“For me, receiving the 2011 award for Contribution to the Community at the Sderot Conference for Community service was completing the circle.”

By Pamela Deutsch

Born in 1975, Daniel lived in Jerusalem through 8^th grade, and then moved with his family to Shdemot Meholah in the Jordan Valley.  Daniel attended high school at Hispin on the Golan Heights.

Following graduation, Daniel participated in the inaugural class of the Integrated Army Program sponsored by the Kibbutz Hadatai Movement.  Daniel spent 8 months at Yeshivat Ma’ale Hagilboa followed by a year in half  in army intelligence, a second 8 months at the Yeshiva and then served as a tutor at the Or Etzion Military Academy located at Mercaz Shapira for another year and a half.

Having completed his army service, Daniel spent a year traveling in the Far East, Europe, and Egypt.

In 2000, Daniel began studying film at Sapir College in Sderot.  He completed his BA with high grades and even gave the student address at graduation.   During his college years, Daniel won a competition in still photography,  and volunteered for Ma’apach – a Jewish Arab student organization  which works towards reducing the economic, educational and social gaps of underprivileged populations.

Daniel lived in Sderot itself, and made many friends in the community.  During his last year of studies, Daniel began working in the Sderot community computer center, with at risk youth.  The program he developed and initiated built upon skills that the youth already had and involved the youth teaching computers to a range of population groups; children who needed help with their homework, adults who needed to be able to use computers for their work, and even the elderly.  The highlight of this project was that the youth taught computer skills to their teachers, to Alon Schuster who was then head of the Sha’ar Hangeev Regional Council and to the local director of Project Renewal – who quickly realized that the youth were excellent at building him the PowerPoint presentations he needed for his work.

In 2003, Daniel began to study for a Masters Degree in Culture at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and began working as a research assistant for Dan Porat, an education professor, on the topic of creating national memory.  It was during this time that Daniel met Astorre Modena, a Jewish Italian venture capitalist, who lives in Israel.

Astorre was very interested in finding a way to contribute to the community.  Astorre who was living in the Arnona neighborhood, was very well aware that those living across from him in Talpiot, were far less well off.  Upon hearing about the work Daniel had been doing in Sderot, Astorre was immediately enthusiastic about founding a similar program in Jerusalem.

Machsava Tova was founded in 2004 in the Talpiot neighborhood in Jerusalem.  It began as one center, and ran mostly programs for youth at risk.  The demand for activities by children of other ages grew quickly; they were literally banging on the door.  Beginning with small groups of children Machshav Tova  worked to find appropriate content for younger children and the youth who were already involved became tutors for these children.  The demand continued to grow with parents also wanting to learn more about computer use, in order to improve their ability to find work or advance in their current positions.

Today Machshava Tova has five centers in west Jerusalem, three centers in East Jerusalem, one in Lod, and are in the process of developing two new centers one in the north in Afula and one in the south, most likely in Beersheva.

Click here to view the embedded video.

In 2007, Machshava Tova initiated the first MCU – a mobile computer unit, which brings equipment and teachers to kindergartens, community centers, schools and other facilities and provides computer training to populations that would otherwise not have this opportunity.    For example, the three MCUs work in Charedi communities, reach out to the disabled and provide opportunities for job seekers at job fairs to prepare and submit resumes on the spot.

In addition, Machshava Tova runs an exciting recycling project.  Initiated by Daniel and Astorre, the program takes used computers and computing components and recycles them, and then donates them to underprivileged populations; individuals, organizations or students.  All of the work on the computers is performed by youth at risk and IT volunteers, who rebuild the computers and load them with software.  Machshava Tova is the only Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher in the country.

Daniel has grown the organization for one person to 60 and now has both managerial and administrative assistance.  Furthermore, he has put together a range of partners who include municipalities, government agencies, businesses, foundation, private donors and fee for service clients.

Daniel is a permanent member of the Knesset Committee for Science and participated in the Ministry of Finance Committee for Reducing the Digital Divide.

Daniel loves to hike, is still a photographer, and spends much of his free time with his family and in his carpentry workshop.  He built a deck and pergola for his new home, a composter, and is now in the middle of planning bookshelves and media center for his living room.  His newest interest is in being a mentor for new social entrepreneurs; already he has worked on a project for social entrepreneurs at the Ein Gedi Pre-Army Mechina, and participated in ROI.

Machashava Tova was recently awarded the 2011 award for Contribution to the Community at the Sderot Conference for Community Service.  For Daniel, accepting the award in Sderot was the completion of a circle started 9 years ago.

Daniel is married and the father of two children and lives in the Dead Sea area.

Much thanks to the UJA-Federation of New York’s Women’s Philanthropy Group, the Neshamot Fund, whose generous donation has allowed the MCU to open new courses throughout Israel.

The youth spent many hours preparing for the ICDL exam in computers. By completing all seven levels required by the ICDL and a number of other basic courses, the students will receive a Ministry of Education recognized certificate equivalent to having finished 12 years of schooling. During the first part of the course, the students learned how to manage files, Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Over 90% of the students received higher than 90% on the exam. The MCU staff is now preparing to teach the second half of the course.

“This was one of the most challenging courses I have taught for Machshava Tova, because of the special make-up of the class and their battling of personal problems,” said Oren Heller, the course teacher. “The professionalism and dedication of the Retorno staff helped make this course successful. What they have learned will help them in other courses and allow some of them to eventually receive their high school diploma. For these reasons I am satisfied with how the course went and am extremely proud of my students.”

Located in the beautiful countryside near Beit Shemesh, Retorno – the International Jewish Center for Prevention and Treatment of Addictions –provides a unique solution for Jewish addicts. Retorno has treated hundreds of Jews of every background and community from around the world. Eighty percent of its patients have successfully reintegrated into regular society and rebuilt their lives. Retorno not only treats the addiction but also helps the patient identify the root causes of their problem and deal with them. Retorno uses a unique, community-based system of mutual support, helping our patients regain their self control and sense of responsibility. These qualities prepare them for a productive future and a new life.

To understand how important this course was, here is a sampling of what the participants said upon receiving their certificates:

Yaakov: “This course encourages me to buy a computer. It really added a lot to me- an excellent course. I hope there will be more courses like this. Much thanks to the extremely patient staff.”

Avigayil: “I have problems concentrating and I was worried I would not be able to learn anything. Sara’s patience helped a lot and I ended up learning much more than I imagined possible.”

Iris: “I knew absolutely nothing at the beginning. Thank you for helping me and showing much patience- it was fun and I learned a lot. I got exactly what I needed- to learn how to use Microsoft Office, empathy, patience and everything explained in an easy, understandable fashion.”

Liza, who participated in a similar course last year, served as an assistant teacher during the course. In addition, she was able to complete one unit of her high school matriculation exam in computers.

At the end of the ceremony, Ariel Keren, a social worker from the Ministry of Health, thanked everyone who provided support for the students. “I’m proud of everyone who finished the course and I am extremely impressed at how far they advanced.”

Almost a third of all Israelis live beneath the poverty line with more than two million individuals having limited or no computer access. Unable to access computers and acquire basic computer skills, many of these Israelis will remain impoverished, unable to compete with technologically savvy populations possessing home computers and computer skills.

Project aims to teach students from low socio-economic background and prepare them for entry into IDF’s Technology Units

Recently, many tenth graders came to the Kiryat Menachem Computer Center to learn about and be tested for entry into the Arava Project (see below for full description of project). Machshava Tova’s (www.mtova.org.il) partners – the neighborhood welfare administration, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) technological units and Mercaz Braira – sent representatives to meet the prospective participants. The teenagers came from neighborhoods all over Jerusalem, including Givat Zeev, Neve Yaakov, Gilo, Kiryat Menachem, Kiryat Yovel and many more.

The day began with a talk from each of the partners to describe the project and what the anticipated outcome will hopefully be. A test in technical logic was then administered to everyone- prior knowledge of computers was not a prerequisite to enter the program. Finally, each prospective participant was interviewed by a member of each program partner. At the end of the day, 21 students were chosen and the program will be starting in May.

Much thanks to Pnina Samucha, Kiryat Menachem Director, for her tireless efforts in contacting schools, meeting principals and teachers and marketing the course all over Jerusalem. The fact that so many teenagers showed up and the course is full is a testament to her outstanding efforts. In addition, thanks to

■ Edna Darnel for connecting Machshava Tova with the Jerusalem Municipality and various high schools

■ Hagar Ronen who represented Mercaz Braira

■ Omri Avned who is in charge of instruction

■ Bar Inbar, IDF Officer in charge of programming courses for Basmach (IDF Technological Unit)

■ Volunteer university students who will participate in teaching the course- some of whom served in Basmach

■ Amit, an IDF soldier who volunteers at our computer center

■ Tamar Weil, who is serving her year of national service at our computer centers

The Mamram/Basmach is the technological unit of the IDF, which specializes in using computers to help soldiers in the field and to gather intelligence. Knowledge of basic computer skills is a major component of one’s potential acceptance into this unit. Children from low socio-economic backgrounds are woefully under-represented in this unit because their financial situation does not allow them access to a computer in the home and this prevents many of them from even applying to this unit.

Machshava Tova has constructed the Arava program to increase the chances of teenagers from low socio-economic backgrounds being accepted to this unit. The program will take place during grade eleven. Those accepted into the program will meet once a week for two hours. The program includes:

► learning advanced computer skills

► preparation for the battery of tests teenagers face when first enlisting in the IDF as a pre-requisite for entrance into the Mamram unit

► visiting the army’s Mamram unit, hi-tech companies and hearing from hi-tech executives

There are four main objectives which this program hopes to accomplish:

1) Motivate these students to work harder at school as a way of bettering their future.

2) Opening to these students a whole new set of possibilities they never knew existed.

3) Ending a life of poverty for these students. Graduates of the Mamram unit are highly recruited by hi-tech companies, where starting salaries are far above the average Israeli salary.

4) By showing them the light at the end of the tunnel- possible full time employment after army service- it is possible to raise their self-esteem and allow them to realize their full potential.

By providing access to computers, giving students a chance to acquire the skills needed to enter the Mamram unit, Machshava Tova can empower them to seek a better future.