Charities We Are Involved With

Friends of Itamar

Itamar invests a great deal in its children and youth giving them the proper education and attention they need to build a happy and healthy society in Israel. It goes without saying that our community that has suffered so many casualties in terror attacks needs to heal the emotional wounds that have affected our children and youth. Itamar’s first and foremost enterprise its education. There are more than 800 children and students learning in the different educational institutions of Itamar. These different schools and learning centers need support in order to continue to develop and provide the proper care for our children and youth. Friends of Itamar is trying its best to give a helping hand. Over the last few years FOI has built five playgrounds and a basketball and soccer park. It has furnished libraries, built two youth centers, and refurnished our high school’s computer room. It has supported workshops in a variety of areas and has provided student aid. These schools are in constant need of support and we hope to continue to assist them in the future. This is Israel’s future!
See more about this organization at their website click here

 

Building and town development projects

Friends of Itamar has been working very hard over the years to assist the community of Itamar in a variety of building projects. Our major project over the years has been supporting the building of the permanent synagogue. We hope to be able to finish this important project in the coming year but we need another 800 thousand dollars to complete the building. FOI has also assisted in landscaping and in building a parking lot adjacent our community center. In addition it has been working very hard in beautifying the community with parks and trees. Itamar has over eight hilltop neighborhoods which all nurse their respective resources from the nucleus of the community, being dependent on the source of its livelihood. Tremendous infrastructure has been set up to maintain these very vital strongholds on Israel’s heartland . FOI has assisted in infrastructure and water lines to its most remote farms.

 

Safety first

Unfortunately, over the last 13 years Itamar suffered terrible terrorist attacks around the community. The last one that resulted in casualties was the Fogel massacre where Ehud and Ruty together with three of their children were massacred in their Itamar home on Friday night. It goes without saying that Itamar has to invest great parts of its budget in town security. Itamar is in need of more surveillance equipment and fencing it needs help in adding additional patrols and first aid supplies. FOI has assisted in town surveillance and in setting up Itamar’s major security camera system.

 

Town Culture and special programs

Funding to enrich the community with cultural activities has been a forerunner for FOI, helping to sponsor throughout the year special events like Israel Memorial Day, Israel Independence Day, and Tu’ Bishvat celebrations. Every summer FOI also helps sponsor the Itamar summer program for children, youth and adults.

 

Agriculture

Since the exile of the Jewish people 2000 years ago, Itamar has fulfilled prophecy by reviving the ancient hills of Samaria. These gorgeous hills and mountains were a barren wasteland until the people of Itamar returned and have begun farming again like in the days of old. Our hills are marked with vineyards, fruit trees, flowers, goat farms and hothouses. Our farmers work so hard just to get by. It is our wish to be able to help them in this important mission in the future. “You will again plant vineyards in the mountains of Shomron…” Jeremiah