English Language Initiative

WHO WE ARE

English Language Initiative (ELI) is a philanthropic project in partnership with HaYoreh: First Rains and Robin Hood Israel Foundation. Our mission is to support Israeli children with limited resources in their struggles to learn English.

THE PROBLEM

Educating Israeli children to speak, read and write in English is an incredibly important objective for the future of Israel as a country that increasingly engages with Western markets. Many Israeli-educated youth will eventually need to interact with international economies as English speakers, especially as the demand for quality services, excellent English language skills, and Western-style customer service rises. Currently, Israeli elementary and secondary schools do not provide their students with satisfactory English publications because they lack the funding. The Ministry of Education does not offer substantial supplementary materials for schools, and schools themselves are in no position to invest large sums of money into ordering and shipping large quantities of heavy books into Israel. As a result, Israeli students have few opportunities to practice reading the language that will become a crucial factor in the development of their professional lives and interactions with the Western world.

OUR APPROACH

ELI aims to deliver shipments of English magazine publications, most unavailable in Israel, to more than 75 schools and libraries for grades Kindergarten through 12th grade. Robin Hood Israel Foundation can provide free copies of these magazines to Israeli school libraries, or offer a highly discounted subscription to both private and public schools across the country. Because of the English Language Initiative, several enriching U.S. publications such as Times for Kids, Sports Illustrated for Kids, National Geographic for Kids, and Highlights for Kids have already been made readily available to Israeli students.

Of particular value have been publications at the two pedagogic extremes: Highlights and Reading Readiness for elementary students, and Time Magazine Scholastic Edition, Science and comparable publications for high school students, providing a vital  "catch up" prior to graduation, and engaging them with STEM "term paper topics". 

By far, the most popular magazines are cooking and fashion, which are being creatively employed by English teachers across the country to engage students.