As the war continues to impact travel out of Israel, World Mizrachi has helped secure 5 million shekels to assist hundreds of yeshiva and seminary students participating in MASA programs who were planning to fly home for the Pesach holiday. Half the grant will be provided by Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael (KKL) together with the Jewish Agency, with a matching amount from the Israeli government.
The funding was secured through the initiative of Roi Abecassis, Deputy Chair of KKL and World Mizrachi representative to the National Institutions, in response to many requests from program administrators and students. In typical years, large numbers of students leave Israel for the Pesach holiday when their programs close or dorm facilities are unavailable for student use. The funding will be specifically allocated to ensure the programs and dorms remain open in dozens of different yeshivot and seminaries alongside ongoing academic and social programming.
Mr. Abecassis explained, “As soon as we appreciated the extent of the crisis where hundreds of students will remain in Israel during a time when they would typically be on vacation and not in a supervised structure, we knew we needed to find a solution. We are deeply grateful that KKL, together with our partners, recognized the nature of the challenge and are providing this critical funding to continue to operate during these difficult times.”
World Mizrachi CEO Rabbi Danny Mirvis added, “Thanks to the close and quick coordination of our partners in the National Institutions, we were able to successfully turn the fact that hundreds of foreign students are unable to travel out of Israel due to the war into an opportunity to provide them with practical support alongside additional educational programing that we know can make this period even more meaningful and productive.”
In a statement, the organization expressed their gratitude to KKL, chaired by Eyal Ostrinsky, as well as MASA, the Jewish Agency and the Government of Israel for their partnership to ensure a coordinated response for the student community.
World Mizrachi also announced they will be providing over 800,000 NIS in grants to 400 married students currently enrolled in dozens of Hesder yeshivot across Israel. The Hesder program is a specialized track in which Israeli men integrate high-level Torah study with active-duty military service.
The grants were made possible through the generosity of the Lamm family of Melbourne, Australia, and a dedicated circle of friends. The initiative was established to express profound gratitude to the community of scholars who balance intensive high-level Torah study with the rigors of military service.
Rabbi Mirvis commented: “Particularly during this time of profound security challenges, as our people fight to defend our nation, World Mizrachi is deeply proud to stand with the Hesder Yeshiva community. Through the remarkable kindness and vision of the Lamm family and their partners, we are privileged to support these individuals who prove, through their daily lives, that deep spiritual devotion and the physical defense of our Land go hand in hand.”
He added, “We hope these funds provide these heroes and their families with a sense of relief and joy this Pesach, honoring the personal sacrifices they continue to make in service of the country.”