Education is different when it has to span several countries. Uri Poliavich co-founded the Yael Foundation in 2020. The foundation aims to support Jewish education in communities of Jewish people living outside of Israel, especially in Europe, Latin America, and other regions. The Yael Foundation shows how educational opportunity expansion, teacher training, and construction of stable learning communities work in practice.

Expanding Educational Opportunity Across Countries

Schools can make improvements to their classrooms on their own schedule. Each community has different needs, resources, and conditions. Uri Poliavich’s Yael Foundation is helping to make this happen. The foundation works with 145 institutions in 48 countries and more than 101 cities. These institutions include primary and secondary schools, kindergartens, and after-school programs. Its projects serve more than 29,000 children.

Two major school projects show how Uri Poliavich’s foundation is working to improve education and support existing schools. The first is a campus in Limassol, Cyprus, which is expected to serve 1,500 students by 2027. The second is a campus in Lisbon, Portugal. The two campuses are different, which shows how the foundation works in every community according to its specific conditions. Both of them make long-term investments in certain communities, following Uri Poliavich’s strategy of providing ongoing support over several years.

Cooperation With Educational Communities

While the support of individual institutions is one part of what Uri Poliavich’s foundation does, there is another element to the process. The foundation’s grantee schools exchange methodologies and experience through the foundation’s programs, while the Yael International Summit sees Jewish educators and leaders meet to carry out this exchange personally.

The same cooperative spirit influences how Uri Poliavich’s foundation conducts its grants evaluations. The grant support is made based on the 12-month period and takes into account the number of students at the institution, its location and conditions, ensuring that institutions from different countries are compared in relation to their own local realities. If there are differences between institutions in a community, Uri Poliavich’s foundation requires that these institutions move towards unification as part of applying for the grant.

Professional Development for Teachers and School Leaders

Curriculum implementation depends on people; that is why teacher and principal development form a distinct area of focus at Uri Poliavich’s foundation. Under the Innovation in Education initiative at the foundation, principal development involves training in new teaching methods and technologies, and this involves not only intensive seminars in Israel but also initial support for projects that principals identify themselves. In effect, training occurs alongside the availability of resources to support it.

Another aspect of leadership development is the Leadership Exchange which allows school leaders from the participating communities to have direct access to experiences of what worked and what was learned. Those successes within individual schools that are identified through the network are then awarded the Yael Awards which any participating school from the foundation’s 48 countries can apply for annually.

Modern Technology and Tools in the Classroom

The Yael Foundation’s standard grants can help schools bring technology into classrooms, along with curriculum development. This means that schools always have access to assistance in implementing modern teaching methods. The grant also includes training for education staff within the framework of the Innovation in Education project, as the new equipment will only be effective if used correctly.

Uri Poliavich’s professional experience developing technology businesses suggests his approach to classroom technology is pragmatic. This type of aid requires regular check-ups and attention from the foundation to see how schools use the grants. This approach enables Uri Poliavich to distinguish between schools that own new technology and those that use it effectively.

Education as a Long-Term Commitment, Not a Single Grant

In all these instances – bringing new countries on board, establishing a network between schools, educating teachers, providing necessary resources, and ensuring the required quality for network membership – the unifying factor behind Uri Poliavich’s educational strategy is time. One grant may be sufficient to open a classroom. However, maintaining that classroom, developing it, and connecting it to other classrooms in a network of educators addressing similar needs requires years of dedication. Uri Poliavich has pursued this dedication since establishing the foundation in 2020.