Moges Dinko and his family waited eight years in squalid conditions in the Ethiopian city of Gondar to come to the land of their dreams - Israel. Arriving at the age of 19, he was too old to attend high school and did not have any experience to enter the work force. The Jewish Agency's Kedma program put Moges on a path to higher education while providing him with a complete absorption framework.

Matan Elimelech

Matan Elimelech, 21, grew up in Toronto, but chose to go to Israel to serve in an elite combat unit directly after high school. He saw brutal fighting from the alleyways of Gaza to the Second Lebanon War. Matan risked his life to protect the State of Israel. The Jewish Agency's Garin Tzabar program eased his hardship as a lone soldier with no family or support system in Israel by providing Matan with a social network, Hebrew ulpan classes, and a home during his army service. 


Every year, some 2 million people around the world depend on the services of the Jewish Agency. Youth and communities at risk in Israel – at risk from neglect, disadvantage or kassam rocket attacks – depend on our help. Vulnerable new immigrants look to us as they struggle to build new lives. So do young immigrant soldiers and students alone in Israel who count on the Jewish Agency as family. 

Thanks to United Jewish Communities - Federations of North America and Keren Hayesod, thousands of lay leaders and professionals from North America and throughout the Jewish world recently visited Israel and met the people behind the Jewish Agency programs. And as the global economic crisis deepens, we need to ensure that these people who count on us do not fall through the cracks. Now, as always, our beneficiaries are our most important priority.

Fund for Victim of Terror beneficiary Michal Kakoon with her two daughters in Sderot.

Beneficiaries like Michal Kakoon, a science teacher and mother of two young girls who was the victim of terrifying Kassam rocket attacks in Sderot. Michal and her family stand firm in their resolve to remain in Sderot, but it is difficult. The support she received from the Jewish Agency's Fund for Victims of Terror, created by United Jewish Communities' Israel Emergency Campaign (IEC) and Keren Hayesod, helped the family tremendously. 

For Michal, and many other citizens of Sderot, the Jewish Agency has been a pillar of support for the beleaguered city. "Everywhere you turn the Jewish Agency is helping, from assisting terror victims, to providing our children with after school activities, vacation respites and summer camps." She told UJC's GA delegates, "It is heartwarming to know that Jews around the world care for us and will continue to stand beside us." 

Net@ student Diana Naftaliev shows her computer talent to GA participants.

Delegates also met teenagers from the Jewish Agency's four-year Net@ program, an exciting after-school initiative that trains high school youth in the periphery of Israel to design, build and maintain computer networks. Diana Naftaliev told the group that she is so grateful for the people who support Net@. She cannot imagine the last four years of her life without the program and knows that it will give her an edge when she goes to college. "Because of people like you who care," said Diana, "we are able to advance." 

Soldiers in the Jewish Agency's Nativ program, many from the former Soviet Union, shared their feelings on how Nativ changed their lives. The program was developed in order to ensure the full integration of new immigrants serving in the IDF into Israeli society, and to give IDF soldiers who are not halachically Jewish an opportunity to convert with like-minded peers in a friendly environment. To date, 7,000 soldiers have completed the program, including 3,100 who have converted since its inception seven years ago.

"Because of this program, I now feel 100% Jewish," said Igor Lermont from Ukraine.

Youth Futures Trustee Avital Elimelech in action.

During a visit to the Youth Futures program in Upper Nazareth, delegates learned how Youth Futures harnesses the talent of idealistic young activists (Trustees) to work with children at-risk through a holistic three-year program that fills critical gaps and puts them on a level playing field. Youth Futures Trustees led the children and GA delegates in interactive, get-acquainted activities that included arts and crafts, sports and tree-planting to make the school grounds nicer.

Trustee Avital Elimelech thanked the people and communities that made Youth Futures happen. She said that in these difficult financial times it was wonderful to see people from North America and around the world coming to Israel to support kids who desperately need a program like Youth Futures. 

"I have seen so much change in the children as a result of the program," said Avital. "Suddenly, they feel that they are able to achieve. Their increased confidence and growing self-image has created a snowball effect in their class, their school, their family and their community."

Israel Turgeman, 29, a young social activist and coordinator of the Partnership 2000 Lunch and Learn program in the southern desert city of Dimona expressed similar sentiments. Lunch and Learn, a critical program operating in all 14 elementary schools in Dimona, provides children in need with a hot lunch, afternoon enrichment and tutoring activities. "We are so lucky in Dimona to be working with UJC's Network of Independent Communities as our Partnership 2000 (P2K) community. The Lunch and Learn program that I direct, which is supported by the Partnership, keeps children off the street and gives them incredible emotional, social and educational support."

Americans Karin Frisch and Zachary Hughes, and Russian Ira Friedman, are all in Israel on a range of long-term programs as a result of the Jewish Agency's MASA program. Each young person receives a scholarship from MASA, and all told the visitors that they would not have been able to go to Israel without this support. 

Karin Frisch gets down to business on MASA's Eco-Israel - Live the Land program.

Boston University graduate Karin was the first English language teacher in the cloud forest village of Mindo, before she turned her sights to Israel. But when she heard about MASA's new Eco-Israel - Live the Land program, she decided to head to Israel. "I am doing a permaculture apprenticeship now," explains Karin, "and I am learning so much, both personally and professionally." 

"Israel is an experiment in nation-building and I treasure and value this," continues Karin. "I can't think of any other program I could have done in Israel that gave me everything I wanted."

Ira Friedman, 23, studied for six years to be a pediatrician in St. Petersburg. Months before she received her degree she realized this is not what she wanted to do. She wanted to use her artistic talent to help children.

Ira Friedman works on her art.

At a crossroads in her life, professionally and religiously, Ira heard about MASA's Bezalel Academy for Arts and Design program in Jerusalem. "I feel very good in Israel, and I believe that I will make aliyah. Somehow, I know that this is the right decision for me. If the State of Israel needs me, I will join the army, and always be ready to help children, no matter what I do." 

Ira is so appreciative of the Jewish people around the world who don't even know her, but with their support she has changed her life. 

Gadi Ohayon, 19, Israel's long jump champion, also drastically turned his life around at the Jewish Agency's Hadassah Neurim Youth Aliyah Village. Growing up in Acre, one of four children, life was not filled with promising opportunity until Gadi exhibited exceptional sports ability in long jumping and went to live and train at Hadassah Neurim's outstanding National Athletics program.

Gadi thrived at Hadassah Neurim, competing in national and international competitions, including the European and World Championship games. He is now gearing up for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Gadi Ohayon (top right) with other Hadassah Neurim champions.

"The coaches, the teachers, everyone at Hadassah Neurim are pushing for us to succeed. It is an amazing feeling. I would never have been able to afford the training, and receive the support I get here," says Gadi. 

Moges, Matan, Michal, Diana, Ira, Karin, Avital, Gadi and thousands of others benefit from the Jewish Agency's vital programs, which are made possible with the support of United Jewish Communities - Federations of North America, Keren Hayesod, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, foundations and donors in Israel and around the world.

We cannot afford to let these programs fall, as we gear up for difficult financial times. In the words of Moges Dinko, "If we Jews help each other, anything is possible."