Students at Sapir College, headquartered in the missile-scarred city of Sderot, got a special gift for Sukkot. The Rothschild Caesarea Foundation, a family fund that seeks to promote education in Israel, said Sunday that it was awarding all Sapir students who fought in Operation Protective Edge this past summer a special grant of NIS 5,000. Students who were on active duty for 14 days or more during the war are eligible for the grant.
The Foundation provides scholarships for about 1,500 Israelis annually, mostly from peripheral communities or low socio-economic backgrounds. Scholarships and grants are provided for students from undergraduate to post-graduate studies.
Commenting on Sunday's announcement, Foundation head Eli Buch said that “with this grant we are showing our appreciation to those who fought in Operation Protective Edge, and especially to the hundreds of Sapir students who took time off from their studies to protect Sderot and the Gaza border communities.”
The Foundation is part of a series of Rothschild family efforts to enhance and encourage education in Israel, the organization said. Besides providing scholarships, it said, the Foundation provides funds for school programs, after-school programs, educational research and infrastructure, and other activities.