Israel Non Profit News » Ayalim Association

Ayalim Student Village Establishes Community Garden in Beersheva

Pamela Deutsch — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 04:24:13 +0000

The community garden is being established in Beersheva’s “Neighborhood D” and will include an ecological greenhouse, beds for growing vegetables and herbs, and a challenge route for kids. Idan Segar, a post high school student, who is doing a year of service living in the neighborhood, before his induction into the army came up with the idea. Idan felt that the student village is not “green enough, and created a plan to improve the village’s appearance. “I want everyone who enters the neighborhood to feel that it is blooming, and that can only happen if we work together.”

Implementation of the project began when Idan and the students put in two full days of work along with children who are active in the Ayalim sponsored community center. A few days later, the Deputy Director General of Amidar happened to be visiting the neighborhood, liked what he saw and made a financial contribution to the effort. The cooperation with Amidar is an ongoing effort, which involves the students, the long term residents of the neighborhood and Amidar, working together to improve the appearance of the neighborhood.

Ayalim Association

Pamela Deutsch — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:18:18 +0000

The Ayalim Association believes that bringing students to settle in the Negev and the Galilee is a national undertaking of supreme importance. The association provides incentives such as scholarships and subsidized housing to encourage students to settle in such areas. After a period of living in the periphery, the association believes that students will become attached to the area and its people and that once they complete their studies a large share of them will chose to make their lives in the periphery. The association also works together with the Prime Minister’s Office and the Office of the Vice Prime Minister to promote incentives for graduates of the project that wish to remain in the Negev and the Galilee.

President Peres Meets Ayalim Participants

Pamela Deutsch — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 08:16:47 +0000

“Bring back the values elements and the moral consideration to the Israeli society.”

On Sunday August 2, 2009 The Israeli President, Mr. Shimon Peres, was hosted by residents of the new Student Village of Ayalim Association in the old city in Beer Sheva. “I came to gain some comfort from you” said the President to the Ayalim students. “The advantage of Ayalim is that it is a product of young people. All you have is an unlimited budget of enthusiasm – and I am proud of this enterprise”, he added.

The President was accompanied by the Mayor of Beer Sheva, Mr. Rubik Danilovich and the Director General of Rashi Foundation, Mr. Eli Elalouf. The three joined the students for an intimate discussion concerning leadership and the periphery. Mr. Peres shared his belief that Beer Sheva is on its’ way to become the new and modern version of Tel Aviv.

When asked about the role of young people in Israel today, the president replied that “the youngsters today must restore the moral consideration in Israel due to the weakening of values we are experiencing as a society” and invited the students not to stand from afar but to join the Israeli politics.

The evening was ended with the insertion of the Mezuzah at the entrance to the new student village, thus closing a circle after placing the corner stone of the first Ayalim village in 2003. The village in the old city of Beer Sheva was built with the support of the Jewish Agency, Keren Hayesod and the Canadian Israel Appeal (UIAC).