The Jewish Agency Advancing Women's Empowerment in Israel
1. “My company is taking off. 200 women entrepreneurs in the Negev
and Galilee received vital start-up
Today, my products are loans to establish their small business
enterprises.
sold in stores throughout
Over 280 women in 14 communities
Israel. The Jewish Agency’s
have trained to become community
Loan Fund helped me to get health advocates for women.
started.” Over 1,000 women soldiers have learned
how to make sound lifestyle decisions
-- Shwanesh Manyov, CEO, S’AVA
Cosmetics for women of color
through a Jewish Agency-sponsored
program. Advancing
Women
Thanks to Jewish Agency training,
nurses at mother-and-child clinics will
work with some 21,000 families to teach
them about healthy, active living.
in Israel
Nada Abu Zaidan, a woman
Find out how you can make an impact: in the Druze village of
Tel: +972.2.620.2633 v 212.339.6048
E-mail: ask@jafi.org e ask@jewishagency.org
Maghdar, is running
www.jewishagency.org
breast cancer awareness
groups in her village with
the assistance of a Jewish
The Jewish Agency is funded by The Jewish Federations of North America, Keren
Hayesod, major Jewish communities and federations, the International Fellowship of
Christians and Jews, foundations and donors from Israel and around the world.
Agency program.
2. The Jewish Agency is advancing women Preventing Violence against Hagam - Empowering Vulnerable
in Israel. From setting women on a path Ethiopian Women Women Soldiers
to entrepreneurship, to promoting health “From Conflict to Resolution” is an innovative Established in cooperation with the Israel Defense
education and awareness, the Jewish initiative to prevent violence against women in the Forces and the Israel Association for Family
Agency is empowering women, their Ethiopian community. Spearheaded by the Jewish Planning, this program provides the army’s most
families and Israeli society. Agency in cooperation with the Ethiopian National vulnerable female recruits with the opportunity to
Project and other organizations working with the take responsibility for their behavior and improve
Ethiopian community, the program incorporates their self-image and confidence. The twelve-
Small Business Loan Funds workshops, training courses for mediation, and the hour course promotes healthy sexuality, positive
Small business entrepreneurs in Israel’s outlying establishment of a crisis hotline for men and women. relationships and improved lifestyles. Officers also
areas have difficulty accessing capital to turn their Targeting new immigrants living at Jewish Agency participate in a six-hour course to understand the
ideas into practical enterprises. This is especially Absorption Centers, it aims to facilitate smooth issues faced by women soldiers.
true for women. Through loan funds established transition into Israeli society, help deflect conflict and Cost per course for 150 participants: $18,000
by the Jewish Agency some 200 small businesses stress within the family and reduce violence against
founded solely by women have received funding. Ethiopian women within the community.
One of the funds, established specifically for The cost per group of 20 women at a Jewish Training Women Health Advocates
vulnerable populations, has granted 100 of its 155 Agency Absorption Center: $4,000. In community centers throughout Israel, women
loans to women. These funds are giving women are participating in a yearlong training program to
unprecedented economic opportunity. become “grassroots” women’s health advocates. As
Establishment of a new fund: $250,000 The following are part of the ISHA
part of the training, each woman launches her own
Initiative, in cooperation with the
To join an existing fund: $10,000 Jewish Community Federation of program on a specific health issue targeted for her
Cleveland. Funding is needed to expand community. Local initiatives range from walking
each of these successful programs. clubs, to nutrition workshops to breast cancer
Atidim for Industry awareness and support groups.
Through this groundbreaking program gifted Healthy Lifestyles for New Mothers Cost per community center for one-year
women high school graduates in outlying areas Working with the Hadassah Optimal Medical Center, program: $15,000 (matched by the Israel
receive a full financial scholarship to Israel’s the Jewish Agency is training Tipat Chalav (mother Association of Community Centers)
leading universities to earn a degree in science and child clinic) nurses throughout Israel in aspects
and engineering, to prepare them for a career of healthy living. The one-year course includes
in industry or high tech. During their university workshops, lectures and experiential training in
studies they receive tutoring assistance and are nutrition, exercise and healthy cooking which the
placed in a mentorship program with leading Israeli nurses use to encourage mothers to make positive
companies, with many going on to work for their lifestyle changes.
“adopted” companies after graduation.
Cost per one-year course: $13,000
Cost per student in the Atidim for Industry
program: $8,500