It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Israel Tennis & Education Centers Foundation, where we are transforming lives every day.
Through the power of sport and education, we are creating opportunities for children across Israel—helping them build confidence, resilience, and a brighter future.
In the pages ahead, you will see the remarkable impact of our work, not just in numbers but in the voices of the children themselves. Their stories of growth, friendship, and hope are the heart of our mission.
We invite you to explore, be inspired, and join us in shaping the future for thousands of children in Israel. Thank you for being part of our journey.
With gratitude,
ILAN ALLALI ITEC FOUNDATION CEO
ABOUT ITEC
Through education and social services, ITEC fosters a community where every child in Israel is welcomed and empowered with life skills on and off the court.
In 1976, six visionaries from Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom, who loved tennis and understood the intrinsic values that come with the game, realized their dream and opened the first Israel Tennis & Education Center in Ramat Hasharon. Their vision was to bring the sport of tennis to all of Israel’s children, regardless of background, religion, physical ability, or socioeconomic status.
The objective was to allow each child to build crucial life skills and flourish in a safe environment. Over the past five decades, their dream has grown to 24 locations and municipalities throughout Israel, from Kiryat Shmona in the North to Beer Sheva and Dimona in the South, becoming one of the largest social service organizations in Israel, serving over 10,000 children annually.
Image: ITEC Founders, from left to right: Dr. Ian Froman, Harold Landesberg, Freddie Krivine, Dr. Bill Lippy, Joe Shane, and Ruby Josephs
HISTORICAL TIMELINE
1970s
ITEC expanded rapidly due to its initial success, with centers being built in Jerusalem, Haifa, and Kiryat Shmona before the decade’s end. The emphasis grew beyond tennis to focus on youth’s educational and social development.
THE PURPOSE
ITEC’s mission is to strengthen communities that have been underserved and build a more unified and peaceful Israel. Our centers are community hubs that embrace children from diverse backgrounds bridging cultural gaps and breaking down barriers.
1990s
Programs are launched for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, later earning the prestigious Shalem Fund Award. Coexistence programs also began during this period, fostering understanding and unity among diverse groups. Additionally, programs were introduced for new immigrants from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union, helping them integrate into Israeli society and learn Hebrew. ITEC gained international recognition during this time, receiving The Israel Prize, the state of Israel’s highest cultural honor.
2010s
The Israel Tennis & Education Centers rebranded to better emphasize its expanding focus on educational programming, leadership development, and empowering children in underserved communities.
The Israel Tennis & Education Centers (ITEC) is founded as a non-profit organization that builds tennis centers across Israel to offer children, regardless of their background, a place to play and develop life skills. The “impossible dream comes true” with the first center opening in Ramat Hasharon in front of 2,000 spectators, as Ms. Leah Rabin, wife of Israel’s Prime Minister, cut the ribbon with ITEC founders and dignitaries.
THE NEED
The social services provided by ITEC are essential for thousands of underprivileged children, particularly in underserved communities. Programs offer children constructive environments, helping to reduce social challenges, inspire healthier lifestyles, and open opportunities for personal growth.
1980s
Expansion continues, establishing additional centers in Jaffa, Ashkelon, and Beer Sheva, with programs increasingly focused on uniting children from diverse socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds. During this period, ITEC received a beautification award, launched a wheelchair program, opened the High-Performance Academy in Ramat Hasharon, and hosted a visit from tennis legend Billie Jean King.
THE WAY
Tennis! We use the sport of tennis to mentor and teach life lessons, giving children the opportunity to create lasting friendships, build self-esteem, dream big and live their best lives.
2000s
ITEC further broadened its offerings with initiatives focused on promoting tolerance, peace, and coexistence, particularly among Jewish and Arab children. In 2008, ITEC received the Prime Minister Award from Ehud Olmert for programs focused on improving the lives of at-risk children.
Our responsibility to families includes ensuring children’s physical and mental well-being, which has become more urgent since the October 7th attack. We’ve added bomb shelters at vulnerable centers, making them safer than home for many children. In neighborhoods facing poverty, drugs, and crime, ITEC provides emotional security, fostering family-like connections, role models, and essential needs like food and shoes. With increased demand for support since the attack, our team of mental health experts has expanded counseling services, particularly for children impacted by the event and ongoing conflict.
MEASUREMENT
At ITEC, we are deeply committed to the learning process and the rigorous measurement and evaluation of our social impact programs. This dedication ensures that our initiatives consistently provide meaningful benefits to participants and align with our mission.
To assess our impact, we conducted an anonymous questionnaire in June 2024, after 8-9 months of program activity. The results were overwhelmingly positive, with the major finding across all programs being a profound sense of belonging. The vast majority of participants expressed a strong desire to continue with ITEC, reported forming new friendships, and shared that they now have better tools to cope with mental health challenges and build meaningful relationships.
These insights reaffirm our commitment to creating safe, supportive environments where every child can grow, thrive, and feel part of a larger community.
EMBRACE PROGRAM
HEAD START
Notible Quotes from the Questionnaire
“
The program [Head Start] helped me gain values through sports to deal with pressure and nerves...
“
The Girls’ Empowerment program gave me really good friends and gave me a lot of knowledge about my own mental health.
“
I really enjoy doing the program activities, and it’s a great opportunity to meet friends.
SOCIAL IMPACT PROGRAMS
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Israel Tennis & Education Centers Foundation, where we are transforming lives every day.
Through the power of sport and education, we are creating opportunities for children across Israel—helping them build confidence, resilience, and a brighter future.
In the pages ahead, you will see the remarkable impact of our work, not just in numbers but in the voices of the children themselves. Their stories of growth, friendship, and hope are the heart of our mission.
Sajur
# of Social Impact Participants
100+ Children Served Annually
Sajur is a unique Druze town surrounded by Druze, Christian-Arab, Muslim-Arab villages, and Jewish towns. This diversity makes ITEC Sajur a natural hub for fostering coexistence and understanding among Israel’s varied religious and ethnic communities. The center provides children from these communities with opportunities to develop life skills, gain confidence, and cultivate an appreciation for different cultures and traditions through its programs and scholarships.
By providing a space for dialogue, education, and mutual respect, ITEC Sajur helps foster a brighter future for all children in the region. 82
Programs
Living Together
Special Needs
Girls’ Empowerment Head Start
Center Manager Alam Ebrahem
Program Coordinator Nagham Asaad
Bukata
280 # of Social Impact Participants
Haifa
425+
Children Served Annually
Located in northern Israel, Akko is home to a diverse population of Jews, Muslims, and Christians. As one of Israel’s most diverse cities, Akko faces unique challenges in fostering coexistence and addressing the needs of children from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Many children in the community, including immigrants and minorities, experience social and economic hardship. The city’s diversity also underscores the importance of programs that promote understanding among its young residents.
ITEC Akko is a vital resource for the community, offering programs that bring children of all backgrounds together in a safe and supportive environment.
Programs
Living Together
Twinned Kindergarten
Youth at Risk
Special Needs
Girls’ Empowerment
Healthy Living
High Performance
Center Manager
Zehava Aharon
Program Coordinator
Zehava Aharon
90
# of Social Impact Participants
675+
Children Served Annually
Perched on the slopes of Mount Carmel along the Mediterranean coastline, Haifa is Israel’s third-largest city.
With its unique blend of innovation, academia, and diversity, Haifa provides an inspiring environment for ITEC’s mission. The Selma & Irving Ettenberg Israel Tennis & Education Center is in a low socioeconomic neighborhood to support the struggling population. The programs offered here leverage the city’s strengths while addressing the needs of its multifaceted population, fostering connections, and creating opportunities for all who participate.
Programs
Youth At-Risk
Girls’ Empowerment
Living Together
Special Needs
Healthy Living
High Performance
Center Manager
Eran Dank
Program Coordinator
Shahar Kima
Nahariya
Kiryat Shmona
No data for 2024 Center closed due to the war
Nahariya, nicknamed the “capital of Western Galilee,” is a coastal city located north of Haifa and south of the border with Lebanon. Home to many new immigrants from Russia and Ukraine living in low socioeconomic neighborhoods, Nahariya presents unique challenges for its youth, including economic hardship, social integration difficulties, and limited access to extracurricular enrichment.
ITEC’s presence in Nahariya is vital in providing these children with stability, support, and opportunity through the Embrace Program—our most comprehensive and holistic initiative for youth at risk. The program offers group counseling, mentoring, social and educational enrichment activities, tennis lessons, and fitness instruction.
Programs
Embrace
Center Manager
Karem Ghanem
Program Coordinator
Zehava Aharon
Located on the Lebanese border, the city of Kiryat Shmona was founded in 1949 by Jewish settlers from Morocco. It is one of the youngest cities in Israel, with 33 percent of the population below the age of twenty.
Due to its proximity to the Lebanese border, residents live under the constant threat of rockets.
ITEC Kiryat Shmona serves as a safe haven and place of respite for many of the children living in and around Kiryat Shmona. The Center does its best to help the children of Kiryat Shmona cope by providing ways to vent their energies and anxieties through sport while enriching their physical and emotional well-being.
Programs
Youth At-Risk
Living Together
Special Needs
Girls’ Empowerment
Head Start
High Performance
Center Manager
Tal Amsalem
Tiberias
116
of Social Impact Participants
300+ Children Served Annually
The historic city of Tiberias is in Northern Israel bordering the Sea of Galilee. Considered to be one of Judaism’s holiest cities, Tiberias offers many attractions, including an ancient sector that is home to the tombs of prominent Jewish figures such as Maimonides.
With over 12,000 youth under the age of 18 living in Tiberias, the Elizabeth & Lawrence Krulik Family Israel Tennis & Education Center plays an integral role in connecting the local community. Through its Living Together Program the children of Tiberias and the neighboring Arab village of Ilabon play and learn on the same court together, instilling values of tolerance and cooperation between Arab and Jews.
Programs
Youth At-Risk
Ethiopian Embrace
Living Together
Special Needs
Girls’ Empowerment
Head Start
Center Manager
Deor Choleria
Program Coordinator
Eran Savi
Yokneam
123
# of Social Impact Participants
275+
Children Served Annually
The city of Yokneam was established as a small immigrant town in 1949 and continued to develop as many immigrants from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia made it their home.
Known today as Israel’s “Startup Village”, the city is home to over 100 high tech companies. Yokneam is growing into an affluent and attractive destination for young professionals looking to start families of their own. As one of the youngest cities in Israel with 37 percent of its inhabitants under the age of 20, ITEC Yokneam is filled with children on a daily basis providing much needed after school activities to keep kids engaged, active, and supported in a safe and nurturing environment.
Programs
Youth At-Risk
Special Needs
High Performance
Center Manager
Eyal Burstein
Program Coordinator
Shahar Kima
189
Jaffa’s timeless charm blends old and new. The iconic Clock Tower welcomes visitors from the Tel Aviv Boardwalk, while the Old City’s narrow alleys and art galleries preserve its rich history. It was at Jaffa where thousands of Jewish immigrants first arrived in Israel from Europe.
Unfortunately, today much of Jaffa is plagued by high rates of crime and poverty, underscoring the importance that the Nussdorf & Mark Families Israel Tennis & Education Center plays within the local community. The dedicated staff strives to help the varied communities of new immigrants, mainly from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia, as well as Arabs and children with disabilities who all take part in programs at the Center.
Center Manager
Rafi Cohen
Program Coordinator
Uriel Lubesa
Jerusalem
143
425+
Served Annually
Jerusalem is holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims worldwide whose shrines can be seen when visiting the Old City. They include the sacred Temple Mount, Western Wall, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. However, beyond the beauty and historical significance of the city, the stark reality is that more than half of Jerusalem’s children live below the poverty line.
At the Ben B. & Joyce E. Eisenberg Israel Tennis & Education Center the focus is on diversity and equality. With over one-third of the city’s residents identifying themselves as non-Jewish, Jerusalem is Israel’s most multicultural city, and the programs at our center are a direct reflection of the city’s rich diversity.
Center Manager
Danny Mizrachi
Program Coordinator
Ephraim Fine
Located in a city with a vibrant youth population, where 32.4% of residents are 19 years old or younger, the ITEC Kiryat Shmona Center plays a vital role in serving children with special needs. Through our dedicated Special Needs Program, we offer participants meaningful opportunities for physical activity, personal development, and social integration. The center provides a supportive and inclusive environment where children can build confidence, develop motor and social skills, and enjoy the benefits of community and connection.
Center Manager
Shimon Amar
Program Coordinator
Ron Becker
Ramat Hasharon
Since 1976, the Larry and Mary Greenspon Israel Tennis & Education Center continues to cultivate excellence through its unique tennis and social impact programs, nurturing generations of Israeli children to become leaders in their community. The Canada Stadium was inaugurated at the center in 1979 and has served Israel’s national Davis and Fed Cup Teams ever since, as well as hosting international ATP Tournaments.
As the home of ITEC’s High Performance program, the courts at Ramat Hasharon have produced some of the greatest athletes in Israeli sports history: such as Amos Mansdorf, Anna Shmashnova, and Harel Levy are just a few of the men and women who have passed through the center’s doors on the road to great success.
Center Manager
At-Risk
Performance
Needs
Living
Ilan Maman
Program Coordinator
Nadav Avraham
Tel Aviv
52
400+ Children Served Annually
Tel Aviv is Israel’s center of commerce, culture and entertainment. Located on the Mediterranean seashore, it offers visitors trendy nightclubs, cutting-edge theatre, first-rate museums and a bustling atmosphere that infuses the city’s rich history with modern cultural events.
However, like every large city, some of Tel Aviv’s neighborhoods score low on Israel’s socioeconomic scale, with wide spread poverty. According to the Jerusalem Institute, 23% of Tel Aviv’s children live below the poverty line. It is in these impoverished areas where the work of ITEC Tel Aviv is most important. Keeping children at risk off the streets and in a productive and nurturing environment.
Programs
Youth At-Risk
High Performance
Living Together
Special Needs
Girls’ Empowerment
Center Manager
Tamir Morad
Program Coordinator
Alan Bustenai
Arad
72
# of Social Impact Participants
250+ Children Served Annually
Located on the outskirts of the Judean desert, the city of Arad offers something for everyone. Known throughout Israel for its clean air and hypnotic desert landscape, thousands of visitors pass through Arad every year on their way to campsites or a dip in the Dead Sea. Arad is home to a diverse population of over 23,000 people including Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews, Bedouins, and new immigrants. However, the city is in a state of decline with a steady stream of residents slowly leaving due to the poor economic conditions plaguing the area. Arad’s unemployment rate is near 25 percent. As a result, the Harry & Evelyn Burg Israel Tennis & Education Center in Arad serves as a beacon of hope for the many children that walk through its doors every day.
Programs
Living Together
Youth At-Risk
Speical Needs
Girls’ Empowerment
Head Start
High Performance
Center Manager
Leah Hershkovitz
Program Coordinator
Genia Gmar Viner
96
While the city of Ashkelon dates back to biblical times, it is home to Israel’s youngest population. Of the city’s 110,000 residents, one third are under the age of 20.
The Marjorie Sherman Israel Tennis & Education Center is one of our larger facilities, specifically built to accommodate the flood of children who come through its doors every day. With 43% of Ashkelon’s population originally born abroad, the metropolis today is a thriving melting pot. ITEC Ashkelon has recognized the needs of the community and has dedicated a significant portion of its programming towards children at risk and children with special needs.
Center Manager
Shay Amar
Program Coordinator
Raz Hershkovitz
Beer Sheva
137
Beer Sheva has become the Negev’s largest and most influential metropolis, currently the fifth largest city in Israel. In the past two decades the city’s tremendous growth can be attributed in large part to the multiple waves of immigrants from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union who have made Beer Sheva their home. As this population continues to grow, the Samson Israel Tennis & Education Center’s goal is to successfully integrate the children of these refugees into Israeli society to ensure that they become successful Israeli citizens.
To accommodate this growing community, ITEC launched its Ethiopian Excellence program which aims to help Ethiopian youth gain confidence and transcend social barriers.
Center Manager
Yaniv Sakira
Program Coordinator
Ravid Dorin
Girls’
The city of Ofakim was founded in 1955 by Jewish immigrants from North Africa, Iran, India and Romania. Being one of Israel’s most impoverished cities, the children of Ofakim often come from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds. The city is becoming stagnant, and with an unemployment rate approaching twenty five percent, the citizens of Ofakim experience challenges on a regular basis.
With less than ten percent of the city’s youth going on to gain degrees in higher education, ITEC Ofakim offers its children after school counseling and tutoring to improve their academic performance and provide them with the skills to excel.
Center Manager
At-Risk
Karen Shemes
Program Coordinator
Ravid Dorin
Dimona
30+
Children Served Annually
Dimona is the third largest city in the Negev with 40,000 residents. A multi-cultural city, Dimona is home to 27 different dialects from around the world, part of a recent migration from all areas of Israel settling the Negev region, reducing the unemployment rate from 16% (2013) to 8% (today).
ITEC Dimona is one of our newest centers, focusing on tennis lessons and programming, with plans to expaned to serve the growing community closest to their homes.
