(l-r) Nina Weiner with Gabriel Malka and Tomer Samarkandi

 

ISEF and the University of Haifa

Celebrate 40 Years of Partnership

“Our missions are intrinsically linked: to bridge social gaps in Israeli society by developing Israel’s young people through academic excellence”

 

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the ISEF Foundation, whose mission is to narrow socioeconomic gaps in Israeli society through higher education. ISEF was the first scholarship foundation in Israel to develop an academic leadership program for gifted Israeli students from outlying communities.

In 1977 philanthropists Edmond J. (z”l) and Lily Safra joined Nina Weiner in founding ISEF. Together they dreamed of eradicating poverty in Israel through higher education. They found a partner in the University of Haifa, at the time Israel’s youngest university, with a mission to cultivate academic excellence in research and education in a culturally diverse environment, while strengthening Israel’s northern peripheral communities.

Working in partnership with the University, ISEF established a unique scholarship program promoting academic leadership and social responsibility. “We needed to find a creative solution that could leverage scholarship funding,” explains Gabriel Malka, the current Director of the Israel School of Tourism at the University of Haifa who served as the first Director of ISEF in Israel. “It resulted in a scholarship program developing leadership and civic involvement for promising students from disadvantaged backgrounds.”

Activities ranged from mentoring at-risk youth to help them finish high school, to projects teaching inmates in prison how to read and write. “These important skills helped propel many ISEF graduates to become agents of social change in Israeli society,” added Malka.

This social vision is part of a broad agenda pursued by President Ron Robin to integrate student activities with community outreach and leadership programs. Since its inception, ISEF has granted more than 1,000 scholarships to University of Haifa students. According to Tomer Samarkandi, Executive Director of ISEF Israel, the Foundation has always enjoyed a special relationship with the University.

“Our missions are intrinsically linked: to bridge social gaps in Israeli society by developing Israel’s human capital through academic excellence,” he explains. “The Office of the Dean of Students is very supportive of our scholars and ISEF projects on campus. Together we are committed to making higher education widely accessible to talented students and creating a more pluralistic society in Israel.”

  

Giving Back

The University is extremely proud of its ISEF alumni and their accomplishments. ISEF alumnus, Prof. Eli Avraham, is currently head of the University of Haifa’s Elizabeth and Tony Comper Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Anti-Semitism and Racism and Director of the Ambassadors Online Program. He also served as Chairman of the ISEF Executive Committee for the past three years. “Many of our graduates who came from challenging socio-economic backgrounds now hold senior positions in Israel’s private and public sectors,” notes Prof. Avraham. “It is heartwarming to hear that our graduates credit the Foundation with helping them realize their potential, advance their careers, and improve the quality of their communities.”

 

ISEF fellow Maayan Krispil, a third-year doctoral student at the Sagol Department of Neurobiology, is very grateful to ISEF for the opportunity to ‘give back’ – both in and outside the laboratory. Under the direction of Prof. Gal Richter-Levin, Maayan is investigating mechanisms of stress-induced metaplasticity. Her research, conducted in collaboration with scientists from Northwestern University, may lead to the prevention and novel treatments of stress-related affective disorders. In addition, Maayan is establishing a new social initiative called The Mentoring Project, a program that aims to build long-term mentoring relationships between ISEF scholars and faculty members. “As an ISEF scholar I have a chance to contribute to the field of neurobiology, as well as an opportunity to take part in something that will benefit others for years to come,” relates Maayan.

 

ISEF’s Bridge to College Program, led by ISEF scholars, is a University tradition. Currently run at the Nesher Community Center, the intervention program is geared to assist at-risk high school teens. As part of the program, ISEF scholars, who come from similar socioeconomic backgrounds, tutor, offer moral support, and inspire participants to take charge of their future by encouraging them to earn a full high school diploma, so they may qualify for higher education.

 

“During my first year in the Nesher project, I had an opportunity to mentor two amazing 10th grade students. We made great strides together, and I watched them flourish academically and socially. They are now in 12th grade and have remained actively involved in the project. This has filled me with immense pride.”

- Tania, BA student of law and psychology, University of Haifa

 

At a recent workshop held in January, Nesher’s Mayor Avi Binamo, an ISEF graduate and University alumnus, shared his ISEF experience with students at the Center. The project in Nesher doubled in size and impact this year, thanks to the generosity and visionary leadership of ISEF supporters and friends Luna and Selim Benardete.

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 ABOUT THE ISEF FOUNDATION

Initially founded to narrow economic gaps through higher education for gifted Sephardic Jews, ISEF now supports all cultural and ethnic groups, including new immigrants from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union, and the Druze population. Today, more than four decades later, ISEF boasts an alumni community with over 11,000 leaders in key positions, from public figures and CEOs to surgeons, authors, filmmakers, cancer researchers, architects, professors, scientists, judges, and entrepreneurs.

 

ISEF FOUNDERS

Nina Weiner, ISEF President and Co-Founder, known fondly as a godmother to thousands of students, was awarded the University of Haifa’s prestigious 2013 Carmel Award of Merit for her tireless work to make higher education accessible to thousands of deserving Israelis. She has also given generously to the University’s pioneering Ambassadors Online Program.

Lily Safra and her late husband Edmond J. Safra (z”l) are longstanding supporters of the University of Haifa and have given generously to research in the biological sciences. They helped establish the internationally renowned Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities at the University. In 2009, Lily Safra received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Haifa for her philanthropic activity fostering educational, health, cultural and welfare institutions in Israel and abroad.

More information on the ISEF Foundation can be found at: www.isef.org 

Nina Weiner (3rd from left) and Lily Safra (6th from left) at the 2007 ISEF Gala

at the Mandarin Oriental honoring Yvonne and Barry (z”l) Cohen, and featuring a performance by Marvin Hamlisch (z”l).

Around them are ISEF International Fellows who have since embarked on important careers at prestigious Israeli universities and

in Israeli courts. They include Dr. Karin Carmit Yefet (7th from left), today an

Assistant Professor at the University of Haifa’s Faculty of Law.