At this year's ceremony twenty six scholarships were granted, by the Ellen Alice Foundation and the Elron Foundation and the Ashkelon Foundation, total sum of scholarships were 52,000 shekels to students from Ashkelon learning to Academic institutes for a B.A or Law degree.
The CEO of the Ashkelon Foundation congratulated the students and spoke about the importance of grooming education and creating opportunities for students from welfare families to be granted the highest levels of education. He also thanked the scholarship committee for the hard and blessed work.
The Ashkelon Foundation has put forth as a goal for 2009 that the grants will be contingent of the students committing to 3 weekly hours of community work.
Article: Student Scholarships program and advisory work
Written by: Lauren Zink, a volunteer in Israel, Nov 17th 2010
Participating in higher education is no easy fete. When finances get entered into the mix this can make the situation even more difficult. Student Scholarships is a program to help enable students with financial problems to obtain a degree.
In order to be a part of this scholarship program each student has to volunteer three hours a week of community work. This is a perfect example of “If you give, you shall receive.”
This place goes beyond just simply handing out scholarships and loans to these academic students. Nisim Ben David is a major reason for this. He is the manager of higher education program and is the one that not only gives out the scholarships, but he councils the students on what subjects to pick in University.
If a student wants to learn engineering but are not properly qualified, he gets them into a special project to advance. He forms relationships with these young adults, he is not only their councilor but he is their friend. In this light they can then feel comfortable talking to him. Nisim Ben David helps make these students dreams come true.
He exceeds in doing this by also having a page on the most popular website for students – Facebook. All day Nisim Ben David is on the site, chatting with students and answering any questions they may have for them.
Many of these people live either alone or were raised in one parent families. Some are new immigrants and simply have no direction and no money to begin to make a life for themselves here in Israel.
One special story is of a student who was living in a women’s shelter and was being beaten up every day. She thought she had no way of getting out and helping to support her children who lived there with her. But with the help of Nisim Ben David she is now studying sociology in University. The social department is financing her children and her life is turning in an incredible new direction.
Each year between 600–700 students in Ashkelon receive scholarships, and many of these children share the same life-changing stories as the student who was living in the women’s shelter.
In order to be accepted into University students need to pass an exam that is similar to that of the SAT’s. It is no easy fete, but Nisim Ben David helps them succeed. Beyond just receiving scholarships these young adults can take a course that ranges in price between 5,000 – 6,000 NIS. Students are offered a subsidized scholarship for it and so far, 100 students have completed this course.
What is most evident here is the ‘give and receive’ notion. If a student receives a scholarship, they give back by participating in volunteer work. If they learn in a course, they give back by then teaching that course. There are still so many more students who are in need of scholarships and other academic help and guidance, but simply just not enough finances to give away. Maybe after reading this you can be a part of the trend and give back to these students.
Increase in the Number of Scholarships for Ashkelon’s Students
Dec 2010, by Lauren Zink volunteer from USA
Keren Ashkelon invests considerable resources in fundraising from donors and foundations in order to provide student scholarships.
This year 500 scholarships will be awarded, in amounts ranging from 1,000 NIS to 7,000 NIS per student, and currently registration for the scholarships has been opened.
The scope of the scholarships has been estimated at two and a half million shekels, which was raised by the Ashkelon Municipality and Keren Ashkelon's joint fund, and from other partners, such as the Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company, Rav Bariach, the Allen Elis and Eli Ron Fund, and scholarships from public and private funds that are dealt with by Keren Ashkelon's Center for Higher Education, which is managed by Mr. Nissim Ben David.
The students benefit from their scholarships while giving back to the community through unique projects, which are initiated by Keren Ashkelon. This year one of the new projects allows students in elementary and high schools to enjoy enhancement classes on the following subjects: law, prevention of violence, environmental quality, science and preparation for their bagrut (matriculation) examinations in practical subjects.
The number of students amongst Ashkelon's youth is on the rise. This year 3,500 students from Ashkelon are studying all over the country, and of these, about 1,350 students have submitted requests to receive financial assistance in the form of a scholarship and / or an interest free loan.
The Center for Higher Education also assists students in the stages prior to admission, it provides guidance and counseling for discharged soldiers, routine updates in fields of study and terms of admission, advise for choosing suitable fields of study and academic institutes, accompaniment and support during the period of studies, it provides help with problems which concern the students' studies, and it also provides many other services.
