The Ashkelon Foundation, together with the Elie Wiesel Foundation, established Beit-Zipora Learning and Enrichment Center for Immigrant Children a unique learning center for approximately 350 Ethiopian immigrant students. The Elie Wiesel Foundation renovated one building and built a new wing containing 12 classrooms and provided the furniture and 35 computer stations. Students from the first through sixth grades participate in the Center’s programs five days per week, arriving at the Center directly from school via special buses.
Following a hot meal, Beit-Zipora Learning and Enrichment Center for Immigrant Children students receive extra learning assistance from professionally trained teachers, the best in Ashkelon, to enhance their educational achievements. Subjects taught include Mathematics, Hebrew, English, Reading Comprehension and Computers as well as cultural enrichment studies.
It is noteworthy that the principals of the education system’s day schools report on the outstanding achievements of the students who participate in Beit-Zipora Learning and Enrichment Center for Immigrant Children program. They relate this success to the hard work and effort of the teaching staff and administration and the high standards of the program.
In view of the great success of Beit-Zipora Learning and Enrichment Center for Immigrant Children, the Foundation is now considering plans to build another study center for an additional 300 immigrant and veteran Israeli children . In the very near future we will be advertising a tender for the building of a new wing.
Article- Beit-Zipora Learning and Enrichment Center for Immigrant Children
By: Lauren Zink, 27.11.2010
Imagine coming from a poor family who is not able to provide you with a beneficial environment to grow up in. Now imagine being given the chance to go to a place after school where you can get help with your schoolwork, hang out with friends, eat good food, and learn and participant in things you would never have had the chance to otherwise. Beit-Zipora is exactly this place for 400 Ethiopian and Russian children.
Beit-Zipora opened in 1994 and has since become both a safe haven and a place to enrich minds for thousands of young kids.
There are two different schools here, one for those in first to third grade, and another for those in fourth through sixth grade. These are children who have already proved themselves in school as smart and hard-workers. Due to the cultural differences they struggle in school some, and come to Beit-Zipora to be brought up to the same level, or even higher, than the grade they are in.
They learn in small groups, and sometimes even receive individual attention from their teachers. In Beit-Zipora classrooms they focus on learning math, English, computers, and Hebrew grammar. They also receive help with their homework and a lending hand towards preparation for tests.
Every school day from 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. the children come to Beit-Zipora to both enrich their minds and have fun. Recently some of them have been given a very special opportunity to play tennis or play instruments at a music conservatory once a week.
Even with all of these incredible opportunities these special children could be provided with a lot more to get the most out of Beit-Zipora experience.
Most of these children have never even been to Jerusalem, even though they live less than a few hours away. With your help they could go on trips throughout the country they live in.
All of the children who go to Beit-Zipora were specially chosen, some were even recommended by their schools principal. The more opportunities they are given the more they can provide to help improve Israel and the world around them, and maybe most importantly, themselves.
New Activities in Beit Zipora opening the 2010-2011 School Year
Dec 2010
The 2010-2011 school year opened at Beit Tzipora and 350 children from grades one to six returned happily to their activities.
All the teachers and students were present on the first day of studies at Beit Zipora, cheerful and happy, and the school year was opened by Mazal Yanko, Director of Beit Zipora, who wished everyone a fruitful and successful year of studies.
This year sixteen classes are being run at Beit Zipora, and students from eleven schools around the city come to the Center every day.
After school the children are brought to the Center by special busses, where they study in small groups, they receive extra lessons in computers, language, mathematics and English. They are given a warm meal and at the end of the day they are transported to their homes by special busses, after completing their school assignments.
The children are treated warmly and receive personal attention, and together with the progress that is made in their learning abilities and the bridging of gaps, progress can also be seen in their achievements in the schools in which they study.
The Center operates for ten months out of the year, from October until July, and during the last month of the summer holidays the children enjoy a summer camp, with many attractions and different experiences.
This year, thanks to the activities of Keren Ashkelon's Board, the General Assembly, and the Manager's Committee, headed by Mr. Eli Dayan, the children will receive special, challenging exposure to the Tennis Center and the Municipal Conservatory. Some of the Beit Zipora students will enjoy tennis lessons and others will enjoy musical activities and the exposure to the conservatory.
