Light Upon Education

Light Upon Education (Hebrew: אור לחינוך) is an Israeli nonprofit organization (amuta) that works to promote excellence and volunteerism among teenagers and young adults, with a focus on Israel's social and geographic periphery. Its main branches operate in Beersheba, Ashdod, Lod, and Arad. The organization began in 2004 under the name 'Ach Boger' (Big Brother) by Lior Lapid, then a high school student in Ashdod, with the idea of creating a mentoring program for sixth-grade students led by high school students. It is recognized by the Ministry of Education's Administration for Society and Youth as an institution authorized to operate volunteers within the framework of the personal commitment project in high schools across the country. However, many volunteers join the mentoring teams independently of school volunteering requirements. Today, more than 200 participants are active in the organization each year. Since late 2010, it has worked in strategic cooperation with Perach, under which student volunteers serving as branch heads receive a scholarship. The target population comes from Israel's social and geographic periphery and is twofold: sixth-grade elementary school students and high school students who undergo training and then serve as mentors for at least one school year. The excellence development process operates in three main dimensions: personal mentoring, group activities, and concentrated volunteer days. Each mentee is matched with a mentor based on personal compatibility by the organization's professional staff. The mentors' work is done in full coordination with the schools and parents. In early 2008, the organization received the Minister of Welfare and Social Services Shield from Minister Isaac Herzog for its work promoting children and youth. In 2009, it was selected as a recipient of the social entrepreneurship program of the IVN (Israel Venture Network), and in that year it was also awarded the Model Award by the Council for Higher Education. The program operates through weekly meetings in a fixed location, usually a community center or matnas, with personal mentoring, group activities, and monthly community volunteer activities. The organization is headed by a board of directors elected annually by democratic vote among members. Currently, the board consists of seven members, chaired by Danny Harari. The organization receives ongoing guidance from volunteer businesspeople. It operates several regional branches, each headed by a trained student who receives a scholarship. Each branch head is responsible for about 25 mentors, and each mentor is matched with one mentee. Graduates of the program join an alumni community of over 2,500 members who continue social involvement.

Light Upon Education (Hebrew: אור לחינוך) began its activities in 2004 under the name 'Ach Boger' (Big Brother) by Lior Lapid, then a high school student in Ashdod. The basic idea was to create a mentoring program for sixth-grade students led by high school students. The organization is recognized by the Ministry of Education's Administration for Society and Youth as an institution authorized to operate volunteers within the framework of the personal commitment project in high schools across the country. However, a significant portion of volunteers are students who join the mentoring teams independently of the school volunteering requirement. Today, more than 200 participants are active in the organization each year. Since late 2010, the organization has worked in strategic cooperation with Perach. Under this framework, student volunteers (as branch heads) receive a scholarship. In early 2008, the organization won the Minister of Welfare and Social Services Shield from Minister Isaac Herzog for its work promoting children and youth. In 2009, it was selected as a recipient of the social entrepreneurship program of the IVN (Israel Venture Network). Also in that year, the organization was awarded the Model Award by the Council for Higher Education. The organization is headed by a board of directors elected annually in democratic elections among members. Currently, the board consists of seven members, chaired by Danny Harari. The organization receives ongoing guidance from volunteer businesspeople who contribute their time and skills to develop the organization and its staff. It operates several regional branches across the country. Each branch is headed by a student who is trained by the organization for the role and receives a scholarship. Each branch head is responsible for about 25 mentors, and each mentor is matched with one mentee. Graduates of the program, both mentors and mentees, join the organization's alumni community, which numbers over 2,500 members who continue social involvement according to their desire and abilities.

• 2010

  Began strategic cooperation with Perach, providing scholarships to student branch heads.

• 2009

  Selected for the IVN social entrepreneurship program and awarded the Model Award by the Council for Higher Education.

• 2008

  Received the Minister of Welfare and Social Services Shield from Minister Isaac Herzog.

• 2004

  Organization founded as 'Ach Boger' by Lior Lapid in Ashdod.

Nonprofit organization promoting excellence and volunteerism among youth in Israel's social and geographic periphery.

1. 1Light Upon Education - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2אור לחינוך - Wikipedia (Hebrew)he.wikipedia.org