KKL-JNF Breaks Ground on Excellence Center for Youth in War-Torn Kiryat Shmona
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
KKL-JNF has begun construction on a new "House of Excellence" in Kiryat Shmona, a center for youth development in science, technology, sports, and arts. The NIS 20 million project, funded by international donations, aims to provide opportunities for children in the northern city, which is still recovering from conflict. KKL-JNF has pledged NIS 2 million annually for five years to ensure the center's operational success and prevent it from becoming a "white elephant."
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- KKL-JNF is building a NIS 20 million "House of Excellence" for youth in Kiryat Shmona.
- The center will focus on science, technology, sports, and arts for children and teenagers.
- The project is funded by international KKL-JNF donations, not state budgets.
- KKL-JNF committed NIS 2 million annually for five years to cover operational costs.
- The initiative aims to provide opportunities and foster leadership in a city recovering from conflict.
KKL-JNF (Jewish National Fund) has laid the cornerstone for a new "KKL-JNF House of Excellence" in Kiryat Shmona, a center dedicated to fostering children and youth in science, technology, sports, and arts. The facility, the first of its kind in Israel, is situated in a city still recovering from intense fighting and prolonged resident evacuation.
The initiative aims to provide a space for children from Kiryat Shmona and the Upper Galilee to learn and excel, leveraging the tranquil park setting and Galilean landscape. The ceremony concluded the international presidents' conference of KKL-JNF, held in the Galilee with a focus on rehabilitating the northern region.
Construction, funded entirely by donations from KKL-JNF delegations in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, and Austria, will cost NIS 20 million and is set to begin soon, with no state funding involved. This center will join five existing excellence centers in peripheral areas, and KKL-JNF plans to establish 13 more nationwide.
KKL-JNF Chairman Eyal Ostrovsky stated that the organization's commitment extends beyond restoring the status quo, actively working with local authorities and residents to revitalize the area. He emphasized that Zionism, for KKL-JNF, means actively creating a better future.
Mayor Avichai Stern views the center as a means to offer children in the city a future and transform the confrontation line into a meaningful one. He highlighted the importance of building not just infrastructure but also the self-confidence and dreams of the next generation.
To prevent the center from becoming a "white elephant," KKL-JNF has committed NIS 2 million annually for the next five years to cover operational costs. Shar-Shalom Jarbi, Director of the Education Division at KKL-JNF, explained that this funding ensures professional staff and up-to-date resources are available, removing barriers for motivated youth. Jarbi, who grew up in a development town, stressed the importance of providing equal opportunities and reducing gaps for these children, equipping them with tools for leadership and encouraging them to remain in the city and contribute to its progress.