5 July 2005 A group of ORT Israels top educationalists have arrived in London for a week-long fact finding tour. The six school directors and regional and sector directors from ORTs network of 159 educational establishments in Israel are: Timora Shiri, Director of the ORT Henry Ronson School in Ashkelon, Sara Mirom, Director of ORT Megadim School, Karmiel, Tamar Shinan, Director of ORT Kiryat Tivon, Hanan Bassis, Director of Social and Physical Education, ORT Israel, Leah Nissan, Regional Director, Dan Region, and Amos Atzmoni, Head of Finance and Administration, ORT R&D Centre. Many of the groups students are helped by special educational and social projects funded by World ORT supporters, such as the Schools Plus programme. This programme provides a supportive educational framework for pupils from families in distress and from socio-economically deprived backgrounds. Students benefit from nourishing meals and help with homework as well as counselling where appropriate. World ORT Director General Robert Singer with the visiting ORT Israel educators at ORT House, London World ORT Director General Robert Singer with the visiting ORT Israel educators at ORT House, London. World ORT staff will show the visitors from ORT Israel how projects such as Schools Plus are created and how they are funded. In turn the World ORT staff will learn how the projects are implemented on the ground. While in London the Israelis will visit the Mossbourne Community Academy School in Hackney, East London. Like the ORT schools in Israel, this newly established City Academy School provides comprehensive, first-class educational opportunities for students from a wide variety of home backgrounds. ORT Israel is deeply conscious of the need to provide a holistic education that teaches social responsibility as well as formal curricular subjects. The visitors will discuss this and a range of other issues of educational leadership with Patricia Clark, Director of International Affairs at the Leadership Centre, Institute of Education, University of London. Ms Clark has served on the British Government’s Task Force to Raise Standards in Education. World ORT Director General Robert Singer said: The effectiveness of any education system depends not on the executives and administrators but on those at the sharp end dealing with the students. We are pleased to welcome to World ORT this group of outstanding educators who have come to further their professional competence.