Israel
Ben-Gurion University launches appeal to save the class of COVID-19
The university is raising a fund to support students in their studies as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
With the COVID-19 pandemic surging once again in Israel it is having a devastating effect on many young people who had been enrolled in institutions of higher learning throughout the country.
At Ben Gurion University of the Negev, university president Daniel Chamovitz is particularly worried about the financial predicament faced by many of the university’s students.
Many students at BGU, as is the case with all other similar Israeli institutions, enroll in the university following their periods of army service.
As an article in the Jerusalem Post notes, “many of Ben Gurion‘s students are financially independent of their families, supporting themselves and funding their courses with jobs worked around their studies. However, the pandemic caused many of them to lose their jobs, putting their ongoing studies in jeopardy.
“Others are concerned that there will be no work for them to go to when they graduate. “
“This potential loss of students could have insurmountable effects on our society and our world,” BGU President Daniel Chamovitz observes.
The Jerusalem Post article goes on to cite the particular experiences of two different students:
“ ‘I’m finding myself in very uncertain times, where jobs are just not coming. You feel that you have something to offer and that you’re good at what you do – but that doesn’t matter,’ Mai Tannen, a 3rd year Politics and Government student says.
“Mai spent her first semester in Italy at the University of Sienna and returned for further studies in March, just as the coronavirus was taking hold there,” the JPost article notes. “Concerned for her health, her family and professors encouraged her to return to , but, she said, the contrast was notable as everything had shut down to prevent spread of the virus.”
“ ‘It’s a difficult time, and I’m very scared about the future. How am I going to support myself financially?’ she asked. ‘I feel like the ground is shaking below me.’ ”
The JPost article also refers to the shift from attending classes in person to online learning and the difficulties that change presents for many students, “many of whom have struggled to find the motivation to self-manage their learning amid the emotional turmoil and uncertainty caused by the pandemic.
“Amir Lorach, a 4th year Industrial Engineering and Management student, lost his job to the lockdown and had to give up his apartment due to financial difficulties, moving in with his girlfriend to save money. The upheaval posed serious problems for Amir, who has been diagnosed with ADHD. He found it difficult to manage his schedule studying online, and was staying up late into the night to make up for lost classes.
“These stresses manifested in chest pains, dizzy spells and losing track of time, making studying even more difficult. He is now considering whether to continue in his studies next year. “
The JPost article concludes with an observation how much of an impact BGU has had on the world: “Recalling the impact BGU has already had on the world – the head of Israel’s Health Ministry and his deputy are both alumni, as is the chief scientific officer of a Boston company developing a coronavirus vaccine – Chamovitz said he wanted today’s young people to have the same opportunities to excel and make an impact on the world.
“ ‘I want to be positive. I want to ensure that every student who wants to prove themselves – every student who thinks they have the ability – shall come to BGU and realize their potential,’ “ he said.
“ ‘We have a responsibility to ensure that no one is left behind.’ ”
For information on donating to the Canadian Associates of Ben Gurion University’s campaign in aid of students at that university, see the ad at the top of this site.
Israel
Join the Masa Canadian Professionals Volunteers Program!
You are invited on a 4-week volunteer program in Israel from October 14th to November 10th. Help rebuild Israeli society post-October 7th over Canadian Thanksgiving, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah. Spend three weeks based in Tel Aviv and one week based in Eilat!
This program is exclusively for Jewish professionals aged 22-50, working at Jewish organizations or remotely in any field.
The cost of the program is $150 USD to the organizer and $50 USD to Masa. Participants will receive a Masa grant of $2650 USD that is applied to participation and to cover additional costs. The cost of the program includes housing, meals while volunteering, transportation on travel days, health insurance, leadership training, and more. Volunteers are required to commit to the volunteer schedule, with the understanding that there will be the flexibility to work remotely for 8 specific days during the program. Flights are not included but you get a 15% discount from El Al.
Sign up here: https://www.masaisrael.org/go/canada-jp/ space is limited!
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to make a difference and connect with fellow professionals. For more information, contact Mahla Finkleman, National Manager of Partnerships and Outreach, Masa Canada, atmfinkleman@ujafed.org and/or Sam Goodman, Senior Manager of Israel Engagement, sgoodman@ujafed.org.
Save the Dates for Info Sessions:
- Thursday, September 5th, 12:00 – 12:30 EST
- Wednesday, September 11th, 12:00 – 12:30 EST
Join us in Israel for a meaningful and impactful experience with Masa!
weeks based in Tel Aviv and one week based in Eilat!
This program is exclusively for Jewish professionals aged 22-50, working at Jewish organizations or remotely in any field.
The cost of the program is $150 USD to the organizer and $50 USD to Masa. Participants will receive a Masa grant of $2650 USD that is applied to participation and to cover additional costs. The cost of the program includes housing, meals while volunteering, transportation on travel days, health insurance, leadership training, and more. Volunteers are required to commit to the volunteer schedule, with the understanding that there will be the flexibility to work remotely for 8 specific days during the program. Flights are not included but you get a 15% discount from El Al.
Sign up here: https://www.masaisrael.org/go/canada-jp/ space is limited!
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to make a difference and connect with fellow professionals. For more information, contact Mahla Finkleman, National Manager of Partnerships and Outreach, Masa Canada, atmfinkleman@ujafed.org and/or Sam Goodman, Senior Manager of Israel Engagement, sgoodman@ujafed.org.
Save the Dates for Info Sessions:
- Thursday, September 5th, 12:00 – 12:30 EST
- Wednesday, September 11th, 12:00 – 12:30 EST
Join us in Israel for a meaningful and impactful experience with Masa!
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
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