Ashkelon

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Make a Difference in Ashkelon

Your support will help create a brighter future for Ethiopian-Israelis in Ashkelon!

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The Challenge

Ashkelon is a coastal city in southern Israel, 13 kilometers north of the Gaza Strip. This city has a long biblical history and is home to many archaeological sites. 

Around 115,900 people live in Ashkelon. Of those residents, 5,861 are Ethiopian-Israeli. There are 793 Ethiopian youth in this community ages 13 to 18. 

Economic hardship and educational underachievement in the Ethiopian-Israeli community

As is the case in most of Israel, the Ethiopian community in Ashkelon suffers from economic hardships. These hurdles limit academic growth, as the younger generation of Ethiopian-Israelis in Ashkelon scores below the national average in scholastic aptitude exams. Meyers-JDC-Brookdale Institute (2012) provides these national statistics:
•Up to 45 % of the Ethiopian-Israeli women and 28% of Ethiopian-Israeli men have received no education or educational certificate. In contrast, this figure is only 2% for Jewish men and women in the rest of the country.
•The average monthly income of both Ethiopian-Israeli men (7,000 NIS) and women (3,900 NIS) is notably lower than that of the national average: 10,400 NIS for men, and 6,400 NIS for women. 
•41% of Ethiopian households live below the poverty line, a rate that is 26% higher than the Jewish national average (15% poverty rate). 

ENP's Response

Major successes and meeting needs:
In order to ameliorate sociocultural difficulties and empower the younger generation, ENP has increased enrollment in the ENP Ashkelon Scholastic Assistance Program - 415 students are now participating!

•Greater numbers of students have passed and improved their scores on the matriculation exams.
•The staff of the program noted a significant reduction in the high school drop-out rates of Ethiopian-Israeli students. 
•9th graders participate in special substance abuse workshops, which include personal testimonials from recovering drug abusers. These programs are particularly successful in discouraging high schoolers from experimentation and dependency. 

In almost all cases, Ethiopian-Israeli teens at the Center lack the financial resources to participate in extracurricular enrichment activities such as arts, music, athletics and hiking. These activities are important outlets of self-discovery, which enable participants to realize their true potential and become more integrated with the rest of Israeli society. Merkaz Nesher, ENP's Youth Outreach Center in Ashkelon meets the needs of its participants:

•The Center provides activities such as soccer, guitar lessons, arts and crafts, as well as singing, dance and drama programs.
•The Youth Outreach Center is home to a beautiful garden, where teens and staff members grow flowers and vegetables.
•73% of the youth at ENP's Youth Outreach Center in Ashkelon do not attend any other after-school framework, and 68% have never participated in such a framework before (Myers-JDC-Brookdale Report, 2008). This statistic indicates that ENP’s Youth Outreach Center is well-equipped to provide its participants with a safe space that has ample opportunities for personal growth and social support.

Did you know that… 
Merkaz Nesher, the name of ENP’s Youth Outreach Center in Ashkelon is an acronym for “Youth Reaching Far”.

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