Association "Friends for Society" was established in 2007 by 10 members, all graduates of the National Security College – Batch 12-1984. The primary objective was to assist the residents of Sderot in coping with rocket attacks originating from the nearby Gaza Strip by Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants. These attacks targeted the vulnerable "soft underbelly" of Israel, with the assumption that the residents would flee the city.
As members of the association, we believed in strengthening the community of Sderot. Initially, our efforts focused on general assistance, including providing food and clothing. As the conflict escalated, we shifted our focus to support the following initiatives:
- Support for Children and Youth at Risk:
- Enriching nutrition for students
- Funding non-formal educational activities, including enrichment programs at the municipal community center, funding summer camps, and more.
- Support for Children and Youth with Disabilities:
- Enriching meals
- Funding the purchase of specialized furniture and equipment for special education institutions, including kindergartens, integrated classes in schools, and the regional special education school.
- Assistance for New Immigrants:
- Especially emphasizing support for children from Ethiopia, India (Bnei Menashe community), Ukraine, and Russia, including refugees.
- Encouraging and Funding Excellence in Education:
- Emphasizing excellence in mathematics, computing, and sciences in elementary and high schools.
- Initiating the establishment of computer classes in the general high school, including the funding of a robotics club.
In recent years, we expanded our activities to assist new Ethiopian immigrants in the absorption center near Sderot. Since the beginning of the year, prior to the outbreak of the wider conflict, our activities also extended to the communities in the western Negev near Sderot.
All activities of the association are conducted in full coordination with local authorities. We operate on a completely voluntary basis, including the association's chairman and board members, without overhead or salaries.
The association holds a valid management approval from the Registrar of Associations, bookkeeping approval from the Tax Authority, and approval for tax deduction from donations according to Section 46 of the Income Tax Ordinance.
The association's bank account is managed at the Bank Otsar Hachayal (Bank 14), Ramat Hasharon branch (Branch 375), Account Number: 333444. Recently, we opened a channel for donations via credit card or Bit, accessible through the following link: https://meshulam.co.il/purchase?b=ad604b89b82cc54c458e399f639becdb
Website: http://www.friends4sderot.org.il/
Founding Members:
- Brigadier General (Res.) Motti Biran, Chairman of the Association
- Brigadier General (Res.) Shmuel Ben-Rom
- Colonel (Res.) Yoel Mor
- Brigadier General (Res.) Yossi Snir
- Colonel (Res.) Noam Shapira
- Eli Yakuel, Office of the Prime Minister
- Deputy Commissioner (Res.) Shlomo Gal
- Brigadier General (Res.) Shmuel Reshef (deceased)
- Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Yaakov Aloni (deceased)
- Ambassador Yoel Sher (deceased)
With blessings for Eretz Israel,
Friends for Society Association