Federation Support in Sha’ar HaNegev

 

Federation's San Diego-Sha'ar HaNegev relationship fosters a mutually beneficial partnership committed to supporting the strategic priorities and to deepening Jewish peoplehood in both communities.

 

Home to 7,000 residents, Sha'ar HaNegev is situated just kilometers away from the Gaza border. Federation supports economic development, cultural exchanges, and provides social services for many of its residents. We are honored to nurture this 20-year-long dynamic relationship and, thus far, have provided more than $13 million in funding to the region, which is under constant threat from Gaza rockets.

 

In 2012 Federation celebrated the opening of the Sha’ar HaNegev Educational Village, situated only kilometers away from the Gaza border. It educates more than 1,800 K-12 students, from whom it is a first exposure to the arts, music, design and drama. The Art Center is named in memory of Alexander Joseph Viterbi, son of Erna z"l and Andrew Viterbi.

Federation support in Sha’ar HaNegev is grouped into three key areas, explained in detail below.

 

People-to-People Connections
 

Direct connections between the people of Sha’ar HaNegev and San Diego occur within the following contexts and programs:

 

  • Youth groups

  • Synagogues and religious school classes

  • Day schools

  • Birthright trips

  • Federation donor activities and missions

  • Social media

  • Jewish summer camps

  • My Israel Journey: Teen subsidies to Israel with visits to Sha'ar HaNegev
     

Emergency Aid
 

With an 80-year history of support for the State of Israel, Federation is one of the only local organizations set up to immediately provide dollars when disaster strikes. During the crisis of summer 2014, for example, Federation took the lead in bringing the Jewish community together by raising funds for the Reach Out for Israel Campaign. A record $3.4 million was raised, with over $2 million going directly to Federation’s sister region, Sha’ar HaNegev.

 

Supporting Jews in Need
 

In addition to supporting programs for Jews in need through The Jewish Agency for Israel and The Joint Distribution Committee, Federation supports additional programs in Sha’ar HaNegev through its Regional Council.

SouthUp Incubator
 

The non-profit SouthUp Incubator is a partnership between community and business leaders from the San Diego and Sha'ar HaNegev communities. It enjoys significant support and involvement from the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, San Diego Jewish Federation, Amdocs, Sapir College, Sha'ar HaNegev High School and numerous individual donors from San Diego.

The mission of the incubator is to help create and support a larger entrepreneurial climate and ecosystem in the region, to make Sha’ar HaNegev a recognized startup community, and to promote economic growth and activity within the Sha’ar HaNegev Region.

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