Shalom, friend of Athena!

I would like to wish you and your family a “Shana Tova” – a happy new year! May this coming year be filled with health, peace and goodness.

Shortly, the new school year will begin in Israel. We are hopeful that the learning plan implemented for remote education in different age groups will be effective, and that no child will be neglected or left behind. Sadly, once again, teachers have not been included in developing this year’s information and communications technology (ICT) plans, and it looks like no one is intending to equip them with the tools needed for effective remote teaching.

Did you know that:

• About 50% of teachers share their home computer with other family members?
• About 2/3 of them did not receive relevant training in the last five years?
• About 93% of teachers were forced to purchase a computer on their own?
• About 2/3 of them have a computer that is over five years old?

Looking at these statistics, a number of questions arise. Is it possible for school children to secure an education – frontal or remote – compatible with the 21^st century? Is the current generation receiving the tools and knowledge they need in order to succeed and advance?

In over 12 years of activity, Athena Fund has distributed our "Digital Toolbox," which includes a laptop or tablet along with professional training, to over 25,300 school and kindergarten teachers in both regular and special education. These teachers attest to the great success of our programs, and we have received many thank you letters from the pedagogical teams at schools and municipal education departments – especially during COVID-19.

It's no secret that when teachers have the most advanced tools and training, learning becomes more enjoyable, interactive and effective. That's why we continue to promote our "Digital Toolbox for Every Teacher in Israel" program in many municipalities across Israel.

Now more than ever, we need your help! After all, without the support of donors like you, Athena Fund would not have been able to move ahead. Your generous support will help us continue empowering Israel's teachers, so that they can continue raising generations of children who in the coming years will lead the State of Israel.

With gratitude and wishes of a sweet new year,

Uri Ben-Ari
Founder and President of Athena Fund

COVID-19 WAS A SURPRISE, BUT NAHARIYA WAS READY!

Right before the COVID-19 outbreak, we distributed "Digital Toolboxes" to teachers in Nahariya. We did not yet realize that the entire country was about to go into quite a spin. Within weeks, laptop computers became the most essential tool to ensure ongoing teaching – during both the general lockdown and the partial return to studies afterwards.

Ilan Vaknin, Head of the Education and Community Administration Department in Nahariya, emphasizes the importance of the program, pointing to the real change appropriate digital tools bring to the learning environment.

LACK OF DIGITAL TOOLS IS ESPECIALLY NOTICEABLE TODAY

With the outburst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the switch to remote education, the need for comprehensive preparation – for the children, but first and foremost for the teachers – became apparent.

During the summer months, many teachers, school principals, heads of municipal education departments and mayors from all over the country have been contacting Athena Fund, asking that we equip their pedagogic teams with our "Digital Toolbox."

Today there is an awareness and an understanding that remote education cannot be the same as frontal instruction. In order to keep teaching via ZOOM and other platforms, teachers must have their own personal mobile computers, and know how to use them.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have continued distributing our "Digital Toolboxes" to teachers in Yeruham, Beer Sheva, Savion and Ashkelon. These tools allowed these teachers to facilitate remote education, and will continue to accompany them during this coming school year, whatever it may bring.

This upcoming school year, teachers from Drom Hasharon Regional Council, Kiryat Gat, Kiryat Malachi, Tel Aviv-Yaffo, Eshkol Regional Council, Lachish Regional Council, Beit Aryeh-Ofarim, Yafia, Kfar Shmariyahu and Safed are planning to join our "Digital Toolbox for Every Teacher" program. Special education teachers from Bnei Brak, Agudat Nitzan and Akko will join our "Digital Toolbox for Every Special Education Teacher" program.

Other communities are asking to join these programs. Right now we are working on raising additional funds that will allow us to empower even more teachers as soon as possible.

A PERSONAL COMPUTER – "A REAL LIFESAVER"

We received the following letter during the COVID-19 outbreak. It shows the clear need for a personal computer for teachers – a computer that they do not have to share with family.

As already mentioned, about 50% of teachers share their computers at home, which significantly reduces their ability to teach remotely. Our “Digital Toolbox" is the perfect solution for teachers like Gali – and that's why we at Athena Fund continue our programs full speed ahead.

I would like to thank Athena Fund for the "Laptop Computer for Every Teacher" program.

For me it was a real lifesaver.

I'm a single mother that has been raising two children alone for the past 7 years. My firstborn is already in the IDF, and the other one is a 16-year-old teenager. The "pressure" from my children for using our home computer has been extremely high.

My old laptop broke down, and I had no ability to purchase another computer, which would be for my use only. I had only one option – using my computer in my office at my school (where I'm an intermediate school counselor).

Receiving a laptop computer about a year-and-a-half ago was truly lifesaving – and is especially so during these days of COVID-19.

Thank you so very much!

Gali