We are proud to announce a special donation made by Ms. Isabelle Friedman to the Sha'ar School Network. 

Ms. Friedman, formerly the President of the "American Friends of Alliance", visited Israel last May in honor of the 150th anniversary celebrations of the organization. Ms. Friedman, who has been involved in the Sha'ar School Network for several years now, announced that she will donate $100,000 to two educational projects operated by Sha'ar.

Since 2001, the Sha'ar School Network has been active in Israel's social periphery. We "adopt" schools in disadvantaged neighborhoods located at the heart of Israel and support them with a unique holistic approach toward education that includes the students, the teaching staff and management. The schools enjoy diverse educational programs which provide the students with additional learning hours as well as enrichment programs. Throughout these projects Sha'ar emphasizes the importance of scholastic excellence while reducing educational gaps. In addition, teachers and principals receive constant counseling on both a pedagogical and organizational level. Only through such an in-depth approach can a true change be achieved. This is how we can provide the students with the best environmental conditions needed for their educational success and open a door to a better future for them.

Ms. Friedman's generous donation will help the operation of two unique educational programs: Yes I can! and the Golden Gates.

Yes I can: This project provides a comprehensive solution for children from disadvantaged neighborhoods suffering from learning disabilities. These students often do not receive the proper care and support that they need and end up falling behind their classmates while developing low self esteem. Yes I can! Aims to cater to these children's needs while emphasizing better learning strategies and providing them with extra study hours and emotional support. The teachers and parents are involved as well, so that the students can enjoy a beneficial learning environment both in and outside the school. This project is in partnership with the National Insurance Institute of Israel and is run by Ms. Niva Kapelyuk.

The Golden Gates: Classrooms tend to be quite heterogenic with students at various study levels. One group consists of students who are at risk of failing two or three final exams – they are not the weakest in their class, so they tend to fall between the cracks and not receive assistance and support. These are the "Golden Youth" – they have a high chance of succeeding as long as the school invests the proper resources in them. The "Golden Gates" project provides high school teachers with the tools to identify and support these students. The program infuses the school with a new climate and the belief that every child can succeed with the right tools and adjustments. The project was developed and is being implemented by Ms. Sarit Hadad.

We appreciate the important work of Isabelle Friedman which helps hundreds of schoolchildren in Israel. We are certain that her partnership with Sha'ar and "Kol Israel Haverim" will be fruitful and open the door to a better future for these children.