The Winnipeg Community Action Centre – Beer Sheva, Israel

In April 2002, The Asper Foundation funded the establishment of the Winnipeg Community Action Centre in Winnipeg’s sister city of Be’er Sheva. As with The Israel Asper Community Action Centres in Migdal Ha’emek and Ofaqim, the centre is partnered with World Betar, the world’s premier Zionist youth organization. The World Betar Executive felt that a fitting honour to Israel Asper would be to dedicate the Be’er Sheva centre in the name of his mother, Cecilia Asper, who passed away on April 8, 2002. Each of the centres offer similar programs and activities and provide supplementary educational programs geared towards disadvantaged youth to help ensure they achieve their optimal level of education through combining technology-oriented education with instruction on leadership skills, heritage and Zionism.

In 2008, Beit Moriah joined the partnership to manage the Winnipeg Community Action Centre and help greatly expand the programming for Be’er Sheva’s most distressed neighborhood. During the day, the centre is a focal point for senior activities. Due to the wide influx of immigrants in this area, the adult computer classes, folk dancing, cultural lectures, sports and arts are conducted in three languages: Russian, Amharic and Hebrew. During the afternoon, the centre serves the youth. There is a wide variety of programming ranging from Ethiopian teen leadership development, Betar youth activities, martial arts and homework assistance. The Edible Garden project was established in October 2010 at the Winnipeg Community Action Centre.