With many gap-year program budgets for foreign students under pressure from rising costs and lower revenue because of the global pandemic, World Mizrachi, the umbrella group for Religious Zionism, has launched the fundraising initiative called “Ki MiTzion Teitzei Torah” to help 21 institutions.
On top of the additional funds needed for programming, many of the yeshivot and seminaries, along with Mizrachi, anticipate a growth in need-based scholarships based on the economic hardship caused by the pandemic.
The institutions joining this year’s event include Amudim; Ateres Bnos Yerushalayim; Baer Miriam – Maayanot; Bnot Torah Institute – Sharfman’s; Derech Etz Chaim; Gates of Zion; Machon Maayan; Meorot Yerushalayim; Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim (MMY); Midreshet Emunah v’Omanut; Midreshet HaRova; Rinas Bais Yaakov; Tomer Devorah; Yeshivas Ohr Yerushalayim; Yeshivat Ashreinu; Yeshivat HaKotel; Yeshivat Lev HaTorah; Yeshivat Migdal HaTorah; Yeshivat Sha’arei Mevaseret Zion; Yeshivat Torat Shraga; and Yeshivat Yishrei Lev.
“The gap-year experience in Israel is a pivotal time in so many Orthodox Jewish young adults’ lives, where they come to experience Torah and Judaism within a framework that sets them up for religious and communal leadership roles and helps to influence the depth of their relationships with and commitment to Torah, Israel and the destiny of the Jewish people,” said Rav Doron Perez, executive chairman of World Mizrachi.
“In the current academic year, so many institutions were forced to spend more per capita than in previous years, in some cases draining accounts that otherwise would be allocated for future years’ scholarships or even multi-year building refurbishments. Our hope is that this event not only temporarily helps these schools, but also help get them back on the financial track they were on before the pandemic began,” he added.
Last summer, a similar fundraising effort raised more than US$5 million in order to help yeshivot and seminaries offset the increased infrastructure costs associated with operating their programs during the pandemic.
The campaign will go live on the CauseMatch platform, an online fundraising portal, from May 23-24, where each institution will have its own campaign page. The schools will employ a host of marketing and fundraising strategies across social media, and by engaging their supporters, alumni, and student networks. For more information, or to donate, please visit: www.cmatch.me/kimitzion.
