Update on ORT School in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine

Following a ballistic missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday, the building of the ORT “Aleph” Jewish Gymnasium was significantly damaged.

Thankfully no students or staff were seriously injured during the attack. The school has been working online throughout the war and six people – including a pregnant teacher – were at the site at the time. She suffered shock and will require ongoing psychological support.

The structural damage was significant. The roof and heating system were penetrated by shrapnel, most of the windows were blown out by the blast wave, and the perimeter fence was also badly damaged.

The long-term structural future of the school building is currently unknown. Police and rescue services are continuing to assess the damage. The missile hit a neighbouring medical center which was almost completely destroyed. The number of people known to be killed in the attack stood at nine by Thursday evening local time, with five others still trapped under the rubble of the medical center.

School Principal Dolina Shalmina in a damaged classroom

Dolina Shalmina, school principal, said: “Straight after the explosion, all our teachers, students, and parents came to the school and started removing the rubble. They worked almost until night.

“During the night, the city emergency services welded the heating system and started boarding up the windows with wooden blocks. For now, all the windows are closed with boards. Almost all day there was no electricity, water or internet. In the evening, the electricity resumed. But despite all this horror, we plan to live, work, and continue to teach our children.”

Damage in a classroom following the blast

ORT Ukraine and World ORT’s focus is to ensure future educational provision for students of the school. It is hoped that online classes will be able to continue despite the ongoing attacks on the city.

The support of the ORT network is crucial. Since February 2022 we have together raised millions of dollars, already providing stability, continuity, and hope to students and families who desperately need it.

The stakes remain high, but with your help, we can ensure that our commitment to education — and to each and every student — is upheld.

Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for your generosity. Together, we will face these challenges, make a difference and continue to have an impact through education.

Donate to the ORT Ukraine Emergency Campaign

October 7: Remembering Eyal

As the ORT family joins global Jewry in marking the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks, we are inviting our students, teachers, and all across our schools network to join us in a special ORT project.

In June we shared our collective grief following the death of Eyal Shynes, son of Mirav Shynes, manager of World ORT Kadima Mada’s YOUniversity program in northern Israel.

Eyal z”l was killed in Gaza while serving as a sergeant in the IDF’s 931st Battalion of the Nahal Brigade. He was just 19 years old.

Eyal z”l and his mother, Mirav

In his memory we are launching a campaign encouraging the ORT family worldwide to come together as one community to support an initiative at Eyal’s former school.

A distinguished and popular Jewish Philosophy student, Eyal left a deep impression on his friends and teachers at the Beit Yerach school on the banks of the Kinneret, Sea of Galilee, in the Golan.

To create a lasting link between Eyal, the ORT network and the school he loved so dearly, we are supporting Beit Yerach in a memorial project which will:

Together, as an international educational community, the ORT Family can demonstrate our unity and commitment to the values that were so important to Eyal. We extend our thoughts and condolences to his parents, Mirav and Itay, brother Noam and the Shynes family.

Mirav said: “Eyal was a man of values, moral, he had a strong sense of justice, he was a charmer. Eyal respected everyone and every opinion. He was very smart and loved sports, especially soccer, and spending time with his friends. He was a good son.

“To fight for his country, his family, it was his calling. I am sure he didn’t think he would lose his life. We are taking it one day at a time, but it is hard. I cannot bring him back.”

How can you help?

We are asking everyone across the ORT schools network to make a small contribution towards the costs of the memorial project. Students and teachers can donate within their schools. ORT supporters can also contact their local ORT organization to make a donation.

Donate via this link.

‘The Single Most Rewarding Experience of My Life With ORT’

By Judy Menikoff, World ORT Vice-Chair

For much of my adult life I have been engaged with the work of ORT, the global education network. I cannot begin to count the hours I have spent at meetings, on missions, visiting schools around the world or on Zoom calls.

But the single most rewarding experience of my time in this organization was the day I just spent with 21 of our Israeli students at my own home in Connecticut.

This group of young people, each of whom lost a close family member or friend on October 7 or in the months of violence since, travelled to the U.S. as part of a respite delegation led by educators and counsellors from World ORT Kadima Mada, our operational arm in Israel.

The two-week trip fostered a sense of normalcy, unity, and importantly fun, despite the challenging circumstances. The students took part in activities at JCC summer camps, cultural exchanges and recreational programming such as days out at Wild Play parks.

But crucially they also benefited from one-to-one and group counselling sessions every day, helping them process what they have been through and the emotional impact of this unprecedented upheaval and loss in their lives. This need for psychological support will remain extremely high throughout Israel, especially among these ‘first circle’ trauma victims, for a long time to come.

The trip was laced with its own mix of emotion, tragedy and pain. The group was renamed as the ‘Eyal Delegation’, in honor of Sergeant Eyal Shynes of the IDF’s Nahal Brigade who was killed in Gaza days before the group left Israel. Eyal’s mother, Mirav, is the manager of a World ORT Kadima Mada YOUniversity project in northern Israel and had been due to travel to the U.S. with the students.

And so when the delegation arrived at our small, historic synagogue in Amenia, across the state border in New York, we did not know what to expect. We found a packed congregation had turned out to welcome the Israelis. It felt like a High Holiday. When the rabbi gave the group a blessing, and then community members said kaddish, it was indescribable.

Later when we reconvened at our house, the teenagers dived into the home-made ice cream, snacks – and the lake – with relish.

Many of them played with our dog, Maple. She’s a gentle, black labrador and the kids could not leave her alone. Dogs are widely used in therapy and so it gave us the opportunity to really see these young people as themselves, outside of their school environment, relaxed and able to let go of everything they have been holding these past nine months.

The Israeli students spent a day with Judy Menikoff and community members in Salisbury, CT

The finale of their day was perhaps the most impactful. As a blue and white cake iced with the words ‘Am Yisrael Chai’ was placed on the counter, we played ‘Jerusalem of Gold’. All of a sudden, the students and their teachers, together with our friends and other visitors, stood swaying, arms around each other, waving the lights from their phones. Everyone was crying. It was very special – it was unexpected, unplanned and unrehearsed. The kids had such a sense of unity. You could see their love of their country in their eyes.

The day was a microcosm of what our colleagues in Israel are doing non-stop. In the most challenging circumstances they are working as hard as they can to help the students deal with these traumatic experiences. Staff themselves remain evacuated from their homes and communities in northern Israel. Each has their own story of loss and pain. We continue to work in evacuation centers across the country, helping thousands of young people, as well as their teachers and family members, deal with the upheaval, plan for the future and continue their education.

Like many organizations working in Israel or in Jewish communities worldwide, we talk about delivering impact but too often measure it in terms of refurbished buildings and new constructions. We must not lose sight of who is receiving the real benefits – the students, teachers, social workers and families at the heart of everything we do. Whether it is delivering our extra-curricular programs in the Galilee or running our youth village close to the Gaza border, the true impact of our supporters’ dedication and our decades-long work is most clearly measured in the hearts and minds of this group of young people.

I have been fortunate to have some amazing experiences during my time with ORT; meeting President Clinton and Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, travelling to schools and communities around the world, but nothing prepared me for the unbelievably moving moment of witnessing those children in my own home, joining to share a sense of togetherness, belief and hope in a more positive future.

I will never forget it and it will be the catalyst for me to rededicate myself to supporting our global ORT family as we continue our vital work.

 

Judy Menikoff is Vice-Chair of World ORT and a former President of Women’s American ORT

 

‘We Are Regaining a Sense of Normality’ – Students and Teachers in Israel Deal With Impact of War

Students and teachers from ORT programs across Israel have explained how they are continuing their education despite the impact of the war.

During World ORT’s latest online briefing looking at our response to the aftermath of October 7, supporters worldwide heard how the focus has shifted to the long-term psychological needs of beneficiaries and the return to classroom learning where possible.

WATCH THE RECORDING

Dan Green, World ORT Director General and CEO, thanked international supporters for their financial and emotional backing since the deadly terror attacks seven weeks ago.

The ORT network has raised around $2 million to help our students, teachers and beneficiaries in Israel. He also referred to the solidarity and goodwill shown by colleagues worldwide.

Dan visited Israel to meet colleagues including Amos Gofer, CEO of our Kfar Silver Youth Village, and Dr. Moshe Leiba, Chief Pedagogy and R&D Officer of World ORT Kadima Mada, our operating arm in the country.

Dan said: “It was an incredibly inspiring, uplifting and positive experience for me. I spent some time with Amos and Moshe in Kfar Silver. To see our students coming back to school was fantastic because there was so much joy in their faces. To have this opportunity finally, having been either stuck at home or relocated around the country or being on Zoom. That was wonderful.

“It was also tinged of course with lots of sadness. We paid a condolence visit to one of the staff members of Kfar Silver, who very sadly lost her son fighting for the IDF. That was a tremendously humbling experience, meeting her and seeing her resilience, sharing pictures and stories about her dear son was a moment that I won’t forget.”

He paid tribute to staff “for the incredible work they have been doing – picking up the pieces, showing love and support and care for all of our students. It’s really been very humbling to see how they have worked during this critical time and I can’t thank them enough”.

Dr. Leiba explained how World ORT Kadima Mada staff were now working to assist more than 4,000 students across 44 evacuation centers in the country, providing counselling, psychological assistance and a range of physical therapies including sport and krav maga sessions.

He said the organization had switched from the immediate ‘first aid’ response of October to longer term services. Our extra-curricular YOUniversity courses have relaunched in Dimona and Kiryat Yam and more than 340 students will now be benefiting from dozens of permanent courses.

“We are regaining a sense of normality,” Moshe said.

Joining the call from Kfar Silver, Amos Gofer explained how students were returning to the village in limited numbers. Around 180 boarding students are now back living on site – around 75 per cent of the total regular number of boarders. Some overseas students returned to their home countries in the initial aftermath of October 7 but it is hoped almost everyone will be back in the village after Chanukah.

He said classes are being staggered so that day students can be in the village at least twice a week for their lessons.

Amos said: “The spirit is strong. Some staff lost dear family members so it is obvious they are not in a good emotional condition, but almost everyone else from the staff is back working in the village.”

Dana Dahan, Manager of the Western Galilee Center, who was evacuated seven weeks ago from her kibbutz on the northern border with Lebanon, described how she and colleagues are now providing robotics, animation and other activities for children in evacuation centers in the area.

“The students are really happy to see us when we go to the centers,” she said. “It gives them something aside from their schooling, which are not yet their regular courses. So our activities are really pleasing them.”

The briefing was completed with the moving testimony of two students. Uriyah, is from Kibbutz Zikim just a couple of kilometers from the Gaza border where terrorists infiltrated, Uriyah was evacuated from his home and described how in addition to resuming some classes at Kfar Silver, he has also been attending extra classes online in the evenings to ensure the war does not disrupt his education.

Uriyah added: “I know I am still part of the programs the school and World ORT offer me, like the Taub Young Entrepreneur Program (YEP) and the young ambassadors, so I will continue to represent the school wherever I am.”

And Sviatoslav, a Kfar Silver boarder, told viewers he had returned to Kfar Silver this week. He is able to work in his room during the day but sleeps in a classroom, with other students, next to a safe room at night. Between 15 and 20 students sleep in each classroom.

As an educational organization, ORT strives to provide our students with the strength and support to learn and grow. Now we must also help them process the trauma they are experiencing and build resistance to the horrors of terrorism and war.

Please help us to provide urgent educational and psychological support for students, teachers and their families across Israel.

DONATE TO THE EMERGENCY CAMPAIGN

Survival and Solidarity as ORT Network Reacts to Israel Crisis

“These have been the hardest days of my life.”

For Amos Gofer, CEO of World ORT’s Kfar Silver Youth Village – just a few miles from the Gaza border – and his staff, last weekend was a chilling experience.

“We were willing to die for the students,” he explains. “After a few hours I said I’m evacuating all the students and everyone from the village because no one was coming to help us.”

WATCH THE BRIEFING

Thanks to the heroic actions of two coach drivers who were prepared to travel to the village despite the rocket attacks, it was possible to evacuate more than 60 students to safer areas in the north of the country. Thankfully, the vast majority of Kfar Silver’s 1,000-plus students were already off-site for the festival of Simchat Torah.

Amos explained how the day unfolded during an emergency briefing call joined by more than 200 ORT supporters worldwide.

“There was an emergency alarm – but it is something we are used to. We woke up and we were calling the people in the boarding school, telling them to take all the students to the safe rooms.

“A lot of those students are from Russia and Ukraine, children aged 14, 15 – it was very upsetting for them. We understood within a few minutes that this was different because of the magnitude of the bombs and the noise.”

The students were quickly moved to a building which the village uses to keep safe for longer-term operations – with significant provision of food, activities and other essentials. But with many of Kfar Silver’s High School students living in the kibbutzim close to the Gaza border, calls and messages soon flooded in making clear the extent of the situation.

As Amos called police and other security services it became clear that no immediate assistance would be available as forces dealt with the emergency across the south of the country. Eventually, thanks to the kindness and bravery of the coach drivers, it was possible to get all the students out of the village. Only a small number of staff members now remain, ensuring that animals on the village’s farm are looked after and that the security of the village is not compromised.

Although thankfully the students and teachers are now in safer areas, tragically many of them have lost family members and friends in the attacks. It is thought more than 30 people with ORT links have been killed or kidnapped by terrorists. Of those, a number of Kfar Silver graduates have been killed serving in the IDF.

Dr. Moshe Leiba, Chief Pedagogy and R&D Officer of World ORT Kadima Mada, emotionally told the briefing: “It’s very moving to see the huge support and love that we are getting from all around the world – from students, from staff, from leaders, from everybody. I think this is what makes us strong.”

He explained how Kadima Mada would be working to take learning and classes online – starting this week – while schools in Israel remain shut.

“The first week will concentrate on giving relief activities and stress relief for anxiety. A lot of our students and staff are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or acute anxiety. Some students and some staff are unable to function, while others are proactive,” Dr. Leiba explained.

World ORT Kadima Mada has more than 10,000 students across Israel, primarily in the northern and southern periphery in places such as Beer Sheva, Dimona and Kiryat Yam.

Dr. Leiba added: “All our principals, managers, teachers are in direct contact with their staff and students on a daily basis, talking to them, showing them everything will be okay, and helping to provide stress-relief activities.”

In a separate online meeting, dozens of students from ORT schools worldwide came together virtually to show their support for peers in Israel. Following prayers and candle-lighting, and updates from Dr. Leiba, Israeli students shared their experiences. Aviv, in the north of Israel, said: “I pray that we will have better days, brighter days, in Israel and the whole world.”

Eloisa Molina, a psychologist from Colegio Olamí ORT in Mexico City, gave students tips on how to recognize the symptoms of someone struggling with traumatic events. They heard how to help themselves and others with emotional self-care, and what actions at home and school are helpful and unhelpful.

During the call, some students in both the north and south of Israel were forced to run to bomb shelters as emergency sirens were sounded.

Students joined the call from schools in Argentina, Brazil, Estonia, Colombia, France, Ukraine and elsewhere. There have also been security implications for our Jewish schools worldwide. In some countries, ORT schools have been protected by armed guards in recent days following threats made online and directly.

ORT’s emergency international fundraising campaign will help provide the urgent educational and psychological support our students, teachers and their families across Israel need. We will help our students process the trauma they are experiencing and build resistance to the horrors of terrorism and war.

Dan Green, World ORT Director General and CEO, said: “The student solidarity event was one of the most moving ORT meetings I’ve ever been at. Our supporters will enable us to provide vital services to meet the immediate needs of students and their families, support our staff and strengthen security measures now and for the future.”

DONATE TO THE EMERGENCY CAMPAIGN

 

Ongoing Challenges as Ukrainian Students Return to Classrooms

Thousands of ORT students are returning to their classrooms across Ukraine this month, despite the continuing attacks on the country.

Many will be enjoying lessons in person for the first time since the start of the war more than 18 months ago. Others are continuing to take part remotely, using online learning platforms.

All ORT schools in the country have opened the academic year with face-to-face classes running alongside hybrid options, except in Odesa and Zaporizhzhia, which remain too close to the front line and face a wider range of security issues.

Shoshana Kandel, Head of World ORT’s International Coordination Unit, said: “The impact of the war is still heavily felt at all our schools. A significant number of people have fled their home cities and are currently categorized as ‘internally displaced’ – effectively as refugees within their own country. Others who left Ukraine soon after February 2022 remain abroad but are also restarting classes online.”

Ukraine’s children have faced significant learning loss due to repeated setbacks since 2020. They are now entering their fourth consecutive disrupted academic year. A recent UNICEF report revealed that 57% of Ukrainian teachers have seen a deterioration in their students’ Ukrainian language abilities. Up to 45% have lost skills in math and more than half have deteriorated in foreign languages.

ORT schools appear to be faring better thanks to the direct support provided, teacher training and the efforts taken to protect students during their time on-site at school. Parents have reported these as being among the reasons they have registered their children to learn at reopening ORT schools.

The huge influx of people to Kyiv means that at the city’s ORT Educational Complex #141, a new class has opened in the 6th grade entirely to accommodate children who have moved to the city.

The school basement is undergoing major refurbishment works, similar to in many older buildings in Kyiv, to make it suitable for use as a shelter. The plans will allow the school to bring back all children whose families want them to engage in face-to-face learning. The complex works are expected to be finished in the coming weeks.

To further ensure safety and maintain a sensible balance of students in the school at any time, the high school is encouraging more distance-learning days for teenagers. The total number of students resuming in-person classes is now more than 1,000 – almost double the number from the last academic year.

At the Jewish State Educational Complex ‘ORT-Simha’, also in Kyiv, the balance is different, with the majority of the school’s 350-plus students remaining abroad and learning online.

At our schools in Chernivtsi and Bila Tserkva, the majority of families and children have returned home and are back to in-person schooling.

Unfortunately the circumstances in Odesa and Zaporizhzhia remain more critical. The government is overseeing the renovation of a basement at the Odesa ORT Zhabotinski School #94 with the intention of completing the work by October 1.

Ms Kandel added: “We are hopeful that the school will return to in-person classes by mid-October, pending the successful completion of these renovations. Our main need will be to restock the shelter and purchase necessities such as furniture, mattresses, blankets, warm clothes, and food supplies.”

An alternative building is being sought for the ORT ‘Aleph’ Jewish Gymnasium in Zaporizhzhia. Constant air strikes on the city are making it hugely challenging to find premises with suitable shelters for students and staff and are also disrupting online learning. Around 425 ORT students in the city are registered for the new school year.

In total, ORT Ukraine expects to educate around 3,800 students this year – although the number is ever- changing due to the circumstances. Around 400 ORT teachers will be guiding our students, with all but a handful working in Ukraine.

“Maintaining Jewish education is a major concern for us,” said Ms Kandel. “This is due to the ongoing shortage of Jewish studies teachers from Israel and the lack of local teachers specializing in Jewish studies.

“Ukrainians are already looking ahead to the winter with concern. It is likely that in Odesa the resumption of in-person classes will require new equipment and electrical repair work – a more powerful generator may be necessary. Greater use of these facilities will likely lead to additional challenges and the need for more repairs and funding.”

“A Once in a Generation Leader” – Thank You Dr. Conrad Giles

Glowing tributes have been paid to Dr. Conrad Giles after the long-standing leader retired from his role as President of World ORT.

With many years of service to the global Jewish network and more than half a century of service to the Jewish community, Dr. Giles has been a familiar and much-loved presence during missions to ORT schools and at events worldwide.

His commitment and dedication to strengthening Jewish life locally and globally, and his determination to improve educational opportunities for children worldwide, has been the driving force behind his work.

Dr. Giles served as World ORT President since 2016 following a long rise through countless Jewish organizations.

He stepped down from his role in May at the conclusion of a lengthy process to re-structure the organization’s lay leadership. A new Board of Trustees has been elected and a new group of World ORT Officers will be announced in the coming days.

Described by colleagues, peers and friends as “a mensch”, “exceptional”, “passionate” and “smart”, Dr. Giles has been a constant guiding presence for dozens of ORT professionals and lay leaders.

World ORT Director General and CEO Dan Green said: “Rarely do you have the chance in life to meet, let alone work with, someone as dedicated and committed to the cause as Connie. His is an example we should all follow, locally, nationally and internationally.

“I have been immensely fortunate to rely on his good humor, great counsel and infinite patience to help me in my role. Thank you Connie for everything you have done.”

Dr. Giles with his wife, Lynda, and World ORT Director General and CEO Dan Green in April 2023

Writing in a farewell letter to the network, Dr. Giles said his time as World ORT President had been “the most exciting and satisfying experience of my journey in Jewish life”. He said new leadership would ensure the organization had a bright future.

In a message to Dr. Giles, Simon Alberga, who served as his deputy on the World ORT Board, said: “Connie, it’s been an enormous pleasure and privilege working with you over the past seven years. You are a treasured mentor, friend and coach companion, and you’ve led the organization with characteristic charm, wit and enthusiasm through a challenging period.

“Thanks to your wise and thoughtful leadership, we’ve met each challenge head-on and come through it all stronger and smarter. Thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do for ORT, and Kol Hakavod and best of health as you stand down as President.”

Judy Menikoff, who also served as a World ORT Deputy President, said: “Connie’s impact – in Detroit, in the American Jewish community and on ORT’s global stage – has been profound. His vision, and the eloquence with which he imparts it, have made him one of the most effective leaders of our time. It has been an honor and a privilege to work with him and learn from him.”

Howard Lanznar, Chair of ORT America’s Board of Directors, said: “Of the many accomplishments that have marked Conrad’s tenure as President of World ORT, there can be no doubt that one of the most meaningful has been the strengthening of the bonds between World ORT and ORT America.

“While many leaders – both professionals and lay – have contributed to this, it has been Conrad’s inspiring leadership that has been the driving force for this change. His unshakable focus on ORT’s mission of Educating for Life has enabled both organizations to overcome all obstacles and forge a partnership that continues to benefit ORT’s beneficiaries worldwide.

“On a personal level, Conrad, you are a role model and mentor without equal. Your focus and dedication to our mission, your articulate and impassioned advocacy for ORT, and your unflappable goodwill set a standard that I can only try to attain. I know that you will continue to be a part of the ORT family and I look forward to continuing to work with you and learn from you.”

At a tribute dinner honoring Dr. Giles hosted by ORT America in 2022 [see below], Gary Torgow, a leading Jewish communal figure in Michigan and within the JFNA, paid tribute saying: “Conrad is a once in a generation leader on the international stage. He has elevated everyone around him through his regal personality and his brilliant and creative leadership skills.”

Dr. Giles first joined the Men’s Chapter of ORT in Detroit and went on to serve as its president from 1978 to 1980. He then served 13 years as national vice-president of the American ORT Federation.

His other positions have included president of the Council of Jewish Federations in the late 1990s, during which he helped to facilitate the merger between the United Jewish Appeal – where he was a former national vice-chair – and the CJF, which resulted in the United Jewish Communities (UJC), which he then also served as a vice-chair. The UJC later became the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA).

In 2006 Dr. Giles became vice-chair, and later chair, of the Jewish Council of Public Affairs, a hub of U.S. community relations representing more than 120 local councils and 16 national Jewish agencies across America.

His international leadership has also been significant – he was a member of the board of governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel between 1990 and 2000, of the Joint Distribution Committee twice in the 1990s, and was on the executive committee of both organizations from 1996 to 1999.

Dr. Giles has worked as a pediatric ophthalmologist in Metropolitan Detroit for 60 years and has held a series of significant medical and academic positions in Michigan throughout his professional career.

 

Ukraine: Back to School

For many children around the globe September means “Back to School” and in Ukraine this is still the case, even while facing challenges due to the ongoing conflict.

ORT Ukraine has been educating students at ORT schools and affiliated schools in six cities and towns across the country. Of the five ORT schools, two in Kyiv and one in Chernivtsi re-opened for students to attend in-person this month. Our schools in Zaporizhzhia and Odesa remain physically closed due to the security concerns in both cities and the absence of basements that could serve as bomb shelters in the school buildings.

Our teachers and administrators both in Ukraine and from abroad remain committed to continuing to educate students and to assisting their families. They have shown dedication and professionalism in impossible circumstances to forge ahead with classes.

—

As seen in news reports, huge uncertainty remains in the country and complicates the educational arrangements ORT Ukraine is able to put into effect.

Our latest information shows that of the more than 3,100 full-time ORT Ukraine students, around 50 per cent are now learning online, mostly in their home cities. In addition, many of our students are taking online classes while displaced within the country, and of the thousands learning online, at least one-quarter are logging on from outside Ukraine. Trying to deliver lessons and run the school day in the midst of the ongoing conflict is hugely complex. Many students are in their original ORT schools, while others are now attending different ORT schools within and outside Ukraine.

Around 1,175 students are back in their classrooms in person. With almost all schools facing decreased numbers of students and teachers, many classes and grades have merged to increase efficiency in the schools. To make up for teacher shortages, some teachers are doubling-up in their efforts – teaching in-person in the mornings and then giving the same lessons again online in the afternoons.

A few hundred students are being educated at home, where their parents are delivering the curriculum and students will be able to take their exams and graduate as usual.

In some cases, ORT children who have left Ukraine but are studying at ORT schools or affiliates in other countries, such as Spain and Italy, attend regular in person classes in the morning and then continue learning online with their Ukrainian teachers and peers in the afternoon.

These numbers change daily, and the whereabouts of hundreds of ORT families remain unknown.

—

ORT has provided more than $1.5M of aid during the conflict, but the most pressing needs for our teachers, students and their families have changed over the course of recent weeks.

Our current priorities are:

Since students returned to school it has become clear that there is an urgent need to provide food assistance for students. We are finding that up to 70 percent of our children require up to two meals per day. At schools with in-person learning we estimate up to 2,000 meals are needed every day.

Thanks to the financial assistance of ORT and our leading donor in the region, staff have started first aid training and taken part in sessions focussing on how to respond to emergencies. Such emergency situations can include rocket attacks and suspicious packages, which continue to threaten communities.

In Kyiv and Chernivtsi, bomb shelters under the schools have been refurbished and also now include evacuation equipment and emergency response kits with items such as fire extinguishers and gas masks.

The next stage involves creating ‘sleeping spaces’ in the shelters, with blankets, sleeping bags, heaters, drinking water and other essentials. We will also equip every classroom with first aid kits and emergency supplies in case students are stuck in classrooms during an attack.

Teachers in Odesa and Zaporizhzhia have received face-to-face first aid training, with colleagues in Chernivtsi, the Kyiv schools and Bila Tserkva learning emergency response training. They will soon start first aid training. Schools have also spent time viewing online lessons about the danger posed by mines.

We will continue to provide direct financial assistance to ORT families who have been most seriously affected by the collapse of Ukraine’s economy. Teachers will continue to receive a salary assistance from ORT. The costs of providing ongoing security at the schools, and safe transport across cities for our students, continue to rise.

Thousands of people require our ongoing support – both to overcome the current challenges, and to prepare for the inevitable long-term difficulties Ukraine faces. Our pledge is to do everything possible to support our students, their families, and our schools and programs for as long as necessary.

Thank you for your help.

Make a Gift

Dan Green, World ORT Director General and CEO, reflects on the generosity of ORT supporters during the Ukraine conflict:

Find out more about how ORT has helped our Ukrainian students, teachers and staff since the conflict began:

Read the report

Inspiring Israel Images Secure Competition Win Under Eye of Philanthropic Photographer

An aspiring Israeli photography student is celebrating after his snapshot of a friend won a competition overseen by a leading industry figure. 

Michael, a 15-year-old student at World ORT’s Kfar Silver Youth Village, was acknowledged by George Fischer, one of Canada’s most renowned landscape photographers.

He was announced as the overall winner of a photography competition launched by Mr. Fischer in collaboration with World ORT Kadima Mada that was open to ORT-affiliated students throughout Israel.  

Budding photographers were invited to share their favorite and most inspired photos. A panel of judges assessed photos in categories including landscape, lifestyle, pattern and texture, light and shadow, and culture and faces.

The winning entries were announced at the Kfar Silver Youth Village during World ORT’s General Assembly last month.

The culmination of the competition coincided with Mr. Fischer making a further CAD$100,000 (US$80,000) donation to ORT’s work to help students, teachers and their families affected by the conflict in Ukraine.

Mr. Fischer has published more than 70 books of his images from sites worldwide and his work has appeared in dozens of international magazines and promotional publications.

He is a long-standing supporter of ORT Canada and in recent years has provided funding for World ORT Kadima Mada YOUniversity photography courses. This initiative has given youngsters in Kiryat Yam, Kiryat Shmona, Beer Sheva and other Israeli towns a chance to learn basic photography skills.

During his recent trip to Kfar Silver Mr. Fischer said: “It was on my first visit here that I was moved to create a photo contest. The students were so energizing. Their enthusiasm helped me to see the region with new perspective and I wanted to work with them in some way. I am thrilled to strengthen the bond that we’ve created between Israel and Canada.”

Mr. Fischer presented Michael with first prize (main image) for his photograph ‘Portrait of My Friend’ (below).

Michael said: “The young man in the photo is a very good friend of mine. The idea behind this photograph is to show the emptiness on the face of the man and show it in a two-colored reality. This photo can’t be described in words in my opinion.”

The 15-year-old lives in Ashdod with his sisters and parents, who were born in Ukraine.

“I’m proud of my ability to consistently do my best. I started to love photography when I saw my dad with a camera and he liked to capture moments and take shots of my family,” he added.

Portrait of My Friend – Michael Dashevsky

Second place went to an 18-year-old student, also named Michael, for his image of a girl and a tree titled ‘The Power of Nature’. He moved to Kfar Silver as part of the Na’ale program, traveling alone from his home in Russia at the age of 15.  

He said: “The idea behind my photograph is to show the power of nature. How small is a human being when compared with a tree? That tree grew for many years and we should treat nature with respect.”

As well as having their images featured in Mr. Fischer’s most recent publication, ‘Israel, not Black and White’, the winners collected cash prizes and a signed copy of the book.

Speaking at the unveiling of the competition winner’s image at Kfar Silver, Dan Green, World ORT Director General and CEO, said: “It’s very special that such a project has taken place here at our youth village. We are very fortunate to have George with us here today – he’s an incredible person and is so passionate about supporting us in educating young people.

“We hugely appreciate his additional support for our Ukraine campaign and it was really so moving to hear of his donation after listening together to a briefing on the situation facing our students and teachers in Ukraine. Thank you again George – we are so thrilled that you are part of the ORT family.”

Rick Wellen, Executive Director of ORT Toronto, said: “It is great to see the wonderful photos from these students here on the walls of Kfar Silver’s dining hall complex. We will be using the book for fundraising purposes, so it is going to generate more funds for more programs. We are hugely grateful to George for his continued support.”

George Fischer at Kfar Silver with the photo competition participants, ORT staff and lay leaders

ORT Global Briefing: Ukraine – Highlights

On June 9 ORT hosted a Global Briefing on the ongoing crisis in Ukraine to share how your support has been put to work in the best ways possible and to provide an update on our current and future initiatives.

We thank those who were able to join the webinar moderated by Barbara Birch, ORT America President and CEO. “We sincerely appreciate the overwhelming global response we have received since this conflict began a little more than 100 days ago,” she said.

Overview: Dan Green, World ORT Director General and CEO

As most media outlets have reported, there are no areas in Ukraine that have been left untouched, including ORT’s operations that serve 3,500 full-time students in seven schools. The human toll is particularly devastating. Dan reported that the husband of a Jewish history teacher, who also used to teach in our school 20 years ago, was killed, bringing the total known deaths within ORT families to four, all connected to ORT Educational Complex #141, Kyiv.

More than half of our Ukraine school family population have left their homes, with the majority seeking shelter abroad. Those who have remained in the country are in contact with their schools and are receiving support to help alleviate the economic strain and purchase essentials such as food, water, clothing, and transportation.

For those who have fled to European Union countries, many believe and hope it will be a temporary relocation. For those who have gone to Israel, World ORT’s Kfar Silver Youth Village has welcomed 24 Ukrainian students with an additional 25 expected over the summer. The funding that we have received has enabled us to act quickly to accommodate these extra students with beds, improvements to facilities to create a comfortable living environment, and additional academic support. We are also providing critical mental health services to help the students manage the traumas that they have experienced.

On the Ground: Shoshana Kandel, World ORT Head of International Coordination Unit

The ongoing conflict continues to wreak havoc on families and teachers, with challenging economic and safety concerns throughout the country.

ORT schools have served as centers where people and families volunteer and prepare food and distribute humanitarian aid. ORT’s generosity in providing needed equipment including ambulances, which transport the sick and injured to medical facilities where they can receive care, is greatly appreciated.

An ORT-affiliated school in Bila Tserkva has helped large influxes of refugees from parts of Ukraine that are under constant threat. In other locations, such as Zaporizhzhia and Odesa, which are very close to the fighting, there is much uncertainty. Zaporizhzhia is the only city in the region which is not occupied.

With more than 50% of the students and many teachers living abroad, distance learning enabled the continuation of lessons until May 31st, the end of the academic year. During this time Jewish educational activities also continued, especially on Pesach during which an in-person Seder was held at the ORT school in Chernivtsi, a small city in the western part of Ukraine.

Ukrainian students are independently advocating for an end to the crisis. At our ORT Educational Complex #141, one of our students initiated an Instagram account called “stopwarbyORT.” Their social media activity helps students stay in touch and share their experiences with each other.

The plan is for all schools and students to return to face-to-face education on September 1 for the new school year. State regulations require that all the schools have bomb shelters, shatter-proof windows and appropriate security. ORT schools are currently not equipped to meet these requirements. In addition, teachers are experiencing financial difficulties following government cuts to salaries. Teachers will not receive their regular salaries during the summer months. Receiving 24 weeks’ pay versus 56 is a drastic financial burden on teachers’ families. One of ORT’s top priorities is to retain our excellent professionals in both STEM and Jewish education by filling the salary gap.

Unemployment continues to be a challenge with many closed factories and businesses. As a result, services that were routine have now ceased. In one instance, a provider of food for the nurseries and kindergartens in Kyiv is no longer able to provide food because the storage facility was bombed.

The Vital Importance of Mental Health: Daniel Tysman, World ORT Head of Education Department

Before the current crisis, we had already been focusing on mental health issues which were exacerbated due to Covid. We know that students had been suffering from increased anxiety and the stresses and strains of growing up in the first quarter of the 21st century. As an organization that is dedicated to educating for life, making sure students are prepared for whatever challenges they face, it became clear that we would need to address their mental health challenges.

Simultaneously, there’s been a huge increase in awareness and knowledge of how to develop resilience and how to deal with and identify mental health problems. Lockdowns during Covid seriously affected the social and emotional development of students. The crisis in Ukraine has made these needs more acute.

Living as refugees, at times with strangers, and being displaced creates increased anxiety. We were hearing about panic attacks, night terrors, and trauma. We knew that we must act. And we were lucky that we had Maryna Zavgorodnya, Vice Principal, ORT Educational Complex #141, Kyiv, who graduated from our leadership development program in 2021. When we held one of our global forums for educators to deal with mental health and well-being, she stood out as a professional in this area who could get things done.

Spearheading the Response: Maryna Zavgorodnya, Vice Principal, ORT Educational Complex #141, Kyiv

Maryna Zavgorodnya

Maryna, who is leading the psychological support response for Ukraine teachers, parents and students, shared that nearly 50 teachers and 40 families responded to a survey expressing their need for services including psychological counselling, and training to help them regulate emotions. Existing programs for these services are limited, often only offering one session. Our community was eager for assistance from ORT, with whom they had built a trusting relationship.

Panic attacks, sleep problems, and nervousness were just a few of the conditions we treated throughout the month of May. Losing relatives and friends, losing homes, constant sirens and other traumatic sounds required intense therapy. We were able to help almost 40 students, teachers, and families – mostly refugees – in 100 individual sessions.

One of our priorities is helping women whose husbands are in hotspots now. It is also important to not let our students feel alone and enable them to share their thoughts and feelings. It is essential for young people to know that they have a place that they can go to receive help or just to talk.

As the new academic year begins, a new initiative will assist teachers with training by specialists from Israeli professionals who have experienced conflict in their own country. The training will help Ukrainian educators learn how to react in new circumstances and how to support students in a time of uncertainty. The program will also expand to include teachers in the Baltic states where refugees from Ukraine have moved.

We know that as families start returning to their homes, they will bring their emotional trauma in tow. We are also caring for the therapists and psychologists; they, too, are experiencing the conflict and we don’t want them to burn out.

The Financial Picture

Over the last three months ORT has raised more than $2 million from supporters all over the world.

Just over $1m has been spent to date. The reserves and current fundraising dollars are now being applied to four key areas:

1. Continued humanitarian aid and emergency supplies, providing food and medicines to those still in Ukraine
2. Individual financial help for students and their families whether at home or abroad
3. Staff training to be able to respond to emergency situations
4. Supplementing teacher salaries

We are also preparing for the fall when schools will re-open to students. Significant funds are required to upgrade our school security with cameras, security guards, fencing, security shelters, and bomb shelters. We will also need to provide for safe transportation to school and invest in laptops, tablets, and IT infrastructure to enable distance learning for those who may not have returned home or can not attend school safely. These additional needs are estimated at $1.5 million.