For almost two decades, the Jewish community of Montreal and the communities of Beer Sheva and the Bnei Shimon Regional Council have joined efforts to develop the Negev (southern) region of Israel. Their efforts have provided support for educational and social initiatives in the region and led to the development of warm, personal ties between the members of these communities.
Beer Sheva, the seventh-largest city in Israel, is considered the capital of Israel’s Southern District. With a population of over 180,000, the city is home to some of Israel’s leading institutions such as the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the Soroka Medical Center. The Bnei Shimon Regional Council consists of 13 small communities, including seven kibbutzim, in an area surrounding Beer Sheva.
Federation CJA’s long-lasting partnership is helping create new opportunities for residents of Beer Sheva and Bnei Shimon, with the goal of the region burgeoning into a prospering urban center, drawing students and professionals to the region, and creating a city with a reputation for high educational standards.
Federation CJA of Montreal strategically focuses its efforts on two thematic areas:
- Demographic and Social Change
CJA Federation of Montreal sees as a priority projects that encourage young adults from the region and newcomers to settle permanently in Beer Sheva and Bnei Shimon. These young adults will be the future entrepreneurial and social leadership – a young group of motivated individuals dedicated to the region and to leading social change.
- Equal Educational Opportunities for Children and Youth
Recognizing that education is a vital tool for social mobility, CJA Federation of Montreal supports programs that empower students and encourage educational excellence, both in formal and informal educational settings. In addition, the Federation invests in programs that narrow the gap between at-risk children and youth and their peers, and create opportunities and services for them and for other populations with special educational needs.
These two themes go hand in hand. By investing in Young Communities, for example, Montreal’s Federation CJA is investing in Israel’s future. The college students and young adults who settle in Young Communities are also those who participate in educational and volunteer programs initiated by Federation CJA.
December 2008 marked the first time in Israel’s history that rockets hit Beer Sheva. During Operation Cast Lead, which greatly affected the people of Beer Sheva and Bnei Shimon, Magbit Canada was able to respond immediately and efficiently, assisting in providing outings in central Israel – allowing for children and families to relax outdoors; supplying computers for online studying; providing toys, games and first aid kits in bomb shelters; and developing and implementing services for the disabled.
During the war, Magbit Canada arranged for a live feed from the Beer Sheva classroom that was directly hit by a Grad rocket. The live feed, that took place as a national rally for Israel across Canada, included the newly-elected mayor of Beer Sheva, and the Israeli prime minister’s message to Canadian Jewry.