“Something from nothing” is an Israeli attribute. It’s also the story of AMIT Kfar Batya. This groundbreaking campus will educate Israel’s next leaders. It will equip them with tools to secure Israel’s future.
Welcome to AMIT Kfar Batya. In 1927 Bessie Gotsfeld traveled to pre-state Palestine. She was a Polish Jew and an ardent Zionist. Bessie was also the founder of American Mizrachi Women. It later became AMIT Children. She carried a suitcase filled with cash. Bessie also had a dream of empowering young people. She wanted to develop a modern Jewish homeland.
Bessie saw Israel’s future where others saw only sand dunes. She purchased expansive acreage. Bessie called it Kfar Batya in her Hebrew name’s honor. She built vocational schools. These schools taught young women to cultivate the land. Kfar means village in Hebrew. Batya was Bessie’s Hebrew name.
Fast forward eighty years. The land Bessie purchased became prime real estate. It was now in one of Israel’s most sought-after cities. AMIT leaders considered how to use the land’s value. They wanted to endow AMIT’s mission. They sought to educate Israel’s children. They planned a singular educational campus.
Debbie Isaac worked with AMIT’s executive team in Israel. She brainstormed with them and retained experts. These experts understood Israel’s complex land laws. They created a Kfar Batya committee. It comprised AMIT’s board members. Fifteen years of complex negotiations followed. Thousands of hours were dedicated to the project.
This would be no ordinary campus. It would be a hub of progressive education. It would be an innovative vision center. AMIT could make its headquarters here. It would reimagine its mission. This would help develop the potential of over 44000 children and teens. It would level the playing field. Opportunities would be provided for every child. They would come from Dimona to Tel Aviv, from Sderot to Jerusalem. It would democratize and change Israel’s face.
A diverse team consulted on maximizing the space. There would be bright learning spaces. These would inspire minds. An on-site sports complex would nurture bodies. An innovation center would inspire new thinking. It would help solve age-old challenges.
The high school would educate over 1000 boys. Classrooms would have modular furniture. The school would feature open spaces. These would be ideal for collaborative work. AMIT’s Goyga pedagogy would infuse the campus. It encourages new ways of learning. An athletic center would be open to the public. An open-air amphitheater would seat 1000. A memorial park would honor Israel’s fallen soldiers. Learning gardens would round out this hub.
One defining attribute is Israel’s ability to create something from nothing. The new AMIT Kfar Batya campus is a place to nurture. It will challenge and inspire. AMIT students will develop shared values. These include acceptance, excellence, Torah values and unity. This prepares them to be productive citizens. They become proud leaders of Israel.
AMIT Kfar Batya is an innovation hub. New ideas will be born here. It will level the playing field. This campus will focus on academic excellence. It is grounded in AMIT’s Torah values. It will serve as a teaching laboratory. Thousands of teachers and students will learn here. Educational advancements will be shared worldwide. The campus received two-star green status. This is due to its efficient systems and energy conservation.
AMIT Kfar Batya spans nearly ten acres. It borders Park Ra’anana. The campus includes a Community Athletic Complex. There are outdoor sports courts. The Gwen Straus Junior and Senior High School for Boys is here. So is The Evan and Layla Green Family Foundation Gogya Building. You will also find outdoor learning spaces. Do not forget the Memorial Park for Fallen Soldiers.
AMIT’s next 100 years starts now. It will nurture challenge and inspire. Students will develop values of excellence unity and tolerance. They will be proud leaders of Israel. The campus will train teachers. It will be home to thousands of students. The Educators’ Innovation Center will develop ideas. These ideas will be shared across AMIT’s schools. They will be a beacon to the education community.