BRITISH ORT

British ORT’s main campaign focus is to support World ORT activities worldwide. Support from UK-based donors has also been directed to specific projects in Ukraine, Israel, Argentina, Latvia and Russia — in particular the ORT Alef school in Zaporojie, Ukraine, the ORT Kazan school in Tatarstan, and ORT Netanya — Yad Lvovich, Israel. British ORT continues to build on its strong foundations. Ivor Levene, OBE has been appointed Executive Director succeeding Rhonda Marcus, who has joined the Management Committee.

Michael Naughton (left) with celebrated British actor Warren Mitchell, and British ORT Chairman Alan Goldman.

Top calibre speakers addressed British ORT events. Sir Terry Leahy, Chief Executive of Tesco plc, the UK’s leading supermarket chain, spoke to a record breaking 400-strong audience at the Annual Business Breakfast. The Patron’s Lunch was hosted by The Lord Rothschild OM, GBE, and the Gala Dinner, which honoured Michael Naughton, whose support spans five decades, was seen as one of the most successful — and enjoyable — in British ORT’s history. Friends of ORT, co-chaired by Roslyn Morris and Susan Roffman, enjoyed a full programme through the year highlighted by the Annual Spring Luncheon with Oscar-nominated actor Tom Conti the main attraction. Young ORT worked closely with World ORT’s International Next Generation initiative to develop its leadership, sowing the seeds for the organisation’s future growth.

FRANCE

ORT France, founded in 1921, provides schooling and vocational adult education at seven schools and centres located in Paris, Strasbourg, Lyons, Toulouse and Marseilles. During 2004–2005, ORT France trained and educated more than 6,700 students, including more than 4,000 adults. After six years of large scale renovation and rebuilding, the rejuvenated ORT school in the Paris suburb of Montreuil sous Bois was inaugurated and renamed the Daniel Mayer ORT High School. The outer walls were retained and the inside completely rebuilt in five stages. The renovations have added 500 square metres of floor space (providing room for 800 students and 100 trainees) and greatly improved the ergonomics of the enlarged classrooms. Students and teachers also benefit from new equipment, enhanced security and modern dining facilities.

Electronics lesson, ORT Montreuil, France.

Construction of the third floor at the ORT high school in Lyons has been completed, creating an additional 800 square metres for extra classrooms. ORT France is working on the renovation of its schools in Toulouse and the Paris suburb of Choisy-le-Roi, where prefabs are replacing the workshops and classrooms. These works are expected to be completed by the end of 2006.

In Strasbourg, the BTS d’optique (Opticians Technical Diploma) section has recorded its fourth successful year. The school attracts Jewish students from across France, not only because of its high standards but because of its boarding facilities and kosher catering. The development of this specialisation will result in the creation of a professional degree in optical studies, in partnership with the University of Strasbourg, in 2006.

At the initiative of the World ORT Representative in France, Guy Seniak, ORT France is updating Jewish teaching by creating a history and Jewish culture book financed by the Foundation for the Memory of the Shoah. In Paris, ORT France provides courses adapted to the specific requests of companies wanting to retrain and upgrade new employees in the fields of ICT and foreign languages. In addition, in answer to a call for tender from the European Commission, the new technology department takes part in a research and development programme for the implementation of new technologies in the fields of teaching and training.

In September 2005, ORT France started training sessions in Morocco on behalf of GFI Informatique, a major European provider of consultancy and ICT services to big business. In 2006, ORT France plans to start a new project with Le Bureau du Shabbat to set up IT training sessions to help some 100 unemployed Sabbath observant Jewish women compete in the job market.

ITALY

World ORT is increasing its support for the Jewish community’s high schools in Rome and Milan.

At the ORT Renzo Levi High School in Rome, enrolments continue to increase — 61 entered the 9th grade in the 2004—2005 academic year, a 42 percent increase on the previous year. The total number of students in grades 6–13 is now 191, almost double that seen when the school moved to its new premises in the Ghetto, near the city’s main synagogue, in 2003. To maintain manageable class sizes, refurbishments are due to be completed early in 2006 that will see each grade divided into parallel classes. Further such work will be undertaken if enrolment continues its upward trend.

This increasing popularity is a result of generally increased educational standards at the school, the addition of languages, social sciences and technological studies to the original scientific focus, and parents’ desire to place their children in a safe, Jewish environment. As part of its constant effort to increase standards, ORT Renzo Levi High School installed a 15-terminal computer laboratory in 2005; a new science laboratory is due to be installed in 2006.

The school in Milan has 545 students. Its popularity with the local Jewish community has increased thanks to the improvements it has made in its Jewish education provision. Also, IT education has improved with the opening of two new computer laboratories. For the first time, a group of its students is due to join hundreds of other ORT students on March of the Living, (the Holocaust education programme) in Poland in 2006.

SWITZERLAND

ORT educational operations in Switzerland ceased in 1992 and the country now hosts World ORT’s legal headquarters (in Geneva) and an increasingly influential fundraising organisation consisting of four committees: Geneva, Basel, Berne and Zurich.

ORT Switzerland (Geneva) annual Gala Dinner.

Among the major events of 2005 was the ORT Switzerland (Geneva) annual Gala Dinner which also commemorated World ORT’s 125th anniversary. This event, In November, raised funds for ORT's Schools Plus Programme in Israel, which provides extra support for outstanding students from families in distress and from socio-economically deprived backgrounds. The evening featured a performance by the internationally renowned Bejart Ballet Lausanne as well as a dinner for 400 at the Geneva landmark Batiment des Forces Motrice. The success of this event has raised ORT Switzerland’s profile throughout the wider community. The ORT Switzerland international Jacqueline Maus Bridge Tournament, a regular major fundraising event, was held in November.

The leadership of ORT Switzerland is anticipating some changes during 2006. The President, Robert Equey, retains his position but the Director, Catherine Gentilini, is due to be succeeded by her daughter, Vanessa Cholat.

The ORT Zurich annual event in September 2005 included the opening of an exhibition of paintings by an ORT Argentina graduate who now lives in Switzerland. ORT Basel raised significant funds towards ORT programmes in Israel.