Shana Tova – Happy New Year!

As we approach the Jewish New Year, I would like to wish you and your family a good and happy year.

This past year was a good one for Athena Fund, and we hope the upcoming year will be even better. The purpose of this update is to fill you in on Athena Fund’s latest activities and upcoming developments.

Athena's programs have become a success story, and are now benefiting more than 23,600 school and kindergarten teachers in 2,020 schools and kindergartens in 160 communities across Israel. Thanks to our Digital Toolbox for Every Teacher program, over 400,000 students are enjoying improved levels of instruction and learning.

Each digital toolbox includes a laptop or iPad, a wireless printer, 120 hours of professional training, a 3-year hardware warranty, 3-year technical support, and education credits, as well as a projector and Wi-Fi in each classroom.

During the course of this  school year, we plan on distributing more than 2,500 digital toolboxes to school and kindergarten teachers nationwide. To read more, click here.

Since the beginning of this school year (which began on September 1st), we have already managed to distribute digital toolboxes to over 320 special education school and kindergarten teachers. To read more,click here 

Annual Fundraising Event of Athena Fund

On Thursday, November 14th, Athena Fund will mark its 12-year “bat mitzvah” anniversary with an annual fundraising event. This year’s event is being held under the banner “Everyone Can – Everyone is a Special Child.” Featuring a stand-up performance by the well-known Israeli comedian Israel Katorza, the event will be held at the Smolarz Auditorium of Tel Aviv University at 7:00 pm.

All proceeds from ticket sales and sponsorships will support Athena Fund’s efforts to grant a digital toolbox – including an iPad, digital training and more – to special education teachers for the benefit of their special needs students.
Donors to Athena Fund, a non-profit association, can receive a tax deduction for donations under section 46A of the Income Tax Ordinance.

To receive additional information (in Hebrew) and purchase tickets, click here
While tickets still remain, they are sold on a “first come, first served” basis.

“Everyone Can – Everyone is a Special Child” Fundraising Campaign

Since early September, Athena Fund and the Tzomet Sfarim bookstore chain have conducted a fundraising campaign to provide digital toolboxes to Israeli special education teachers at schools and kindergartens. All Tzomet Sfarim stores are selling silicone bracelets with the inscription “Yes I Can, I Am Special” for 10 NIS each.
All proceeds support Athena Fund’s efforts to provide special education teachers with a digital toolbox. Each toolbox includes an iPad, a carrying case, 120 hours of professional training, a printer, a three-year hardware warranty, three years of technical support, and continuing education credits, as well as a projector and Wi-Fi in each classroom.

We would like to thank Tzomet Sfarim for partnering with Athena Fund to promote special education school and kindergarten teachers. This campaign is another layer in our efforts to advance special education in Israel.

Ways to Support Athena Fund
We invite you to join our Facebook page Please share this update with anyone who might be interested in participatin in our programs, such as mayors, managers and directors of education departments, school principals and teachers, as well as donors, volunteers and others who would like to help contribute to our continued success.

If you would like to contribute to the empowerment of teachers in Israel, and to assist in providing laptops and professional training for school and kindergarten teachers, please click here

Thank you for your continued support of our programs.
Wishing you and your family Shana Tova U'Metuka, a Happy and Sweet New Year.

Uri Ben Ari
President and Founder
Athena Fund