For children growing up along Israel’s northern border, the past two years have been defined by uncertainty, disruption, and conflict. As communities work to rebuild, one reality is becoming increasingly clear: most families return home only when they believe their children can thrive there, not just when their houses are habitable.  

 

"Rebuilding and securing Israel’s northern border requires more than just temporary relief—it demands a long-term, strategic commitment to the people who call this region home,” said Rebecca Caspi, Director General of the Israel Office and Senior Vice President for Israel and Overseas at Jewish Federations of North America. “Jewish Federations understand the importance of education in restoring a sense of normalcy in order to build a vibrant, enduring future for these communities." 

 

That is why from the start, Jewish Federations worked with Homeward/Habaita to invest in educational opportunities for children in Israel’s North. 

 

Created in the wake of the mass evacuations following October 7, Homeward/Habaita was founded on a simple but powerful belief: Quality education is essential to community recovery. Families consistently cite education—alongside security and employment—as a key factor in deciding whether to return home. By investing in educational opportunities, communities can attract new and returning families, strengthen resilience, and build for the future.  

 

Through emergency funding, Jewish Federations supported Homeward/Habaita’s early work in the south, including educational and enrichment programs that helped thousands of displaced children regain stability and routine. Federations later helped expand this approach to the Galilee, where Homeward/Habaita partnered with regional clusters, local authorities, the Ministry of Education, and academic institutions to advance a regional model of educational excellence. 

 

Now, that work is expanding to a new level, with a major investment from the Israeli government. 

 

Its recent decision to invest NIS 26 million in regional Excellence Centers across the confrontation line validates the approach that Homeward/Habaita and Federations piloted together. The initiative will expand access to STEM, arts, and sports programming through regional partnerships among local authorities, academic institutions, industry, and philanthropy.  

 

For Jewish Federations, this announcement represents more than a government investment—it is the scaling of a vision Federations have helped champion through longstanding support for Homeward/Habaita. 

 

What makes this government decision especially meaningful is its embrace of the regional approach Federations have embraced. In smaller and more remote communities, educational excellence cannot be built municipality-by-municipality. It requires shared resources, regional collaboration, and a commitment to ensuring that every child—regardless of geography—has access to opportunity.  

 

“This decision reflects two core principles that guide us at the Homeward/Habaita: excellence and regional collaboration,” said CEO Sigal Moran. “Many people confuse excellence with achievement. Excellence is a way of life—a worldview centered on creating the widest possible range of opportunities for every child in the place where they live, helping them discover their strengths, and supporting them on their journey. 

 

"That is why we chose to partner with the regional clusters—to help establish and strengthen the fields of education and excellence within each cluster. Combined with the vision of local authority leaders and the Ministry of Education, the result is truly inspiring.” 

 

For the children of the North, this investment means access to opportunities that can shape their futures. It sends a message to families that the region is not simply being restored—it is being strengthened. 

 

At its best, philanthropy helps spark innovation that government can ultimately bring to scale. The Ministry of Education’s decision is an example of that process in action, and a testament to the collective efforts of local leaders, educators, government partners, Homeward/Habaita, and the Jewish Federations that believed in this vision from the beginning.  

 

For communities along Israel’s northern border, this is more than an education story. It is a story of recovery, resilience, and hope. 

 

Jewish Federations are dedicated to strengthening our connection to Israel and Jewish communities worldwide. In the wake of the October 7 attacks, Federations launched the Israel Emergency Campaign, collectively raising over $900 million to support Israel’s recovery after 2.5 years of war. Together with our core partners The Jewish Agency for Israel and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, we have worked tirelessly with staff in Federations’ Israel Office to organize this vital assistance. 

 

Through our Rebuild Israel campaign, Federations’ system-wide, multi-year framework to support Israel’s recovery and help Israeli society flourish in the aftermath of October 7 and two years of war, we continue to reach every corner of society from neighborhoods to national initiatives, fund transformative projects, and strengthen strategic alliances in the most impacted areas.