Establishing a Library at The Itamar Ben Avi Elementary School in Yafo

Providing resources to support and facilitate learning and teaching

throughout the school

A PROJECT OF THE TEL AVIV FOUNDATION

Meeting the evolving needs of the City of Tel Aviv-Yafo through the

establishment of Social Services, Educational, Cultural,

Environmental and Innovation projects.

The Itamar Ben Avi School is located in the heart of Yafo in Shikun Dalet. This lower income

neighborhood is a melting pot of new immigrants, Arabs and third generation Israelis. Most of the

students are poor academic achievers and many are far behind in their studies. This makes successful

absorption within the school framework extremely difficult. To further this challenge, parents lack the

economic and social resources needed to provide their children with the proper educational support

to manage their studies. In order to develop a generation of curious students who are aware of the

processes occurring around them, capable of researching and observing, initiating and advancing

professionally and technologically, the school staff wishes to provide the pupils with a well-equipped,

modern and inviting library.

The school serves 300 students, grades 1-6. The student body is unique in that it represents the notion

of coexistence and serves as a model for the entire country. Over 30% are children of new immigrants

from the former Soviet Union, mainly from the Asian Republics.

20% are children of immigrants from Ethiopia, of which most are Falash Murra

15% of the students are Arabs (Muslims and Christians)

The remaining students are third generation Israelis

The Itamar Ben Avi School is public and

educates its population according to the

TALI network, which is committed to

providing a pluralistic Jewish Education.

TALI is a unique educational program run

jointly by the Ministry of Education and the

TALI Education Fund. It is based on the

desire of school principals, educators and

parents to provide enhanced Jewish studies

programs in a pluralistic spirit as part of

the daily experience in state-run schools.

This network enriches the official

curriculum with additional Jewish-Zionist

content and values while emphasizing their

experiential dimension.

The TALI program strives to give students a Jewish, Zionistic and democratic education in an open and

contemporary environment while enlisting cooperation amongst parents and teachers. This

educational program strives to mold a personality with broad horizons whose world is comprised of

layers of Jewish heritage and the surrounding general culture and gives its students the desire and

tools to cope with the existential questions of the Jewish people in the spirit of the guiding principles

of a TALI education.

The staff is dedicated to pluralism and humanity, scholastic, educational and social excellence and

believes that a school is an organizational system which has the purpose of answering the needs of its

clientele: students, parents and community. The school’s challenge is to build bridges between

different populations, to encourage academic excellence in scientific and humanistic areas based on

commitments to society and community. The school practices an educational model based on three

fundamental principles:

Tolerance and Mutual Respect: The school teaches democratic values, tolerance and mutual respect. Arab and Jewish children study, play and create together; coexistence is a natural way of life.

Excellence in Academic Achievements: The school believes that every individual has abilities and talents that can be strengthened and enhanced. It offers a variety of possibilities in the students' areas of interest and abilities and supplies a rich and stable basis for their intellectual and academic advancement.

Social and Community Commitments: The school feels that the emphasis placed on fulfilling

individual potential must be carried out in the context of commitments to the community and

society. The personal advancement of the student is linked to a commitment to the community

from which they come. Thus, it is essential to contribute and to give and not only to receive.

THE NEED:

School libraries play a critical role in supporting formal

education. The current library on the second floor of the

school is filled with outdated books, obsolete equipment

and old fashioned furniture. The library does not encourage

reading and does not provide adequate resources for

students in the "Information Age." Old reference books,

journals, computers and other materials housed in the

library are in need of an upgrade additional resources are

required to adapt to the needs of the students and staff.

Establishing a vibrant library encourages reading and the love of books in young readers. This is a

basic need in the school because it will provide parents from lower socioeconomic backgrounds,

homes and meager resources the ability to facilitate a productive learning environment for their

children. Literature plays a critical role in the development of children as citizens who are literate,

curious, successful members of society. The project will also contribute to the school activities for

students, teachers and the community.

THE COST

TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT: $290,000 Matching Funds: $145,000 Requested Donation: $145,000

ABOUT THE TEL AVIV FOUNDATION

The Tel Aviv Foundation, chaired by Mayor Ron Huldai, partners with donors from around the

world to meet the evolving needs of the City of Tel Aviv-Yafo. The Tel Aviv Foundation has

generated momentum to the city and proudly serves as a beacon of progress, elevating the

city’s quality of life through innovation, education, the arts, sports, social services, and the

environment. Responsive and purposeful, the Foundation provides for the needy and creates

opportunities for a better future for all the residents of Tel Aviv-Yafo. The Foundation was

founded in 1977 and has established more than 800 projects to date, raising over $700 million

worldwide.

By matching contributions dollar-for-dollar and by allowing donors to designate their funds,

the Foundation ensures accountability, promotes collaboration between donor and recipient,

and strengthens the bond between the Diaspora and Israel.

To learn more about the Tel Aviv Foundation please visit:

www.telavivfoundation.org