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.
Mechina Project
Many underprivileged Israeli teens don’t finish high school with a “full diploma” — and, after army service, they find they can’t get into college. So they enroll in pre-academic (mechina) courses for a year or two, hoping to get into the university or college of their choice. But only about one-third succeed.
An ISEF scholar (right) mentors two aspiring young students
ISEF’s project targets Mechina students who need extra support to become successful undergraduates. ISEF pays their course fees, and ISEF’s scholars meet with them weekly. Participants are also invited to attend ISEF’s regular on-campus activities, where they can envision themselves as future ISEF scholars — boosting their motivation to succeed.
Bar Ilan Mechina students learn the ropes from ISEF’s scholars
This project is made possible by a major grant from the Fineshriber Family Foundation. Thanks to their visionary support, the Pre-Academic Project has expanded from 35 participants on two campuses, to 122 participants on six campuses.
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'?”
