Beit Shemesh

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Make a Difference in Beit Shemesh

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

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The Challenge

Beit Shemesh is located 30 kilometers west of Jerusalem, and had a population of 80,600 in 2010. "Beit Shemesh" means "temple of the sun," as the city was named after the sun-goddess. 

A struggling community in Beit Shemesh

Ethiopian-Israelis face enormous hardships in Beit Shemesh. Many of these difficulties have to do with racism, whose vicious cycle limits residents from accessing higher education and resultant socioeconomic advancement.

Facts about Beit Shemesh:
• The city is home to 2,908 Ethiopian-Israelis 
• Of these, 513 are children between the ages of 13 and 18 
• Around 650 families live in Beit Shemesh - 100 arrived in the past year
• An estimated 49% of the Ethiopian-Israeli community's children live below the poverty line (nationwide surveys)
• The great majority of Ethiopian-Israelis who live in Beit Shemesh encounter racism and discrimination in their everyday lives

ENP's Response

Educational challenges for a hard-working young community

ENP runs a Scholastic Assistance Program and two Youth Outreach Centers in Beit Shemesh. Over 70 students participate in Scholastic Assistance. ENP has increased study hours from four to six a week in order to address the needs of its participants. ENP divides children into two groups: 1) "on-track children" and 2) "at-risk" children to provide each individual with the necessary amount of supervision and support. 

ENP has seen some remarkable results: 

• In 2011-2012, 86% of 12th grade students (25 out of 29 students) achieved full matriculation. The national Jewish average, for comparison, is only 62%. 
• In addition, 18 of the 12th grade students (62%) in Beit Shemesh achieved a matriculation score on the bagrut that enabled them to enter university. In contrast, only 24% of Ethiopian-Israelis throughout the rest of the nation achieve university matriculation-level scores. 
• ENP’s summer programming in 2012 featured a week-long marine biology camp. It focused on marine studies, English language learning, and most importantly, identity and team building - it was an incredible success for both participants and staff members! 

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