New ZOA High School to Aid Poor Afro-asian Youths in Israel Washington Couple Gives $187,500 for Fir

In an action designed to help close the educational gap between Israeli Jewish youth of Western and Afro-Asian backgrounds, the Zionist Organization of America announced yesterday the establishment of a technical high school at its educational center near Ashkelon.

Herman L. Weisman of New York, ZOA president, said the school is the first venture in a $10 million program to provide a secondary education for up to 1,000 teenagers annually, primarily those whose parents come from Middle Eastern or North African countries. He outlined details of the program in a report to the National Executive Committee, the ZOA’s highest policy body, which opened its annual midwinter meeting here yesterday.

Although Israel spends more than $1.2 billion annually on education — making it the second ranking item to defense in the country’s budget — the government is currently able to subsidize free schooling only through the ninth grade, Weisman said. As a result, he said, Israeli parents who want their children to go on to high school must pay for their education.

“Jewish youths from families of Middle Eastern and North African backgrounds are most disadvantaged by this expense,” he said. “Only 38 per cent of these children attend high school in Israel compared to nearly tow-thirds of those whose parents are sabras or of American or European origin.”

ISRAEL WILL MATCH COUPLE’S GIFT

Weisman said the new facility, Kfar Silver Technical High School, began operation last fall to commemorate the start of the ZOA’s 75th anniversary year. He said that the ZOA plans to add at least two additional schools on the 520-acre campus which would offer instruction in laboratory sciences and construction industry skills. The overall program will provide scholarships for Israeli students.

A gift of $187,500, contributed by Sylvia and Alexander Hassan of Washington, D.C., will be utilized to erect the first building of the technical high school. Hassan is a national vice-president of the ZOA and a leader in the United Jewish Appeal, Israel Bond campaign and other Jewish, communal and philanthropic organizations. Weisman said that the Israel Ministry of Education will match the Hassans’ gift with a $187,500 grant towards construction of the building, groundbreaking for which is scheduled to begin next month. The 2000-square meter structure will include classrooms, faculty rooms, workshops and storage space for machinery and equipment.

Leon lintovich, executive director of the ZOA, is now in Israel on a special assignment to accelerate completion of a new library on the campus and arrange for contracts to construct additional student and faculty dormitories there.