Bridging Horizons integrates digital tools, project-based pedagogy, and close collaboration with local schools, while maintaining a strong focus on quality implementation, professional development, and student engagement. What began as a pilot in four high schools has expanded into a dynamic initiative now active in 14 high schools, reaching 1,620 students.

Students are encouraged to think critically, express themselves, and engage with English in meaningful and creative ways. The integration of AI tools further supports inclusivity, enabling all students to participate fully in learning activities. These innovations have helped sustain engagement while contributing to measurable improvements in students’ speaking, writing, and grammar skills.

Finding Their Voice

Across participating schools, Bridging Horizons demonstrates strong engagement among teachers, students, and school leadership. English is no longer treated as an isolated subject, but as a practical tool—connected to science, art, and technology.

The impact of Bridging Horizons extends well beyond academic achievement. Parents, teachers, and principals report increased student motivation, improved English scores, and a noticeable reduction in anxiety around speaking or writing in English.

Building Futures, One Word at a Time

Through digital learning, interdisciplinary instruction, and hands-on experiences such as a student hackathon and movie night, teaching English to teens equips them with essential 21st-century skills—including communication, creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking.

Bridging Horizons is opening doors for young people in East Jerusalem and creating a better future for Jerusalem — one word at a time.

הפוסט Speak Up: English in East Jerusalem הופיע לראשונה ב-.

Zipi Mizrachi was an art teacher in a religious high school who studied the History of Art.  While working on her doctorate, she became keenly aware of voices missing from the Israeli art scene, the voices of religious women and, for many years, even religious men.  The religious community does not support or purchase art.  Religious women artists had no model, no means, no access and no exposure.  In 2010, Mizrachi decided to support religious women artists in developing their creative potential.  She initiated a mentoring program to teach them how to build a career in art, through meetings with curators and courses on professional development.  The women who joined the supportive community, named “A Studio of Her Own,” – inspired by Virginia Woolf’s novel, A Room of One’s Own – were on a wide spectrum of religiosity.

By 2015, there were close to 30 participating artists, and Mizrachi realized that the next critical step was creating a space to show their work.  The first “gallery” was in a public bomb shelter made available by the Jerusalem Municipality.  In Jerusalem, it is common for bomb shelters to be used for cultural and community activities when not needed for protection during war.  The exposure this gave led to shows in galleries and museums, in Israel and even abroad.  As Mizrachi also saw as her goal enhancing multicultural discourse in Israeli contemporary art, she began working with Arab, Druze and Bedouin women artists around the country as well as new immigrant artists, women and men.

In 2020, the Jerusalem Municipality offered A Studio of Her Own the top floor of a building that once had been the home of a renowned painter, Pinchas Litwinowsky.  It has three gallery spaces: the former living room, foyer and an enclosed porch.  A Studio of Her Own puts on between five to nine exhibitions a year, provides residencies and hosts cultural activities and public lectures.  The living room and foyer are the main exhibition spaces, showing mostly art by women – occasionally including men – who come from the whole spectrum of identities in Israeli society.  The porch is a small space which suits first solo exhibitions for young women artists at the beginning of their career.  The bedroom has become a studio for residencies for two women artists at a time who usually share it for a year.  Litwinowsky’s studio is used for lectures and workshops as well as the ongoing mentoring and training programs.  Women artists fostered by A Studio of Her Own are reaching achievements they could not have dreamed of before.

The 100-year old building is in need of infrastructure repair.  The program, as a means for women artists to develop their creative potential, the first and still only such center in Israel, can be amplified to reach more women and provide more exposure.  A Studio of Her Own, which has been supported by the Jerusalem Foundation since its early days, continues to develop its distinctive way of contributing to art and society in Jerusalem and impacting the country at large.

הפוסט A STUDIO OF HER OWN הופיע לראשונה ב-.

Support for Juda’s Yard sustains therapeutic and psychological services, life skills workshops and group activities, scholarships for higher education, community and family programming, holiday and cultural events, and shared weeknight dinners that create stability and belonging. Investment in these core elements ensures the center is a welcoming and supportive home, where healing, empowerment and long-term transformation can take place.

הפוסט Juda’s Yard הופיע לראשונה ב-.

It is in this spirit that the Shai Doron Fellowship for Future Leaders of Jerusalem has launched, to continue the vision Shai championed during his tenure as president starting in 2019 until his sudden passing in the summer 2024. From creative culture to communal strength, Shai was drawn to and animated by the city’s brightest trailblazers, innovators and social architects working in, and for all, the city’s neighborhoods.

The Shai Doron Future Leadership Program is moving forward with significant momentum as a strategic investment in civil society in Jerusalem for the next decade. The program aims to identify and empower young civil society leaders in Jerusalem, equipping them and encouraging them to expand their leadership influence in line with the inclusive and visionary legacy of Shai Doron z”l.

In February 2025, Yoav Rothschild was appointed full-time Program Director. Yoav is responsible for the overall planning, coordination and execution of the Shai Doron Future Leadership Program. Prior to this appointment, for the past eight years Yoav has served as Director and Urban Planner of the East Talpiot Community Center.

A Call for Applications was published in February and closed on March 17, 2025. We were delighted to receive 85 applications from experienced managers and professionals across Jerusalem. The applicant pool reflected impressive diversity in gender, sector and professional background, fulfilling one of the program’s core goals. Following a thorough interview process, led by the Jerusalem Foundation Management a respectable panel of professionals, 11 leaders were chosen to partake in the first Cohort of the Shai Doron Future Leadership Program.

הפוסט Shai Doron Leadership Fellows Program הופיע לראשונה ב-.

Funding support is needed for transportation to the sites and the development of special curriculum materials to enrich the regular classroom experience.  Funding also supports teacher training and adaptation of material so that both Jewish and Arab schools, including those with diverse learning needs, can fully benefit from the program.  

הפוסט City as a School הופיע לראשונה ב-.

“It is an honor to work with the extraordinary staff in Jerusalem to help strengthen the daily life of all of Jerusalem’s residents.  I was inspired to come to the Foundation by Shai Doron, z’l, whose dedication to Jerusalem was unparalleled. There has never been a more important time to bring critical resources to the city that so many people around the world call a spiritual home. We can do this work because members of the board and supporters all over the country understand that, in this most challenging time for Israel, we must both do what we can to help right now and plan for better days ahead.”  Joy Levitt

Steven G. Scheinfeld is the new Chairman of The Jerusalem Foundation in the United States. Mr. Scheinfeld takes the helm as Alan G. Hassenfeld becomes Chair Emeritus following a long and distinguished tenure.  Mr. Hassenfeld will continue to provide guidance and wisdom as a member of the board.

“It has been an honor and inspiration to work for the city of Jerusalem since the days of the legendary Mayor Teddy Kollek.  I know that Steve will now lead us forward and I will continue to be part of this work.”  Alan Hassenfeld

Mr. Scheinfeld has been a long-time member of the Board of Directors, was the recipient of a Builders of Jerusalem Award in 2016 and brings many years of experience working with and advising private, public and not-for-profit boards.

“I have worked closely with Alan Hassenfeld and other Board members for over 20 years and look forward to continuing to work with them and our many other friends and partners in Jerusalem to advance our important mission, which is even more critical now than it’s ever been.” Steve Scheinfeld

“I want to express my deep gratitude and thanks to Alan Hassenfeld for his passion for Jerusalem that I know will endure.  We are excited to work with both Steve and Joy and to further our partnership to strengthen the city of Jerusalem and all its residents.” Zvi Agmon, Chairman of the Jerusalem Foundation

The Jerusalem Foundation Inc. works closely with the Jerusalem Foundation in Israel.

הפוסט New Leadership at the Jerusalem Foundation in the United States הופיע לראשונה ב-.

The Jerusalem Foundation elevates young leaders like Daniella Seltzer, who co-founded and now co-directs Jerusalem Food Rescuers (JLM Food Rescuers). The Foundation’s commitment to nurturing civil society has strengthened since October 7, as a new generation of leaders drives the city toward its potential as a shining example of communal strength and shared society.

Since the war began, JLM Food Rescuers has received around 3,500 new requests for food support, including from those who previously received aid but were cut off due to the conflict, individuals unable to work in the initial months, and evacuees who arrived in Jerusalem to stay in hotels or temporary apartments. Additionally, food prices have spiked significantly.

Food insecurity in Jerusalem is a multifaceted issue, deeply intertwined with the city’s economic and social challenges. Approximately 40% of Jerusalem’s population lives below the poverty line, with significant disparities affecting large families, the elderly, and minority groups, including Arabs and the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) community.

Ahead of Daniella’s upcoming visit to Canada on behalf of the Jerusalem Foundation of Canada (Shaar Shalom in Halifax, Sept 6 and Beth Tzedec in Toronto, Sept 9), we asked her about the current food security landscape in Jerusalem. See why she believes this period of upheaval presents a unique opportunity to galvanize municipal support for strengthening food resilience and addressing systemic vulnerabilities.

Q: Food Rescuers states that “current food systems are being holistically challenged to provide permanent and reliable access to local, diversified, just, and healthy food for all.” For those unfamiliar, what does food insecurity look like in Jerusalem? And, how does food insecurity manifest in Jerusalem, and what are the primary challenges in addressing it?

A: Jerusalem’s food insecurity stems from economic barriers. Despite having markets and food vendors within reach, many residents struggle to afford healthy food due to financial constraints. This results in diets that are high in calories but deficient in essential nutrients. The problem is particularly severe in areas with dense populations of vulnerable groups, like the Haredi and Palestinian communities.

In Jerusalem, food insecurity is marked by the prevalence of cheap, less nutritious food options despite the physical availability of markets. The city’s economic strain compels many families to opt for these less healthy choices. Although government assistance programs such as income support and food vouchers exist, they often lack coherence and effectiveness, and also support a small minority of those that should be getting support, that is, there is a substantial gap between the number of families that receive food vouchers and the number living below the poverty line. These programs frequently suffer from limited reach, insufficient resources, and lack of coordination, making it challenging to meet the needs of all those living in poverty.

Geographic and social barriers further complicate access to these services, particularly in marginalized communities. Charitable food services also face inconsistency in supply and quality, as they often rely on donations, which makes stable support difficult to guarantee.

Q: How do the JLM Food Rescuers address these challenges, and what role do they play in the food security landscape?

A: The JLM Food Rescuers play a critical role in tackling food insecurity in a way that builds social resilience – our approach involves working closely with local communities to empower them and promote sustainable practices.

We recognize that food waste and food insecurity are distinct issues and need separate solutions. Our efforts include food rescue, creating a comprehensive food support network, and establishing community kitchens.

We have scaled up our food rescue activities and established a call center to create a database of food aid organizations, improving collaboration and resource allocation. Our community kitchen initiative supports evacuees by providing them with fresh produce and the means to cook their own meals, which is vital for maintaining cultural practices and personal autonomy.

Q: Can you elaborate on your community-based model and how it differs from traditional approaches?

A: Our community-based model emphasizes local empowerment and participation. We engage with communities to tailor solutions to their specific needs and foster long-term resilience. This is based on pop-up markets managed by residents and youth and run on a weekly basis. This approach builds neighborhood connections and encourages collaborative efforts.

This involves:

1. Empowering Local Communities: We involve residents in decision-making to ensure solutions are relevant and sustainable.
2. Fostering Community Leadership: We support local leaders in advocating for systemic changes and addressing broader socio-economic issues.
3. Providing Education and Skill Development: Our programs offer knowledge on nutrition, cooking, and sustainable practices to help individuals make informed choices and improve their food literacy.

Q: Since its inception in 2019, how has your mission evolved, especially in light of the ongoing demands that Jerusalem faces since the start of the war (i.e. increased tension, evacuees needing homes, disruption to work, education)?

A: Since 2019, our mission has expanded from focusing solely on community-based food rescue to addressing systemic issues in urban food security. October 7 has intensified our focus. We rapidly scaled up our food rescue operations, created a comprehensive database for food aid coordination, and supported evacuees through community kitchens.

The war has underscored the need for systemic change and highlighted the gaps in current food security efforts. We’re now working on a Food Forum to bring together various stakeholders, including municipal officials, chefs, businesses, and NGOs, to  develop a comprehensive urban food system plan for Jerusalem.

Q: How is cultural competency important in your work, and what do you do to address the diverse needs of the communities you serve?

A: Jerusalem is home to a highly diverse population, and understanding and addressing these diverse needs ensures that our programs are effective and equitable. We tailor our food assistance to accommodate different cultural and religious dietary needs, which enhances the relevance and impact of our support. We work with Holocaust survivors and other elderly folks, Palestinians, the Haredi community, Domari (Romani) people, recent immigrants, asylum seekers, single mothers, and low-income families. Moreover, through these connections, we are able to strengthen relationships through the medium of food, which naturally brings people together and fosters mutual respect. By sharing meals and honoring each other’s culinary traditions, we create a shared experience that connects communities that might not otherwise interact. This is done via feedback sessions with all our partners on the food rescue system and pop-up markets, cross community workshops on fermentation and cooking, and other activities.

Q: For those new to these concepts, can you explain the differences between food security, food justice, and food circularity, and how JLM Food Rescuers relate to each?

A: Certainly:

– Food Security: This involves ensuring reliable access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for all. Our community-based approaches help build local resilience and capacity rather than just ensuring people have enough food.

– Food Justice: This focuses on addressing systemic inequalities in food systems and ensuring equity and cultural respect. We promote food justice by advocating for fair policies and integrating diverse community needs into our food security strategies.

– Food Circularity: This aims to minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency through closed-loop systems. Our food rescue operations and composting initiatives support food circularity by reducing waste and promoting sustainable practices.

Q: Is there anything about JLM Food Rescuers that you wish more people knew?

A: We hope that more people can recognize the vital contributions of everyone involved in the food system, from market cleaners to truck drivers. Our new space features portraits of these unsung heroes, highlighting their essential roles and fostering a deeper appreciation for their work. By acknowledging their contributions, we hope to encourage a more thoughtful engagement with the food on our table, our food systems and the people who make it work.

Q: Are there any models or organizations from Canada that you admire and wish to learn from?

A: We greatly admire FoodShare’s Good Food Market program in Toronto. Although their model doesn’t focus on surplus food, we’ve learned a lot from their approach to increasing access to affordable, nutritious food through community-driven markets. Their ability to blend affordability with community engagement has inspired us as we work on similar initiatives in Jerusalem. Additionally, we are keen to integrate the Community Food Centres Canada (CFC) model into our community centers. The CFC’s comprehensive approach to food access, community building, and holistic support aligns closely with our goals, and we believe it could significantly enhance our efforts to create a more inclusive and supportive food system in Jerusalem. We also draw inspiration from The Stop in Toronto. We admire their innovative approach to working with volunteers, their commitment to food justice, and their robust community kitchen programs.

If you are interested in attending Daniella’s Halifax or Toronto events, please contact Tania at thaas@jerusalemfoundation.ca.

הפוסט Restoring Hope: How Food Security and Equity Efforts Are Evolving in Jerusalem After Oct 7 הופיע לראשונה ב-.

The Jerusalem Foundation family, Members of the Board of Directors and General Assembly, Donors and Friends from all over the world are devastated and shocked by the sudden passing of Jerusalem Foundation President, Shai Doron. He was a Jerusalemite, a man who loved people and was beloved by all those he met. He dedicated his life to Jerusalem and all of its residents. He is gone too soon and will be greatly missed.

Shai was a devoted servant of his beloved city.  He believed in a shared city in which diversity is strength and all communities have the opportunity to thrive.  He believed in leadership and building the next generation of young leaders.  And he led by example, always the first to carry the message of hope that Jerusalem represents to people around the world and in his beloved hometown.

Shai has spent his life working for Jerusalem.  First in Neveh Yaakov leading the local community center, then with legendary Mayor Teddy Kollek leading his office. In 1993 he took on the newly founded Tisch Zoological Gardens and turned it into the most visited site in all of Israel.  He became President of the Jerusalem Foundation in 2018 and felt he had come full circle since his early days with Teddy.

He led the Jerusalem Foundation to great achievements and launched his vision for “Jerusalem 2030” which fostered communal strength, creative culture and future leadership. Under his leadership, the Jerusalem Foundation led numerous philanthropic projects in Jerusalem.  He worked to advance shared society and to bridge the gaps between Jerusalem’s diverse communities and to provide equal opportunities for all.

Zvi Agmon, Chairman of the Jerusalem Foundation Board of Directors shared, “Shai Doron was the guiding pillar of the Jerusalem Foundation and the entire city.  We will remember him as someone who devoted his life to seeing Jerusalem develop and flourish.  His loss will be felt in all corners of the city.”

Imry Ben Ami, General Director of the Jerusalem Foundation added, “Shai Doron was an exceptional leader, with vision and love for the city and its people.  His passing is a great loss for all of us.  We will continue his mission and ensure his legacy.”

הפוסט With Heavy Hearts and Deep Sadness, We Announce the Passing of Jerusalem Foundation President, Shai Doron הופיע לראשונה ב-.

JICC is an independent non-profit organization with a vision for an inclusive, tolerant, and vibrant Jerusalem for all. It advances communal strength and future leadership by empowering city residents (Christian and Muslim Arabs, ultra-Orthodox, modern Orthodox and secular Jews) to be active and effective in shaping their shared future. Programs include the Mini-Active Organization – a grassroots empowerment network for Arab women; the Aa’ata Center & hotline for understanding and accessing legal rights related to national insurance and employment; and cultural competency workshops aimed at promoting tolerant discourse and relations between Jews and Arabs in shared workspaces, services, and education centers.

We caught up with Daniel to learn about his on-the-ground experience since his return to Jerusalem.

What was your impression of North American supporters following your April visit?

It was heartening being with so many concerned friends and supporters and knowing that North American communities are deeply invested in helping bring about the “day after.” It was and remains evident that so many people around the world are seeking what I work towards every day, a vibrant, more resilient Jerusalem.

How has the work of JICC been affected since October 7?

Someone living near the Gaza envelope recently said to me, “Despair doesn’t lead us to action,” and it struck a chord. These words have been guiding JICC since October 7th as we both continue our everyday work of building urban resilience in Jerusalem and reduce friction related to the war’s aftermath.

Our work has focused in three spheres – supporting women volunteers, providing cultural competency training and communicating a real-time understanding of the war’s impact in East Jerusalem.

In the first weeks of the war JICC identified Palestinian women and ultra-Orthodox women, who were volunteering in myriad ways, as key agents of change. JICC found ways to support their emotional wellbeing and morale through mental health workshops.

Cultural competency has always been a core part of JICC’s mission – can you tell us more about what that is exactly?

The State of Israel prides itself on the diversity of its workforce but when a stressor comes along there is a great need to reduce tension in the workplace. JICC held workshops and trainings in hospitals, hi-tech companies and municipal offices addressing the diversity in the workplace. The trainings were all designed to acknowledge tensions while at the same time find ways to reduce discord.

The JICC has a track record of reducing social tensions in previous heightened times like during the COVID-19 pandemic, the violence in May 2021, and the Judicial Overhaul. How is the JICC’s model of non-political approach to impart practical skills helping the Jerusalem community today?

JICC believes if people can carry out their lives as independently and as uninterrupted as possible then the chances for friction can be reduced.

JICC increased its cooperation with the municipality and the IDF Home Command in order to share in real time the needs of residents who were struggling. By ensuring East Jerusalemite residents were able to conduct their lives as independently and peacefully as possible, and that key municipal services will continue, this communication is essential.

Mini-Active, JICC’s women’s empowerment network, tracked the need for food, medication, shelter and communicated it to the necessary army and government officials. They also consulted with the army about the position of roadblocks ensuring that women and children were able to pass safely to school and home.

To learn more about the Jerusalem Foundation supported JICC, go here: https://jicc.org.il/

Read more about Director Daniel Hasson and the team at JICC: https://jicc.org.il/jicc-staff/

הפוסט JICC Works To Ease Tensions In Tense Times הופיע לראשונה ב-.