ISEF Chairman Carlos Benaim's fascinating life journey, from the Moroccan port city of Tangier to developing the world's most iconic fragrances, is profiled in two major Israeli publications this summer.
Leadership Development
ISEF empowers its students to serve as agents of positive change in Israeli society.
Recipients of ISEF scholarships volunteer every week as mentors and tutors for more than 1,000 underprivileged youngsters in ISEF academic programs all over Israel.
By mentoring children from backgrounds like their own, our students learn that they can have a real impact on their communities - sparking a passion for lifelong civic involvement.
As part of a nation-wide Leadership Development program, ISEF scholars meet twice a month to explore and identify pressing social issues in their communities. With the right training and tools, our scholars learn how to plan and implement initiatives that will help to create the Israel they wish to see for themselves and their children.
An ISEF scholar makes her point in group discussion
In 2011, ISEF scholars from Tel Aviv University set out to address the needs of the Ethiopian community in central Israel. They found that a high percentage of Ethiopian-Israeli youth fail to show up to classes or have dropped out entirely. Without a solid support network, many Ethiopian teens turn to drug abuse and crime, adding even greater challenges to their community.
ISEF scholars organized a very successful Community Day for an Ethiopian neighborhood in the nearby suburb of Rishon LeZion - empowering local youth and inspiring the municipality to build a Community Youth Center where Ethiopian teens could take part in social and cultural activities.
Learn more about social initiatives led by ISEF Scholars by visiting: http://iseffoundation.org/programs/isef-in-israel/
International Fellow Dr. Itsik Francis (above left, with former ISEF Chair Norman Belmonte) shared this, from two new ISEF supporters:
"They said they had never seen a foundation that behaves like a family. with such warm feeling. Perhaps we should change ISEF to 'International Sephardic Education Family'?”
