Strengthening Jewish identity is the best way to combat antisemitism, Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli told participants Tuesday night during a three-day Yael International summit held in Cyprus called “Education and Beyond.”
More than 200 Jewish educations were in attendance, in addition to high-level Israeli officials and thought leaders from 37 nations.
“As the minister responsible for combating antisemitism, I can tell you that there are many “band-aid” solutions to antisemitism, some more effective than others,” Chikli said. “But the real answer to this threat is strengthening Jewish identity. When a war is ideological and spiritual, the response must also be spiritual,” he emphasized.
“You educators are the ones shaping and securing the Jewish identity of the next generation of our people. You stand at the forefront of this vital struggle,” he said.
Chikli expressed his support for Yael Foundation’s motto, “No Jewish Child Left Behind.” The foundation works to nurture Jewish identity and empower the next generation of Jewish leaders, while ensuring that every Jewish child has access to an exceptional Jewish and general education.
Jewish Agency chairman Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog also followed a similar theme in his remarks.
“We will get to every single Jewish community because we believe in the great Jewish ethic of mutual responsibility”, Almog said. “To strengthen them and provide resilience, and in this, we are partnering with the Yael Foundation. I say to all you Jewish educators, I can see your commitment and dedication and I salute you.”
Among the recipients of the foundation’s annual awards was the Mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri.
The Italian mayor was instrumental in ensuring the historic 100-year-old Scuole Ebraiche di Roma is receiving a new building to be able to increase the number of children can attend the Jewish school. The new building is being built with a €14 million grant contributed by the Yael Foundation and The Ronald S. Lauder Foundation.
“For us, opening a school in a public building instead of a hotel or business in a central part of the city where we have millions of tourists is a huge success,” said Deputy Mayor of Rome Tobia Zevi, who received the award on behalf of Mayor Gualtieri. “As a representative of the city with the oldest Jewish community outside of Israel, I can say that what you are doing is enriching our city and all of its communities.”
Other awardees were the Chné-Or School Group in France, which started and championed the “Jewish School for All” campaign, offering access to high-value, high-quality studies in Judaism for all, regardless of financial and religious background.
The David Wolfsohn School, Argentina, was honored for its dual-language, Spanish and Hebrew instruction, and vibrant educational model. The school empowers students to become accomplished in both general and Jewish studies and instills a deep-rooted community and individual development awareness.
The Menachem School in Mykolaiv, Ukraine was also honored for its “tenacity, flexibility and unending commitment to offering a Jewish education” in a location perilously close to the frontlines of the war. With only 45 students, the school is a refuge of instruction and hope for children who have experienced unimaginable hardships.
Founded in 2020 by Uri and Yael Poliavich, the Yael Foundation is a major philanthropic force for Jewish education, working in strategic partnerships with other foundations to provide initiatives and grants aimed at impacting the future of the Jewish world.
