Introduction Beit Yatziv, a unique educational campus located in the Old City of Be'er Sheva, operates educational initiatives and hosts services for conferences and seminars. The Beit Yatziv non-profit association was founded in 1953 in memory of Yitzhak Yatziv – a writer, educator and editor of the Davar newspaper’s supplement for children. Other founders include: David Tuviyahu – the first mayor of Be’er Sheva; Avraham Herzfeld – MK and minister; and Gershon Ostrovsky - first chairman and director of the institution. Today, Beit Yatziv's board of directors is comprised of 7 representatives from the Rashi Foundation and 6 from representatives the Be’er Sheva Municipality.

Premises on the Campus Hostel: 100 guest rooms, accommodating 220 guests. Classrooms: A total of 35 classrooms of various sizes, accommodating groups of 20-100 seminar or conference participants. Dining hall: Can accommodate a total of 300 people at one time, in four separate rooms. Swimming pool: The pool operates from May to September. We facilitate swimming lessons for students and for the general public, and offer tickets at affordable prices. Administrative centers: There are a number of organizations that rent offices at Beit Yatziv, including: the Be’er Sheva municipality’s Social Welfare Division, the Rashi Foundation’s southern office, the Open University (about 1,600 students and a unit for supplementary education) and the Education Ministry’s national center for continuing education for teachers (runs courses for 3,000 teachers, principals and supervisors from throughout the country on Judaism, democracy and civics) Municipal library: Operated by the municipality for Be'er Sheva residents.

Education Initiatives Operated by Beit Yatziv English School: Around 250 students in enrichment programs, and 1,000 in the summer program. Partners: Education Ministry, Rashi Foundation, Partnership 2000, local authorities and participants. Astronomy Studies: A study program (part of the formal education curriculum) for 800 students from throughout the southern region. Partners: Education Ministry, local authorities, Rashi Foundation. Swimming lessons: All of the elementary school pupils in Be’er Sheva (around 1,500 children) take swimming lessons at Beit Yatziv as part of the formal school curriculum. Partners: Education Ministry, Be’er Sheva Municipality, parents. Tour guide course: An 18-month course of 1,500 hours of study (including about 85 days touring Israel. Partners: The Negev Development Authority, The Vice Prime Minister’s Office, Tourism Ministry, participants. Council for a Beautiful Israel: About 5,000 students participate in the environmental protection program every year. Partners: Rashi Foundation, Council for a Beautiful Israel

Beit Yatziv's Vision for the Future The Madarom Science Park is being constructed adjacent to the Beit Yatziv campus, and we envision that together, these local institutions will be a lively community campus and a resource education center for residents of the city and the region, as well as for all of the country’s residents. The campus will identify needs, and initiate and develop responses. The campus will support itself economically and finance its ongoing activity. The campus will operate year-round, and will be part of the array of educational and cultural institutions of the city of Be’er Sheva and of the Old City in particular.