26 January 2007 World ORT announces continued support for Israel World ORT has launched a NIS 32 million ($7.4 million) Science and Technology programme in Israeli high schools to be run in conjunction with the countrys Ministry of Education. Kadima Mada 2007 (Science Journey 2007) is the name given to the programme, which encompasses hundreds of projects in more than 30 local authorities throughout Israel. The programme marks a new phase in World ORTs 59-year-long commitment to bring the best practical education available to the Jewish State. Science and Technology together form the foundation stone of the Israeli system of education, said World ORT President Sir Maurice Hatter. World ORT plans to commit these substantial funds to the advancement and encouragement of excellence in high schools and further education and training programmes throughout Israel. We intend to do all that is necessary to establish the programme, extend its activities and ensure its success in the coming years. The Israeli Ministry of Education has praised World ORTs willingness to allocate funds in this area and be partners in this broad-ranging project. World ORT flies the flag for scientific and technological education in Israel. Sir Maurice added: We are very pleased to be working so closely with the Ministry of Education and are delighted that the Ministry will work closely in partnership with World ORT to secure the highest level of educational activities for the children. Kadima Mada 2007 marks an expansion of World ORTs already substantial activities in Israel. Last year, World ORT raised nearly $3 million for the Israel Emergency Campaign, thanks to the UJC, American donors who generously participated through their local Jewish Federations, and ORT supporters who gave through their national ORT organisations. The money is helping children and families affected by Hezbollah aggression by funding extra tuition and post-trauma counselling as well as paying to improve the educational environment and for educational necessities such as text books. In 2005, World ORT brought its long-standing cooperation with the Hewlett-Packard Corporation to Israel with the opening of a Micro-enterprise Acceleration Programme Centre in Kiryat Bialik. The centre provides training for Jewish and Arab women in the north of the country to enable them to develop new economic and cultural opportunities. And it was a World ORT campaign, strongly supported by ORTs friends around the world, which led to the foundation in 1989 of the ORT Braude College of Engineering in Karmiel. The college is now one of northern Israels leading tertiary institutions offering a range of international standard technical and scientific degrees. World ORT, founded in 1880, is the worlds largest Jewish education and vocational training non-government organisation with some 200,000 beneficiaries Jewish and non-Jewish in 58 countries.