World ORT Update 20 January 2002 More than 70 delegates gathered in Cape Town last week for the World ORT Annual Board of Directors Meeting to assess the organisations achievements from the year just gone and to set new goals for 2002. The centrepiece of the meeting was an emergency appeal for the ORT Argentina operation, which continues to feel the reverberations of the countrys precarious economic and political situation. In less than an hour delegates raised more than $185,000 for the ORT operations in Argentina. The ever-increasing economic problems in Argentina are causing great hardship to millions of people, not least among the members of Argentinas Jewish communities. Nevertheless, ORT schools there are meeting this challenge by continuing to provide the education and training to those who need it. Another focus of talks was the current situation in Israel. This last year has witnessed almost constant friction and uncertainty within Israel. ORT Israel has already lost 20 family members through terrorist attacks. The need to provide enhanced security in the schools, combined with the need to provide emotional and psychological support for concerned and anxious students and faculty needs is vital. Despite the disruption by the terrorism and political and social insecurity, ORT continues to enforce the belief that education is the key to eliminating intolerance. Other items discussed included issues affecting technological education around the world such as the need for educational, vocational and technologic skills and education in the CIS, world trends in education, the needs of declining Jewish communities and communities in crisis. The Board, whose members travelled from as far as the Baltic and as near to South Africa as the Democratic Republic of Congo, also agreed to continue and expand activities of its International Cooperation arm of the organisation, the non-sectarian assistance to developing countries around the world. Places like Central America, the Baltic States, Africa, and Asia will all benefit from the proposed initiatives. The initiative already includes ORTs successful cooperative activities in South Africa where programmes like Information Technology training, provision of expertise in health and agriculture services and skills empowerment training have already been put into practise. Guest speakers at the meeting included Ms Gill Marcus, Deputy Governor of Central Bank, Honorary Life President of ORT South Africa Mr David Susman, former South African Ambassador to Washington Dr Franklin Sonn. A dinner was hosted by the new mayor of Cape Town Gerald Morkel where amongst the guests was Israeli Ambassador to South Africa Tova Herzl. Delegates also visited the Jewish campus in centre of Cape Town where one of the oldest synagogues in South Africa is situated. There, they were met and hosted by the founder of Holocaust Centre and South Africa Jewish Museum Mr Mendel Kaplan. Because of the situation in Israel, the Board agreed was that next years meeting will be held in Israel as a show of ORTs solidarity and support in these uncertain times. Another focus of talks was the current situation in Israel. This last year has witnessed almost constant friction and uncertainty within Israel. ORT Israel has already lost 20 family members through terrorist attacks. The need to provide enhanced security in the schools, combined with the need to provide emotional and psychological support for concerned and anxious students and faculty needs is vital. Despite the disruption by the terrorism and political and social insecurity, ORT continues to enforce the belief that education is the key to eliminating intolerance. Other items discussed included issues affecting technological education around the world such as the need for educational, vocational and technologic skills and education in the CIS, world trends in education, the needs of declining Jewish communities and communities in crisis. The Board, whose members travelled from as far as the Baltic and as near to South Africa as the Democratic Republic of Congo, also agreed to continue and expand activities of its International Cooperation arm of the organisation, the non-sectarian assistance to developing countries around the world. Places like Central America, the Baltic States, Africa, and Asia will all benefit from the proposed initiatives. The initiative already includes ORTs successful cooperative activities in South Africa where programmes like Information Technology training, provision of expertise in health and agriculture services and skills empowerment training have already been put into practise. Guest speakers at the meeting included Ms Gill Marcus, Deputy Governor of Central Bank, Honorary Life President of ORT South Africa Mr David Susman, former South African Ambassador to Washington Dr Franklin Sonn. A dinner was hosted by the new mayor of Cape Town Gerald Morkel where amongst the guests was Israeli Ambassador to South Africa Tova Herzl. Delegates also visited the Jewish campus in centre of Cape Town where one of the oldest synagogues in South Africa is situated. There, they were met and hosted by the founder of Holocaust Centre and South Africa Jewish Museum Mr Mendel Kaplan. Because of the situation in Israel, the Board agreed was that next years meeting will be held in Israel as a show of ORTs solidarity and support in these uncertain times.