Contact Information

Social Action Unit Assists Struggling Soldier to Enter University Ranks

Itamar is in his first semester of study for a BA in Computer Science. A native of Beit Shean, he served in the Golani Brigade -- one of the most highly decorated infantry units in the IDF – in Jenin and Ramallah. Just last August, in the midst of applying to university, he and his comrades were being fired upon while on reserve duty in Nablus.

Itamar, 24, is the youngest of three sons. His father immigrated to Israel in 1957 and his mother in the early 60's – both from Morocco. His middle brother earned his way to the Rector's list of outstanding students at Bar-Ilan, where he received his degree in Accounting. He now works as an accountant for the international firm KPMG in Tel Aviv. Itamar's oldest brother is an engineer.

Itamar's father was unemployed for four years before finally finding employment a little over a year ago as a maintenance worker in Tel Aviv. Since the daily commute would be too long, he lives in Tel Aviv during the week and returns home to Beit Shean on the weekends.

Itamar, a Hesder Yeshiva graduate, is one of many students from Israel's peripheries which the Social Action Unit at Bar-Ilan University has sought to advance, since entrance requirements at universities in Israel often deter students from poorer socio-economic populations – those who are most in need of the skills and knowledge which are necessary to successfully integrate in society even though they are equally capable of succeeding. Among the criteria for acceptance is the level of parents' education and socio-economic background. In Itamar's case, the Social Action Unit pushed the Computer Science department to accept him even though he didn't fully meet the department's requirements. The Unit also arranged for him to room in one of the dormitories on campus.

"The course work is difficult, but I'm managing," says Itamar, who attends classes four days a week. He has been assigned a student tutor who assists him with his studies. (In exchange, each of the students who works as a tutor/facilitator through the Social Action program receives a scholarship towards his/her own study at Bar-Ilan.)

"Without the Social Action Unit, I would not be studying at Bar-Ilan University today," affirms Itamar. "They help advance those students who are not necessarily less qualified, but, for various reasons, don't have the tools to utilize their abilities like others do. They help to bridge this important gap," adds Itamar.