Publication date: 30/09/2016

Rosh Hashanah 2016

Dear Friends, Alumni and Supporters,  The staff, board members, students and volunteers at Keren Hanan Aynor would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very sweet New Year, Shana Tova  U’ Metuka.  May this Jewish New Year be filled with good health, joy, prosperity, learning and growth.

Alemtzahai Tasama
“I’m a role model for my children and their children to come”
 Alemtzahai is enthusiastic and forthcoming about her life when I interview her.  She speaks with a passion for learning and making something of herself that is genuine, warm and contagious.
From our conversation, I sense she is an incredibly determined and independent woman who overcomes challenges to achieve her goals.
Alemtzahai refers to herself as a “unique mother”, as opposed to a single mother, as she claims this terminology suits her better.  She has two children; a fourteen year old daughter and an eight year old son.  They have been living in Eilat for the past 15 years and she proudly claims she is one of very few Ethiopian Israelis in the seafront city.
She recounts her journey from Ethiopia on Aliyah to Israel as a five month old baby strapped to her mother’s back. Although she doesn’t remember many details, she assures me that even at this tender age, the journey helped shaped the woman she has become today.
She shares with me some thoughts about her childhood in Kiryat Gat, of her parents and 7 siblings, all of whom were mostly raised by her amazing mother, as her father died at a young age.
Alemtzahai recently completely a Mechina program and works part time in a private business.  She is due to begin her BA in Middle Eastern Studies at the Eilat Branch of the Ben Gurion University this coming October.
When we discussed her decision to pursue academic studies alongside raising her family and her work commitments, Alemtzahai laughed and said she loves to learn new things and is excited to go back to school and be in that special environment. She wants to further herself financially and expand possibilities for her future career.  She is looking forward to meeting new people and building confidence in her abilities.  Although her siblings have not attended higher education, they are proud of her achievements.  She mentioned how proud she is to be the first in her family who will receive an academic degree.  She went on to say that there is a new place of learning and growth in her home that she has created.  She loves the moments when she can sit alongside her children and they can all study for a test together.
When Alemtzahai turned to Keren Aynor mid – year, she found a warm and supportive ear, a place where she could receive the kind of “home” like feeling she was looking for to help make her dreams come true.  Along with her drive and dedication to succeed in her studies, Keren Aynor promised to be there by her side as she began her academic career.
Alemtzahai expressed her appreciation to Keren Aynor for the generous support and assured me she will go far and make her family proud.  There is no doubt that she will!

A Successful Partnership: Keren Aynor
and Start Up L’Hatzlacha
 Dana Tsoar, the Program Director of Start Up L’hatzlacha speaks with such conviction and dedication about the program that it is difficult not to become as enthusiastic as she is.
Start Up was founded in response to the glaring statistics throughout the country with regards to gaps in higher education, including; high academic dropout rates and lack of integration into Israeli society amongst the Ethiopian Israeli community.
For the past decade, Start Up has been offering what Dana refers to “as the appropriate and respectful integration” of Ethiopian Israelis into society through a program which offers its students financial, educational and individual accompaniment as they journey towards completing their academic studies. This ongoing and personal approach, which couples personal support, alongside an academic scholarship, lowers the dropout rate significantly and ensures success. 
There are 140 students in the program studying at academic institutions in Mechina (preparatory) and Bachelor degrees programs in Southern Israel, who greatly benefit from the personal support, scholarships, coaching, workshops and career counseling.
Following their studies, when students may reach a “t in the road”, those who arte interested are offered further assistance in career choices and employment options.
Three coordinators are responsible for thirty to forty students each, which ensures personal attention and guidance throughout students’ academic careers.
An interesting statistic is the dramatic rise in women who have participated in the program in recent years. This year, over 100 of the 140 students are women whose dedication and vision are inspiring.  These talented and highly motivated students work hard to make a change in their lives and those of their families.
Throughout its existence, the program has been so successful that the Council for Higher Education has now considered branching out and using this paradigm as a model for the entire country.  In doing so, the model will gain attention in the public sphere and in turn, may be a catalyst for future success in educational programming for the Ethiopian Israeli community.
For the past five years, Keren Aynor and Start Up have worked in a fruitful partnership which has enabled more students to reach their academic goals and change their lives. Keren Aynor’s scholarship and follow up enhance the scholarship provided by Start Up, thus allowing the student to truly benefit from the financial aspects and the personal guidance, workshops and employment counseling.
“Each time we receive a student in cooperation with Keren Aynor, we are able to help more students and thus create a ripple effect in the community”, claims Dana.
Over the past few years, Keren Aynor, in partnership with StartUp, has assisted over 50 students achieve their academic goals.

This past year, Keren Hanan Aynor and Start Up have joined together to assist ten students and together, Dana is optimistic that, “they are destined for a successful future”.