project BOOST, Ten Gav is partnering with social services workers in cities throughout Israel to help their youth break the cycle of poverty and work towards building sustainable and productive futures.
Ten Gav accepts applications from field workers for computers, academic/psychological evaluations, and tuitions and accessories needed for external courses. In Jerusalem, the Department of Youth-at-Risk operates many branches and has field workers throughout the city offering multiple programs whose goals are to facilitate the completion of high school, prepare youth for the army when possible, introduce them to potential vocational training and facilitate their interaction with their parents and siblings.
The branch where Yitzhak works is located on the outskirts of Jerusalem, in Givat Shaul. Kedum leNoar (which translates from the Hebrew to the Department for the Advancement of Youth) runs tri-weekly classes and after-hours programs there for boys between the ages of 13 and 18. It’s goal is to ensure that they complete high school when possible and gain enough work skills to earn a living.
The challenge however, is that often these boys have needs beyond which government programs can provide. In order to successfully complete high school, for example, a youth may require a psycho-didactic evaluation so that s/he can obtain Ministry of Education easements, critical to his or her ability to pass exams and acquire a diploma. Or, a worker like Yitzchak will often find that a young person’s homelife is so destitute that it is not realistic to expect his/her consistent participation in a program designed to help. In such a case, Ten Gav might fund a fridge for the home, with the understanding that family life is unbearable in its absence.
Yitzchak explains: “We want to give these boys a framework for success. However, if they want to join our program they have to agree to our conditions, which include being in before one a.m., no partying and maintaining an afternoon job, which we help them find.”
It also involves teaching the boys’ parents how to parent. “Many of them have never parented before and they don’t know how to establish rules and set parameters for their children,” he adds.
“Project BOOST is changing the lives of young people around the country, one at a time,” says Naomi Jacobs-Brounstein, founder and co chairman of Ten Gav (www.tengav.org). “Program directors like Yitzchak need support beyond what their government budgets give them. They are in the field and know first hand what these young people need. We are privileged to be able to help Yitzhak and committed social workers around the country, that are doing their absolute best with very limited means at their disposal. And we are even more privileged to be able to bring the giving public these very meaningful giving opportunities.* ”
Any other messages? “Passover is a time of remembering our past and it is customary to help the poor with their needs for the holiday,” says Vivi Mann, co founder and chair of Ten Gav. “We all spend so much getting ready for our own holidays, let’s not forget those whose basic needs are not being met. Giving to others now will only enhance our own family holiday.”
To read more about Project BOOST or to make a donation , go to www.tengav.org
*Ten Gav operates on the 100% model. Ten Gav fundraises separately to cover its administrative costs so 100% of your donation goes toward funding the need you choose.
Features
New website for Israelis interested in moving to Canada
By BERNIE BELLAN (May 21, 2024) A new website, titled “Orvrim to Canada” (https://www.ovrimtocanada.com/ovrim-en) has been receiving hundreds of thousands of visits, according to Michal Harel, operator of the website.
In an email sent to jewishpostandnews.ca Michal explained the reasons for her having started the website:
“In response to the October 7th events, a group of friends and I, all Israeli-Canadian immigrants, came together to launch a new website supporting Israelis relocating to Canada. “Our website, https://www.ovrimtocanada.com/, offers a comprehensive platform featuring:
- Step-by-step guides for starting the immigration process
- Settlement support and guidance
- Community connections and networking opportunities
- Business relocation assistance and expert advice
- Personal blog sharing immigrants’ experiences and insights
“With over 200,000 visitors and media coverage from prominent Israeli TV channels and newspapers, our website has already made a significant impact in many lives.”
A quick look at the website shows that it contains a wealth of information, almost all in Hebrew, but with an English version that gives an overview of what the website is all about.
The English version also contains a link to a Jerusalem Post story, published this past February, titled “Tired of war? Canada grants multi-year visas to Israelis” (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-787914#google_vignette) That story not only explains the requirements involved for anyone interested in moving to Canada from Israel, it gives a detailed breakdown of the costs one should expect to encounter.
(Updated May 28)
We contacted Ms. Harel to ask whether she’s aware whether there has been an increase in the number of Israelis deciding to emigrate from Israel since October 7. (We want to make clear that we’re not advocating for Israelis to emigrate; we’re simply wanting to learn more about emigration figures – and whether there has been a change in the number of Israelis wanting to leave the country.)
Ms. Harel referred us to a website titled “Globes”: https://www.globes.co.il/news/article.aspx?did=1001471862
The website is in Hebrew, but we were able to translate it into English. There is a graph on the website showing both numbers of immigrants to Israel and emigrants.
The graph shows a fairly steady rate of emigration from 2015-2022, hovering in the 40,000 range, then in 2023 there’s a sudden increase in the number of emigrants to 60,000.
According to the website, the increase in emigrants is due more to a change in the methodology that Israel has been using to count immigrants and emigrants than it is to any sudden upsurge in emigration. (Apparently individuals who had formerly been living in Israel but who may have returned to Israel just once a year were being counted as having immigrated back to Israel. Now that they are no longer being counted as immigrants and instead are being treated as emigrants, the numbers have shifted radically.)
Yet, the website adds this warning: “The figures do not take into account the effects of the war, since it is still not possible to identify those who chose to emigrate following it. It is also difficult to estimate what Yalad Yom will produce – on the one hand, anti-Semitism and hatred of Jews and Israelis around the world reminds everyone where the Jewish home is. On the other hand, the bitter truth we discovered in October is that it was precisely in Israel, the safe fortress of the Jewish people, that a massacre took place reminding us of the horrors of the Holocaust. And if that’s not enough, the explosive social atmosphere and the difference in the state budget deficit, which will inevitably lead to a heavy burden of taxes and a reduction in public services, may convince Zionist Israelis that they don’t belong here.”
Thus, as much as many of us would be disappointed to learn that there is now an upsurge in Israelis wanting to move out of the country, once reliable figures begin to be produced for 2024, we shouldn’t be surprised to learn that is the case – which helps to explain the tremendous popularity of Ms. Harel’s website.
Features
Message from a Palestinian in Gaza to protesters: “You’re hurting the Palestinian cause”
A very brave Palestinian who was willing to put his name to paper and write an article for Newsweek Magazine has exposed the utter hypocrisy of all those students – and others, who have been setting up encampments across the U.S. – and now Canada, too.
You can read the article at https://www.newsweek.com/message-gazan-campus-protesters-youre-hurting-palestinian-cause-opinion-1894313
Features
The Most Expensive Israeli Soccer Transfers
Even if Israel isn’t known as a world soccer power, it has produced plenty of talented players who have made a living in top European leagues. On more than one occasion, an Israeli international has commanded a rather large transfer fee. But who are the most expensive players in Israel’s history? The answer could be a little surprising. We took a look back to find the most expensive Israeli soccer transfers of all time.
Tai Baribo
In 2023, Baribo made the move to MLS, signing with the Philadelphia Union. The reported fee was around $1.5 million, which is one of the highest transfer fees the Union has ever paid for a player.
Omer Atzili
Throughout his career, Atzili has played for a variety of clubs, including stops in Spain and Greece. In 2023, he joined Al Ain in the UAE for a transfer fee of $2.1 million.
Maor Buzaglo
Now retired, Buzaglo was briefly the holder of the richest transfer deal for an Israeli player. After a couple of successful seasons on loan, Maccabi Tel Aviv paid $2.7 million to rival Maccabi Haifa for Buzaglo in 2008.
Dia Saba
Saba made history in 2020 when he joined Al-Nasr, making him the first Israeli player to play for a club in the UAE. At the time, it was a big deal for relations between the two countries. Al-Nasr also paid an impressive $2.9 million transfer fee for the midfielder.
Tal Ben Haim
On multiple occasions, Ben Haim has been sold for more than $1 million. First, there was his move from Hapoel Tel Aviv to Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2023 for close to $1.2 million. A few years later, Sparta Prague came calling for him, spending $3.1 million as a transfer fee for the winger.
Itay Shechter
During the prime of his career, Shechter was the type of player who warranted a seven-figure transfer fee. German club Kaiserslautern paid a little over $2.6 million in 2011 to bring Shechter to the Bundesliga from Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Daniel Peretz
When Peretz was sold to Bayern Munich, it wasn’t the most expensive deal involving an Israeli player, although it was arguably the most important. He became the first Israeli Jew to play at Bayern, which is one of the biggest clubs in the world. The transfer fee for Peretz paid by Bayern Munich to Maccabi Tel Aviv was around $5.4 million.
Oscar Gloukh
Gloukh is one of the best young Israeli players right now. He already has three international goals in a dozen appearances to his name. Somehow, Gloukh is already one of the most expensive players in Israel’s history. After coming up with Maccabi Tel Aviv, he moved to Austrian giant Red Bull Salzburg in 2023 for a transfer fee of close to $7.5 million. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him top that number one day.
Liel Abada
Abada has been a part of two huge transfer deals in his young career. In 2021, Scottish club Celtic paid $4.8 million to acquire him from Maccabi Petah Tikva. However, that number was topped in 2024 when Charlotte FC of MLS paid a fee of $8 million for Abada.
With Charlotte FC, Abada competes in North America’s top league, facing teams from both Mexico and Canada. Throughout North America, sports betting has taken off in recent years. That includes betting in Canada, where there is a large collection of trusted sports betting platforms.
Eran Zahavi
To date, Zahavi holds the record for the most expensive transfer fee paid for an Israeli player. It’s fitting for Israel’s former captain and all-time leading scorer. In 2016, Chinese club Guangzhou City paid $12.5 million to get Zahavi from Maccabi Tel Aviv. That record was nearly broken later that year when another Chinese club offered $20 million for Zahavi, who turned it down and stayed with Guangzhou City.