Rosh Hashanah Campaign 2026
One house. Endless possibilities.
This Rosh Hashanah, support Israel’s next generation as they recover from trauma and build brighter futures.
Not every child starts on the same path
Situated in Israel’s northern periphery, the ancient coastal city of Akko is home to a diverse population facing deep socio-economic challenges.
Educational inequality has long meant that children growing up in the north do not always have access to the same resources and opportunities as those living in Israel’s more prosperous centre.
Since October 2023, repeated rocket alerts, school closures and prolonged disruption have deepened this divide. Young people have lost vital hours of education, while many continue to struggle with trauma, severe anxiety and difficulty concentrating in class.
The shocking reality: the OECD assessment findings
The latest international assessments released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that Israel has suffered an unprecedented educational collapse:
of Israeli teenagers are below the baseline level of proficiency in maths
out of 38 countries in reading performance
out of 38 countries for maths and science
Welcome to the House of Excellence
JNF UK’s House of Excellence in Akko is helping to bridge this widening educational gap.
The purpose-built education centre gives children and teenagers a place to learn, belong and discover what they are capable of. Every programme is completely free, ensuring that financial hardship is never a barrier to opportunity.
More than 700 children and teenagers already rely on the House of Excellence as a second home.
A day at the House of Excellence
Every morning
Primary school pupils take part in technology, AI and confidence-building programmes designed to inspire a love of learning from an early age.
Every afternoon
Teenagers receive free, high-level tutoring in Maths, English, Science, Physics and Technology, alongside mentoring, enrichment activities and a safe place to study, socialise and process their experiences.
Learn. Grow. Belong.
Learn
Small-group tutoring in Maths, English, Science, Physics, Technology and exam preparation helps students overcome missed schooling, complete their Bagrut examinations and access higher education.
Grow
Leadership programmes, conversational English, AI, financial literacy and public speaking give students skills and confidence for life beyond the classroom.
Belong
More than a learning centre, the House of Excellence is a secure and welcoming environment where young people build friendships, receive mentoring and regain the confidence to dream bigger.
“A place that changed everything”
Meet siblings Avigail, 15, and Matan, 17
When repeated rocket alerts disrupted Matan’s education and separated him from his classmates, tutors at the House of Excellence stepped in.
They provided intensive lessons that would otherwise have been financially out of reach for his family, created practice examinations and helped him prepare both academically and emotionally for his final exams.
Matan’s younger sister, Avigail, began attending conversational English classes at the centre.
Today, Matan has more than improved grades. He has confidence, lasting friendships and a future he once struggled to imagine. He now volunteers at the centre, helping other students to succeed.
Your support today creates hundreds of futures tomorrow
Demand for the House of Excellence is at an all-time high. Your support will help provide professional tutors, enrichment programmes, learning resources, food for students studying late and a welcoming environment in which every child has the opportunity to overcome disruption and fulfil their potential.
could provide an intensive conversational English session
could provide after-school food for teenagers studying late
could fund leadership and resilience workshops
could purchase specialist learning resources for the technology programme
could provide a computer workstation for a student
could fund a full term of specialist Maths or Physics tuition for a group
One house. Hundreds of children. Endless possibilities.
Please help give children in Israel’s north the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. You can also donate by calling JNF UK on 020 8732 6100.