The Mack Ness Fund of the Jewish Community Endowment Foundation funds Economic Development programs in Israel's Negev region.  The Negev is 60% of Israel's landmass yet houses only 20% of the population. 

The Israeli Government has identified the Negev as the most important Zionist goal of the 21st century.

Working in partnership with other public and private foundations as well as the Israeli government, the Jewish Community Endowment Foundation  supports several innovative programs to spur economic development in the Negev.

Programs being supported by the Ness Fund:

Technoda:  A Science Library and Research Center that provides science and technology resources to children and adults in the underprivileged neighborhood of Givat Olga.  It serves as a key resource center to educators throughout the region interested in curriculum development. Learn more about Technoda by visiting
http://www.technoda.org.il/.

Arad Economic Development Unit:  An economic development program aimed at attracting the best and the brightest young adults to the city of Arad and the Negev region.  Arad is Central New Jersey's Partnership 2000 community. The program will provide resources to help people find jobs, increase their involvement in the community and build a sense of pride.

Click here to learn more about the City of Arad.

Be'Atzmi: An economic development program in the city of Arad focusing on economically disadvantaged young adults.  The program will work to provide jobs, help break the cycle of poverty and raise standards of living.

You can learn more about Be'Atzmi by visiting
http://www.yazamut.org.il/

Project OR

Cultural development will play a integral  role in an ambitious project to revitalize of the Old City of Beer Sheva.  This revitalization project is part of a broad program sponsored by the Government which encompasses a rebuilt  infrastructure, additional educational resources and new economic growth initiatives.  The cultural development program will build economic resources regionally through large cultural events and locally by supporting galleries and smaller cultural institutions.   You can learn more by visiting
http://eng.or1.org.il/HTMLs/Home.aspx

Israel Venture Network (IVN)-  Provides mentoring in advanced management techniques to small business entrepreneurs in the Negev that have received loans through the Ness Business Loan Fund.  To learn about some of the successful new businesses, please click here. IVN's goal is to help ensure that promising businesses are well  run and poised for growth.

To learn more about Israel Venture Network go to http://www.ivn.org.il.

Ayalim: An entrepreneurial training program aimed at university students who are involved in the Ayalim organization.  The program teaches students how to develop, fund, and build new businesses, encouraging students to remain and settle in the Negev after graduation. 

To learn more about Ayalim please visit http://ayalim.org.il/index.php?page_id=331