Seven Years of LAVI: The Program Turning East Jerusalem High Schoolers into Professionals
Just outside the ancient walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, in the elegant surroundings of the Notre Dame hotel, something we are very proud of took place on Monday evening: a graduation ceremony for one hundred and twenty Arab high school students — eleventh and twelfth graders from six East Jerusalem schools — who received diplomas certifying them as cellular technicians, certified chefs, and first-aid providers. For many of them, that certificate represents far more than a credential. It is the culmination of a journey that began in the classroom and ends with a profession in hand.
The ceremony marked another milestone for LAVI, our vocational training program launched in 2018 in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Jerusalem Municipality’s Educational Department (Manchi). LAVI embeds professional courses directly into the high school experience, giving young people concrete skills to carry with them into adult life.
The graduation featured remarks from Dr. Farid Hamdan from the Ministry of Education, Mr. Abd Zatara from the Jerusalem Municipality, our CEO Zvia Shelly, and Riham Jaber, Director of our East Jerusalem Branch — as well as a theatrical performance by actress Maya Nashashibi that brought laughter and joy to the celebration.
“This program is not simply a series of courses,” said Riham. “It is a platform for creating real opportunities, for narrowing gaps, and for empowering a young generation with enormous potential — young people who need only opportunity, trust, and the right tools to build a better future.”
Since 2018, LAVI has offered courses in cellular repair, culinary arts, first aid, video editing, digital marketing, and graphic design — a curriculum designed to track closely with actual labor market demand. The program is funded through Jerusalem’s five-year development plan for East Jerusalem society, and operates within the formal school framework so that professional training counts toward, rather than competes with, students’ academic progress.
“We believe that real investment begins with giving every student an equal chance to discover their abilities and build self-confidence,” Riham added. “That is why the program focuses not only on professional training, but on opening new horizons — offering a first step toward a career, and toward economic and social independence.”
Over seven years and hundreds of graduates, we have seen the results in the lives of alumni now entering the workforce. For the graduates who crossed the stage on Monday evening, the diploma in their hands is proof that the investment was made. Whether they go on to open a restaurant, fix a phone, or respond to a medical emergency, they leave with something we always intended for them: the knowledge that they are capable, and that someone believed it before they did.