The scholarships were awarded with the support of KKL-JNF’s Friends in Switzerland, France and Germany, as well as the Horowitz Foundation in Israel. One hundred of the scholarships were given in the framework of KKL-JNF’s Israel 2040 initiative.
Three hundred and fifty students from around Israel and from all walks of life were granted scholarships worth a total sum of 6.5 million shekels. The awarding of the scholarships was made possible thanks to the support of friends of KKL-JNF from Switzerland,
France and
Germany; the Horowitz Foundation in Israel; and KKL-JNF’s Israel 2040 initiative, which aims to bring 1.5 million new residents to the
Negev and
Galilee regions by 2040.
At the award-giving ceremony, KKL-JNF World Chairman Daniel Atar congratulated the students: “Israel was not blessed with natural resources or geographical depth, so what made this miracle possible? It could only be our human assets. Education and knowledge should be our guiding light, which is why KKL-JNF chose to invest a good part of its resources in this field.
“Students!” Atar declared, “You are the future, and soon you will be leading Israel in all of its fields of endeavor. Take advantage of this scholarship in order to increase wisdom and knowledge.”
The scholarships were awarded according to criteria set by KKL-JNF and its supporting partners. In cooperation with KKL France, scholarships were awarded to students from French-speaking countries who immigrated to Israel without their parents, including ten students from Morocco. In cooperation with KKL Germany, scholarships were awarded to students who were defined as youth at risk. In cooperation with KKL Switzerland, scholarships were awarded to students studying philosophy.
Foundations that were partner to awarding the scholarships included the Bender Foundation in cooperation with KKL Germany, the Saiovici Foundation in cooperation with KKL France, the Philosophy Foundation in cooperation with KKL Switzerland, and the Horowitz Foundation from Israel.
KKL Switzerland President Arthur Plotke congratulated the scholarship recipients on behalf of the donors. “KKL-JNF was founded in Basel, the city where I was born, and ever since then KKL-JNF has worked to build the country and to improve the quality of life for all its inhabitants. It’s very exciting and moving to see so many students here.”
One hundred scholarships were awarded as part of KKL-JNF’s Israel 2040 project to strengthen Israel’s outlying regions by investing in education, technology and infrastructure. The goal is to empower local youth and young adults and create economic momentum in Negev and Galilee villages and towns, based on the principle that strengthening peripheral regions will strengthen the entire country. This year’s scholarships focused on the north, and were awarded to college students in the Galilee region.
Chief KKL-JNF Scientist Dr. Doron Merkel said that as a student, he also had received a KKL-JNF scholarship to complete his doctoral thesis on the Hula Valley’s Hula Lake Park. Among his responsibilities as Chief Scientist, Merkel is also helping to coordinate Project 2040. “You students can be the first step of a journey whose goal is to expand the Israeli hi-tech engine to the entire country,” Merkel said. “It is my hope that this scholarship will assist you in realizing your professional ambitions.”
The award-giving ceremony was led by KKL-JNF representative Danny Sagi and accompanied by a string quartet playing beautiful classical music. The event took place at the Jerusalem Botanical Garden, a site that KKL-JNF was instrumental in developing and transforming into a blossoming green lung and environmental education center in heart of the city.
“With KKL-JNF’s help, we are making the Botanical Garden into a very special place that attracts thousands of visitors,” said Botanical Garden Director Tom Amit.
After the scholarships were awarded by KKL-JNF representatives, Noa Ayalon, a philosophy student from Haifa University, addressed the audience on behalf of the students. “The help we have been privileged to receive is beyond economic assistance, it is also a recognition of the value of what we are doing and the path we have chosen. For this, we are very grateful.”