Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., March 26, 2008 Adar2 20, 5768 | | Israel Time: 16:57 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 02:29 26/03/2008 Eight social organizations to get Israel Prize on country's 60th By Ofri Ilani and Ruth Sinai, Haaretz Correspondents Tags: Social-welfare organizations  On Israel's 60th Independence Day, eight organizations will be awarded the Israel Prize for a lifetime contribution to the state and society. The recipients are the Perah work-study mentoring program at universities, the Jewish Agency, the Manufacturers Association of Israel, the Youth Movements Council incorporating 14 movements, Ezer Mizion - Israel's largest paramedic support organization, and the three major womens organizations that have been active since pre-state days: WIZO, Na'amat, and Emunah. I Advertisement n selecting these women's organizations, the prize committee praised their contribution to "turning the State of Israel into a world leader in the area of promoting the status of women." They were also lauded for working together, despite the differences between them, to advance social, cultural and educational issues and campaign for gender equality. The women's organizations established and managed day-care networks that enable mothers to work, initiated legislation on women's rights issues, provided legal advice and ran shelters for abused women. Perah, a Hebrew acronym for Project Mentoring, was started 34 years ago by a group of scientists and students at the Weizmann Institute, who helped 12 needy children with their school work. The basic idea is that students scholarships covering half their tuition in return for four hours a week of community service, mainly by mentoring an individual school pupil. This way, students who need financial aid gain access to academic studies, while helping young pupils as mentors. Perah now has a presence in 1,490 schools and diverse projects in 207 communities. It is funded mainly by the Council for Higher Education and the Education Ministry. As many as 32,000 students a year participate in the program. In recent years, it was downsized by 10 percent. Around 20 percent of Perah's activity takes place in Arab villages and towns, while 62 percent of mentors work in outlying towns in the south and north of Israel. Rachel Hadad, 19, still remembers the student who mentored her as part of the Perah project when she was a child in Netivot. Now a literature student at the Talpiot College of Education, Hadad herself is mentoring a girl, Ortal Romema. "What's great about Perah is that the mentor isn't told what the child's problem is," Hadad says. "The idea isn't to solve a problem, but rather to fulfill the child's potential." Bookmark to del.icio.us   Love story Israel permits gay Palestinian to join his lover in Tel Aviv. Interfaith get-together Saudi King plans first interfaith conference to include Jews.   1.   WIZO IS CORRUPT 10:45  |  Kooky Dennt 26/03/08   2.   wizo 16:20  |  rolfkitty 26/03/08

Today Online Blair: Middle East peace process a 'race against time' Responses: 110 Mubarak: Gaza tension brings Iran threat closer Responses: 45 PA fails in fight against terror, U.S. officials determine Responses: 50 Safed chief rabbi calls on state to exact 'revenge' against Arabs Responses: 129 Top Fatah official: Housing Min. inviting Palestinians to start a fresh Intifada Responses: 33 Zvi Bar'el: Keeping Iran from 'members-only' Arab club Responses: 28 Rosner's Domain Obama advisor blasts 'NY, Miami' for failed peace process Poll: what percentage Jews will vote McCain? Kurtzer: The pro-Israel lobby, not obstacle for peace How many voters will abandon the Democratic Party? (WTR) Slight preference for Clinton among Jewish Democrats More Headlines 14:39 Livni: IDF operations in Gaza help move peace talks forward 14:46 Israeli lightly hurt by Palestinian gunfire on Negev kibbutz 15:55 Safed chief rabbi calls on state to exact 'revenge' against Arabs 11:50 Officials: Israel to supply PA forces with security equipment 13:49 Fatah demands Hamas cede Gaza before reconciliation talks 16:22 Obama advisor blames 'NY, Miami' for failed peace process 12:30 Finance Ministry devising plan to lure billionaire Jews to Israel 16:08 Peretz bill granting soldiers minimum wage passes preliminary reading 13:07 Iraqi PM gives Basra gunmen three-day ultimatum to surrender 12:29 Haifa U. students slam decision to hold tests during Holocaust Day siren 13:22 B'nai Brith awards journalism prizes to Haaretz.com's Rosner, education writer Kashti 12:08 U.S. road map monitors: PA failing in fight against terror 16:00 Knesset passes bill that rapists will serve at least 9 years in prison 09:26 Traditional Hebrew calligraphy swirls into cutting-edge font Previous Editions Select Day 25 mar 24 mar 23 mar 21 mar 20 mar 19 mar 18 mar 17 mar 16 mar 14 mar 13 mar 12 mar

Special Offers Advertisement FAREWELL ISRAEL New Film The Coming War for Islamic Revival - View Movie Trailer Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Long-term Israel programs MASA is your gateway. More programs. More grants. NEW! Dan Boutique Jerusalem Hotel Hip Dan Hotel in Jerusalem. Attractive Introductory Rates 7589 rockets fired so far HELP US TO HELP THEM Marina Royale Herzelia Pituach Your Luxurious Suite While Staying in Israel Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved