Building a Brighter Future for the Western Negev Community
Together, we're rebuilding lives and strengthening communities in the aftermath of adversity
Eshkol For Life was established to support and promote education in the western Negev region and assist children and youth in recovering from the trauma they experienced on October 7, 2023.
We work in collaboration with experts, educators, and the community to provide every child and adolescent with the environment, tools, and support they need to grow and develop confidently and independently.
Who We Are
From left to right: Evyatar Rajuan (Kibbutz Tzeelim), Shir Marom (Kibbutz Re’im), Jesse Isralowitz (Kibbutz Magen), and Amos Lavi (Kibbutz Ni’irim)
We are 4 best friends who grew up together in the south of Israel, in the area of small communities, kibbutzim, bordering the Gaza Strip. We got married in Eshkol, had our families in Eshkol and were planning to spend our whole lives in Eshkol. On October 7 our world collapsed. On that day, our fifth best friend, Dolev Yehud, was brutally kidnapped to Gaza along with his sister Arbel, and they have been held hostage in unimaginable conditions ever since.
Before October 7 we were entrepreneurs — focusing on agriculture, tech, construction, wine and education — but today we are first and foremost citizens of Eshkol and are fighting for the future of Eshkol. Our primary focus is taking care of the well-being of Eshkol's children — including our own. Our first set of initiatives target the trauma that our children endured and are the first of many efforts to overcome and prosper, to rebuild our homes and our community and to revitalize the Eshkol region.
Our Best Friend, Dolev Yehud
Our fifth best friend, Dolev Yehud, the true glue of our friendship, is at the heart of everything we do.
A volunteer medic, as soon as he heard there was trouble on October 7, he immediately ran to help. This was typical Dolev — always helping, no matter what.
After hours without news of his whereabouts, we learned he was taken hostage to Gaza along with his youngest sister, Arbel Yehud.
When Dolev comes back, we want him to know that we did everything we could to make the region better for his wife Sigal, his children, and all of us.
Dolev always did everything he could to care for others and now we are striving to do the same.
Why Us?
We are the Eshkol region. We deeply understand the needs of our community and have regular touchpoints to provide the support and care wherever it is needed most and as quickly as possible. We have been working directly, and actively, with the Eshkol Regional Council and related regulatory bodies to approve and enable the projects related to education and mental health that we have built.
What We Do
Mentoring & Supporting Students
We acquired learning equipment, leisure equipment, computers, seating areas, and provided financial support for trips and activities for the students.
Professional Personal Support
This program is aimed at children from families impacted by the events of October 7th, with the adults accompanying them aiding in their integration into the school setting while simultaneously offering both emotional and educational assistance and support.
Renovating Wine Bar at Kibbutz Re’im
In collaboration with our friends from the United States, we have started renovating and preparing the place to become a wine bar that will serve as an extraordinary cultural center hosting local artists, musicians, and of course, excellent wine and community events.
Summer Youth Trip to Argentina
During the trip, kids from Kibbutz Nirim will meet with local youths from the Jewish community, tour the country, and stay with members of the Jewish community in Argentina.
Collaboration with "Radar" Institute of Ben-Gurion University in the Negev
Together, we are building programs to support the emotional and psychological well-being of the region's children and adolescents.
Building Better Forever.
The vision is to create an ideal space that provides solutions for spiritual, mental, and physical needs, where everyone can find a place for self-expression, learning, and personal growth.
Learn more about our Future Activities.
FAQs
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The "Eshkol For Life" Foundation was established with the aim of supporting and promoting the field of education in the western Negev region, and assisting children and youth in recovering from the trauma they experienced on October 7, 2023, and in the months thereafter, and to build a better future for them and their community. We work in collaboration with experts, educators, and the community to provide every child and adolescent with the environment, tools, and support they need to grow and develop confidently and independently.
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Mentoring and support for students of grade 12 at "Nofei Habesor" Boarding school.
We acquired learning equipment, leisure equipment, computers, seating areas, and provided financial support for trips and activities for the students.
Professional personal support.
This program is aimed for children from families impacted by the events of October 7th, with the adults accompanying them aiding in their integration into the school setting while simultaneously offering both emotional and educational assistance and support. This comprehensive approach aims to ensure that the children receive the necessary care and guidance to navigate their academic journey effectively and cope with any emotional challenges they may face.
Renovation of the wine bar structure and environment in Kibbutz Re’im.
In collaboration with our friends from the United States, we have started renovating and preparing the place to become a wine bar that will serve as an extraordinary cultural center hosting local artists, musicians, and of course, excellent wine and community events.
Summer trip to Argentina for the youth of Kibbutz Nirim.
During the trip, they will meet with local youths from the Jewish community, tour the country, and stay with members of the Jewish community in Argentina.
Collaboration with the "Radar" Institute of Ben-Gurion University in the Negev.
Together, we are building programs to support the emotional and psychological well-being of the region's children and adolescents.
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Summer trips to other kibbutzim.
This includes meetings with Jewish communities in North and South America, aiming to establish long-term connections between Eshkol settlement communities and Jewish communities across the sea.
Mentoring program.
EFL is currently developing a young leadership program for girls in 12th grade, in collaboration with the "12th Degree" association. The program, named after Yonatan and Tamar Siman Tov, who were murdered in Nir Oz on October 7, is scheduled to start in the coming November. Its goal is to provide essential tools for girls towards significant stages in their lives and to collectively build the future leadership of the community.
Activities for upcoming Bar Mitzvah year.
The association is focusing on building a comprehensive program for Bar Mitzvah events in the region's kibbutzim. The program will include: trips, social activities to strengthen the identity of the adolescents and their connection to the communities they live in, team-building activities, and strengthening the adolescents' mental resilience.
Activities for the 12th grade year.
The association sees the students of the 12th grade as an important age group in need of special support for the upcoming stages in their lives. Together, we will develop educational, communal and social programs that include trips to familiarize them with and connect them to the land, preparation for military service, leadership, and deep connection to the region and the community in which they live
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Construction of a unique bike trail throughout the western Negev region, connecting all the settlements.
Adjacent to each settlement, facilities will be established focusing on education, tourism, and recovery. The trail will host educational activities for schools, sports and leisure activities, tourism, and cultural events. The trail is in the planning stages, and the association is working in collaboration with members from Kibbutz Mefalsim in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council and experts in education, infrastructure, and construction. This project has huge potential to become an exceptional educational and touristic site.
Rehabilitation project for discharged soldiers.
We see the process of rehabilitating soldiers who have returned from war as of utmost importance and are already working on a plan to rehabilitate soldiers, residents of the region.
Public Awareness project in the United States.
The association aims to establish a team that will train youth and residents from the council to tell their story worldwide, focusing on skills from the communication and explanation field and providing professional guidance from experts in this field. Developing educational programs and offering support in partnership with Jewish students at American universities, with the goal of effectively and accurately portraying the Israeli perspective across university campuses worldwide. This collaboration seeks to foster understanding and dialogue, promoting a nuanced understanding of Israeli culture, history, and current affairs among the global academic community.
Agriculture and Educational farm.
The project is a unique joint initiative of the "Eshkol For Life association in collaboration with the "Rimon association", the Eshkol Regional Council, and Kibbutz Reim. The project aims to allow residents of the council to reconnect with the land, nature, themselves, and their families in an open and healing space of an agricultural farm.