Our vision
Preserving The History and Heritage, Building The Future, Strengthening The Community
THE GUSH EZION FOUNDATION
Since 1993, the Gush Etzion Foundation has worked to support and strengthen Gush Etzion and its residents while raising public awareness about the history and heritage of the region. An independent, non-profit organization, the Foundation approaches donors in Israel and overseas, keeping them updated about ongoing needs and new initiatives in the area.
All contributions to the organization are immediately transferred to projects including:
Providing financial aid and holiday food packages for needy families
Funding and furnishing schools and other educational projects
Creating and equipping playgrounds and parks
Maintaining rescue teams and purchasing security equipment
Financing Gush Etzion heritage project
Youth projects
Due to severe cuts in government funding at the same time that security needs have actually increased, assistance is needed more than ever before.
The Foundation spearheads pre-holiday fundraising drives in Gush Etzion itself for the benefit of needy families in the region. The bulk of funds are raised among our residents and outside Israel where the Foundation – a non-profit, tax-exempt organization in the U.S. – conducts a bi-annual fundraising campaign via direct mail. Most contributions to the Foundation are earmarked for specific projects.
To inspire and broaden support for Gush Etzion, the Foundation gives presentations in synagogues and other communal locales abroad, builds relationships and maintains ties with major Jewish organizations around the world, and provides visitors to Gush Etzion with intensive, “behind-the-scenes” tours of the area. The Foundation maintains a website about Gush Etzion, produces informational materials and works to increase media coverage of the region.
OUR TEAM
The people behind the desk
Shlomo Neeman / chairman
Shlomo Neeman 44, married to Shlomit, is the father of five and grandfather of two grandchildren. He was born and raised in the Former Soviet Union and immigrated to Israel at the age of 17 to Jerusalem. A few months later, he started to study at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Alon Shvut. He has been a resident of Karmei Tzur for more than a quarter of a century.
Shlomo established and managed a series of zionist organizations. He worked in the Jewish Agency and advanced to the level of a division manager. In this capacity, he was responsible for 1,500 employees and managed a budget of 200 million shekels.
He raised funds for international philanthropic organizations in the tens of millions of dollars and served as a director for three different public companies.
Shlomo was a senior advisor to Zev Elkin, the Minister of the Environment, Jerusalem and Heritage Affairs and managed the Jerusalem Heritage office.
He is very well acquainted with government offices, the process of passing laws, promoting budgets and advancing many new projects.
14/2/17-Mior of Gush Etzion
Shani Abrams Simkovits / Executive Director
Shani, (+5 children, + 9 grandchildren) has been living in Tekoa since 1981. Originally from Brooklyn NY, she made Aliya in 1971 at the age of sixteen without her family and attended the Yemin Orde Children's Village in the Carmel Mountains. After graduating high school, she enlisted in the IDF, three weeks before the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War and served in a Nachal unit.
Following the completion of her army service, Shani lived on a kibbutz for 5 years, studied at the Kibbutz Teachers’ College in Tel Aviv where she earned a degree in Early Childhood Education. She then went on to receive a BA in Creative Theater from Empire State College and an MA in Jewish Education with an emphasis on Holocaust studies for young children from Touro College. She also completed a medical clown course.
From 1983 to 1997 Shani was the Regional Supervisor of Early Childhood Education for the Regional Council of Gush Etzion.
Limor Pearl / Project Development and Marketing
Lives in Sde-Boaz, married and a mother of four. Served in the IDF as a guide for the Israel Heritage Project.
She has a BA in Education and Land of Israel Studies from the Hebrew University and an MA in Media and Religion from Saint Denis University, Paris.
The family spent 9 years in France, Egypt, and Belgium because of her husband's position in the Israeli Consulate.
For the past five years Limor has been the Director of Project Development and Marketing for the Gush Etzion Foundation.
Yehudit Eizner / Bookkeeper
Yehudit, a mother of 5, is a resident of Beitar Elite. She has a teacher's degree and a certificate in bookkeeping and human resources. She is the secretary and bookkeeper for the Foundation. Her position requires interaction with donors and their projects, management of funds, budgeting and banking.
BOARD MEMBERS
Shlomo Neeman
Chairman
karmei Tzur
Gush Etzion
Mati Sichel
Board Member
Elazar
Gush Etzion
Elad Mayer
Board Member
Tekoa
Gush Etzion
Yehuda Trabelsi
Board Member
Ibey H'Nachal
Gush Etzion
Refael Ashkenazi
Board Member
Har Gilo
Gush Etzion
Bella Foller
Board Member
Maale Amos
Gush Etzion
Shmuel Zilberman
Board Member
Meitzad
Gush Etzion
Menachem Fried
Audit Committee Member
Neve Daniel
Gush Etzion
Avi Spector
Audit Committee Member
Migdal Oz
Gush Etzion
Efraim Somech
Member General Assembly
Kfar Etzion
Gush Etzion
Cheryl Mandel
Member General Assembly
Alon Shvut
Gush Etzion
Hananya Menelson
Member General Assembly
Nokdim
Gush Etzion
Mordechai Shvat
Member General Assembly
Rosh Tzorim
Gush Etzion
Eliezer Lisboy
Member General Assembly
Kfar Eldad
Gush Etzion
Yehuda Vlad
Member General Assembly
Karmei Tzor
Gush Etzion
Yedidya Zusberg
Member General Assembly
Bat Ayin
Gush Etzion
Chaim Levi
Member General Assembly
Keidar
Gush Etzion
Shlomi Peretz
Member General Assembly
Pnei Kedem
Gush Etzion