Israel's mosaic of identities provides an opportunity to establish an equal, diverse and inclusive society

Israel's mosaic of identities provides an opportunity to establish an equal, diverse and inclusive society

Israel's mosaic of identities provides an opportunity to establish an equal, diverse and inclusive society

One society, a variety of communities

The Edmond de Rothschild Foundation (IL) drives the vision of a cohesive and inclusive Israeli society, composed of a mosaic of diverse identities that enrich each other and operate out of respect and mutual responsibility towards one another. An essential condition for realizing this vision is the reduction of social gaps and promotion of equal opportunity for every individual to succeed in his or her own way, while realizing his or her culture, ideology, and needs.

The Foundation views higher education as a crucial springboard for attaining equal opportunities and reducing social gaps. It therefore invests considerable resources in making higher education accessible to excluded populations and in fostering excellence among them, as well as developing knowledge and promoting research in these fields.

The Foundation focuses its efforts on nurturing young people, mainly from the socio-geographic periphery, in order to assist them in developing social perceptions and becoming integrated into positions of influence in Israeli society.

Thanks to the wide range of programs supported by the Foundation, tens of thousands of young people and youths, Jews and Arabs, religious and secular, native-born and new immigrants have acquired a higher education, while excelling and leading significant processes of social change.

One of the Foundation’s target populations is the Arab society in Israel, which accounts for over 20% of the state’s total population, with significant gaps in a variety of areas between it and the Jewish population.

Education and Employment in Arab Society

Under-representation of Arabs in academia and in the business sector widens with the advancement in the hierarchy of degrees and positions

Higher Education

20.9%
of Israel’s citizens are Arab
26%
of Israel’s relevant age group for higher education are from Arab society
17%
of Arab society study in higher-education institutions

Employment

60.1%
of Arab men work
24.8%
of Arab women work
8%
is the rate of contribution of Arab workers to the GDP
5%
of all employees in the business sector are from Arab society
0.03%
of the managers in the business sector are Arab
* Research led by Collective Impact Project: * The Employment Situation of Arab Society in the Private Sector in Israel - Snapshot of existing situation, identifying opportunities, barriers and building models for change, 2015
** The Higher Education Council
*** Central Bureau of Statistics

The Foundation in the Arab society

Currently, over 1,500 young people from Arab society, from teens to doctoral students, take part in the Foundation’s programs, comprising more than 30% of all program participants.

The programs operate according to three strategic features:

  1. Specific programs for participants exclusively from Arab society, including:
    • The Business Club Program in cooperation with the Kav Mashveh Association, which provides training and placement for Arab academics in appropriate employment in areas that are underrepresented in employment, such as economics, law, and biotech.
    • The mentoring program, in which engineers from the high-tech industry accompany computer science and systems students during their studies. Upon graduation, the program assists graduates in placement in commensurate employment.
  2. Programs that address similar challenges in Arab and Jewish society:
    Two programs, operated in cooperation with the Aluma Association, provide a unique response to the needs of each community:
  • Achievement program (a national program) for securing access to higher education in peripheral populations.
  • The Ruad Program for securing access to higher education in Arab society.
  1. General programs, in which at least 20% of participants are from Arab society:
    rograms that provide a unique response to the exclusive needs raised by participants from Arab society.
  • The Starting Up Together program, promoting young entrepreneurs.
  • The BR Ambassadors Program, promoting student leadership.

 

The Foundation in the Arab society by the numbers

30%
30%
of the participants in the Foundation's programs are from Arab society
1500
1500
young people from Arab society, from teens to doctoral students, participate in the Foundation's programs
82%
82%
of the Business Club program graduates have integrated into suitable employment
68%
68%
of Mentoring program graduates have integrated into suitable employment
Data for 2017 - 2018

The Foundation in the Arab society - how we operate