Neighbor News
Paula Gottesman Donates $500,000 to Support High Schools in Northern Israel Through Israel Sci-Tech Schools
Israel Sci-Tech Schools is Israel's largest independent charter school network
As nearly all Israeli civilians have found themselves on the front lines of the war with Iran, under attack by hundreds of devastating ballistic missiles, Paula Gottesman of the Jerry and Paula Gottesman Family Supporting Foundation has made another generous donation of $500,000 to Israel Sci-Tech Schools (ISTS), Israel’s largest independent charter school network. This critical support will be directed toward strengthening education in northern Israel, a region deeply affected by the Iron Sword war that broke out on October 7, 2023, and continues to suffer intensified attacks in the current war with Iran.
This latest gift brings the Gottesman Family Foundation’s total contributions to Israel Sci-Tech Schools to over $2 million in the past decade. The foundation has previously adopted and supported schools in underserved towns such as Afula, Ramla, and Kiryat Shemona, enhancing accessibility to high-quality education in these areas.
In the wake of Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, over 100,000 citizens were uprooted, schools were shuttered, and educators and students were thrust into chaos. Following over a year of exile, upon the return of the citizens to their homes in the North, the need for sustained investment in education has never been more urgent. Famous and valued in the Greater Metrowest, NJ, and the American Jewish community, Paula and Jerry z”l have invested a great deal in day schools, and their inspirational work has since become a catalyst for unprecedented cooperation and innovation when it comes to day school affordability, and a model for other Jewish communities across North America. Paula’s commitment to Jewish education doesn’t stop in the US and Israel Sci-Tech Schools Network is honored to be able to carry out the Gottesman Foundation’s legacy in Israel.
“There are many ways to use your resources, but none more rewarding than nurturing a project you believe in” says Mrs. Gottesman. “My late husband and I were fortunate enough to be able to promote our concerns in concentrating our efforts on Jewish education - in the US and in Israel - and we are committed to Israel’s next generation now more than ever before.”
"In this moment of national crisis, we lead a strategic national initiative aimed at expanding the role of educational institutions to be a leading force for the North's revival" said Raz Frohlich, CEO of Israel Sci-Tech Schools Network. “Paula Gottesman’s generosity is not just a gift, it is a powerful act of solidarity and trust. With partners like Mrs. Gottesman we can achieve sustainable social change through education."
About Israel Sci-Tech Schools
Founded in 1949, Israel Sci-Tech Schools is Israel’s largest independent charter school network, educating over 100,000 students across 250 middle and high schools, vocational training centers, and colleges of practical engineering in 60 municipalities. The network delivers inclusive, life-changing iSTEAM education (innovation, science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) to students from all backgrounds—Jewish (secular to Haredi), Muslim, Christian, Bedouin, and Druze—regardless of gender, religion, or socio-economic status. Through academic excellence and values-driven leadership, the network empowers students to succeed in high-demand 21st-century careers and helps close social and economic gaps in Israeli society.
Since October 7th, the Israel Sci-Tech Schools network has lost over 130 alumni, students, and staff, including Yossi Hershkowitz z”l, a beloved school principal who fell in reserve duty in Gaza. Three remain hostages, two are still alive.
