Partners and Affiliates
Partners
It is only with our partners and affiliates - NGOs, other quality research and academic institutions, and our philanthropic supporters - that we can truly maximize our impact as the leading academic institution serving populations of the southern periphery. Partnering with nonprofits in the region brings about the creation of a critical coalition of like-minded organizations working together to strategically tackle educational, social, and economic inequalities in the South. Collaborations with other academic and research entities not only increase the standard of academic excellence to which we always strive, but they greatly raise our impact and drive forth social change across the entire region. Our valuable donors, in Israel and abroad, provide us not only with the financial resources to plan, develop, and implement some of our most critical programs and projects, but their shared expertise, advice, and stringent commitment to the missions and goals of Achva Academic College drive us to continually improve our programs and to seek more innovative solutions to addressing the challenges of our students, the college, the region, and beyond.
The Azrieli Foundation
In 2022 Achva Academic College garnered critical support from the Azrieli Foundation, a grant-giving organization whose aim is “opening doors, breaking ground and nurturing networks [and] empowering the most vulnerable to the most exceptional to achieve their best and contribute to society.” With the Foundation’s support, 2023 sees the establishment of the Integrated Clinic for Communication Disorders and Culture-Sensitive Psychology. Working together to improve therapeutic and diagnostic services to local communities around the college, as well as providing Achva students with a critical in-house practicum framework in the fields of psychology and communication disorders, the expertise and experience of the Azrieli Foundation is critical for the College’s engagement with populations in the region, as well providing social mobility to our graduates in the professional world.
Website: https://www.azrielifoundation.org.il
The Yad Hanadiv Foundation
Yad Hanadiv strives to respond to the needs of Israeli society in innovative ways. The Foundation promotes a tradition of supporting Jewish renewal in the Land of Israel that began in the second half of the 19th century by Baron Edmond de Rothschild. The Foundation, established in its current form in 1958, operates under the leadership of a Board of Trustees, led by members of the Rothschild family. Yad Hanadiv aims to create resources to promote Israel as a democratic, vital and healthy society, committed to Jewish values and equal opportunity for all its residents, in order to continue developing the Rothschild family’s philanthropic tradition.
The foundation has generously provided technological means to our Arabic-speaking students to allow them to cope with studies in a technologically ever-changing world.
Website: https://www.yadhanadiv.org.il/he
The Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago (JUF)
Achva Academic College has received an emergency grant from the JUF, during the “Iron Swords” war and following the October 7th ,2023 atrocities, to increase the number of mental health professionals and expand the services provided by the Clinic for Culture-Sensitive Clinical Psychology at Achva, for about 330 new patients over the course of six months. This is a new partnership between Achva and JUF and thanks to their contribution Achva will be able to provide more therapy treatments to affected communities from the south of Israel and hopefully, open a new clinic for Rehabilitation Psychology towards “the day after the war”.
Website: JUF – Together for good
Jewish Community Federation & Endowment Fund of San Fransisco (JCF)
The Jewish Federation of San Fransico is supporting Achva as part of an emergency grant, to be able to maintain students’ registration to the college and prevent their drop-out during the ‘Iron Swords’ war in Israel. This is a new partnership between Achva and the JCF, which started in 2023.
Website: https://jewishfed.org/?fbclid=IwAR2M2VSkM5MIcqqt-zztez5PIaX_O1A6zS9n4hypYcisq9Cb2LqrPm_RRXE
U.S. Embassy Jerusalem
U.S. Embassy Jerusalem (and its Culture Department) is supporting Achva’s ‘Mixed Voices’ Choir and its Theater course in a new project that will begin in the upcoming academic year 2023-2024. The U.S. Embassy also provided valuable financial support in previous years to promote the college multicultural choir and bring closer together Jewish and Arab/ Bedouin students via Achva’s cultural initiatives, under the Dean of Students’ department.
The Smart Family Fund of New York
Thanks to support from the Smart Family Fund, Achva has developed new pedagogical methodologies for teaching the Hebrew language, specifically geared towards the needs of our Bedouin students (whose lack of proficiency in Hebrew is a common barrier to higher education and professional employment). Program content includes lectures on relevant subject matters – featuring video teaching clips that can be accessed using Smartphone applications. These new methodologies are coupled with academic simulation rooms and personal guidance that use problem-based learning principles, game-based learning and other methods.
Website: https://www.smartfamilyfund.org
HIAS Israel
“Drawing on our Jewish values and history, HIAS provides vital services to refugees and asylum seekers around the world and advocates for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives.” (HIAS’s mission). HIAS has partnered with Achva in 2023 to support its emergency program during the ‘Iron Swords’ war in Israel, following the October 7th atrocities, to provide individual and group therapy sessions to students and families. The joint program will be held between October 8th until the end of March 2024. The grant will be used to impact students, families, and community members, mainly from the following localities: Ashkelon, Ashdod, Netivot, Ofakim, Rahat, Chura, Kiryat Malachi, Kiryat Gat, Bnei Aish Village, Beer Sheva, Rishon Letzion, Gdera villages, Yavne, villages in the regional and local council of Beer Tuvia. This is a new partnership between Achva and HIAS, which has an office in Tel Aviv and in the US.
Website: https://hias.org
UJA – Federation of New York
“Connections” – a process intervention program which will be conducted with the generous support and partnership of the UJA – Federation of New York, which partnered with Achva in 2024. The program is aimed at establishing joint student leadership with the ability to cope with the complex reality and maintain a dialogue with the other. In the process, Achva seeks to sharpen the students personal, communal and Israeli identity. The course which is comprised of single-national and bi-national workshops and a social project, will include both Jewish and Arab instructors and participation in the workshop will provide credits for students.
Website: https://www.ujafedny.org
Dalia Energy Companies
ISEF Foundation (Israel Scholarship Education Foundation)
Mrs. Nina Weiner, President of the ISEF Foundation, has generously contributed a donation to Achva in the end of 2023.
The donation will be used to offer scholarships to students in our Excellence Program in Psychology.
Website: https://www.isef.org.il
Fulbright Israel Foundation
The United States–Israel Educational Foundation (USIEF), currently known as Fulbright Israel, was established in 1956 by the Governments of the United States and Israel to administer the Fulbright Program in Israel. The Foundation is funded by the United States and Israeli Governments and is governed by a binational Board of Directors.
The Foundation aims to promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and Israel by means of student and faculty exchanges at the highest possible level of academic excellence.
The programs are open to excellent, path breaking scholars and promising students in all academic fields. Our commitment to social responsibility is evidenced by our designated programs, which support research, study, exchange of knowledge of cultures and customs and leadership development among underserved populations.
Website: https://fulbright.org.il/he
Tozeret Haaretz (NGO)
A movement of young communities in Israel; “Tozeret Haaretz” was established ten years ago, following social demonstration, to enable young people to take responsibility and develop a sense of ownership over their own future and to build their own lives. The movement works together with 1,500 young people in 15 villages and areas across Israel by building new communities, creating partnerships with neighboring communities and developing a local network for young people, to work together and claim ownership over their own lives – the young generation, who are pioneers, ‘made in Israel’.
Their mission and goals is working to advance the settlements in the social and or geographic periphery in Israel and increase the involvement of young people for the sake of society in Israel. They seek to foster the next generation of Israeli leadership, while focusing on the values of social responsibility and self-example.
By promoting entrepreneurship and community activity, they work in the four main systems in the lives of young people in Israel – employment, education, housing and culture – in order to create for young people, the living environment that suits them.
Website: https://www.tozerethaarez.org.il
An article about Achva and Tozeret Haaretz joint program:
https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-5184884,00.html
For more information about the students’ communities:
The Neshama Foundation
The Neshama Foundation has dedicated its generous support to two main projects. The first is a program supporting female students who endure or have endured extreme abuse or violence because of their gender. The program provides them with scholarships, professional resilience and entrepreneurship training.
Website: https://www.theneshamafoundation.org