Page 76 - Companies Report 2018 public

Israel Education Fund Companies
Overview

Since the mid-1960s, the Israel Education Fund (IEF) of The Jewish Agency/UIA/UIA Canada/Keren
Hayesod has been instrumental in the establishment of some 1,500 capital projects. These
projects are to be found throughout the country: they include community centers, public libraries,
pre-school facilities, schools, regional colleges, teacher-training colleges, sports facilities and
auditoriums.

At the inception of the IEF a number of practices were instituted to satisfy the requirements of the
donors and tax authorities. One of these practices was the establishment of companies controlled
by The Jewish Agency/UIA/UIA Canada/Keren Hayesod (IEF companies) to manage the assets
established by the IEF.

Another practice instituted from the outset was to receive a contractual commitment from the local
authority in which the IEF project was established. This commitment, endorsed by the Ministry of
the Interior, requires the local authority to provide the resources necessary to ensure the continued
running of the project.

Community Centers
The community centers were established in order to relieve acute social problems in development
towns and deprived neighborhoods. These community centers, most of which are under the
guidance of the Israeli Corporation of Community Centers, set themselves the goal of social
integration by offering a common venue for a wide variety of activities to the different groups in the
community: young and old, rich and poor, religious and non-religious, immigrants and veterans.
The main activities of a typical community center comprise adult education; music, art and drama;
pre-school activities; sports; providing for groups with special needs; and the coordination of
volunteer work.

Colleges
There are five colleges managed by companies: two colleges of technology – Tel Hai and Kinneret;
and three academic colleges of education: Levinsky in Tel Aviv, Wingate near Netanya and Kaye in
Beer-Sheba.
The colleges make a very significant contribution. For the colleges situated in peripheral areas, the
value can be measured in terms of direct employment generation, the provision of vocational and
professional qualifications needed in the area, and an enrichment of the cultural life of the region.
The Levinsky and Wingate colleges have great significance on the national level, and Kaye College
is an important institution for the Negev region.

76