HESEG Foundation

The HESEG Foundation is a charitable foundation created by Canadians Gerry Schwartz and Heather Reisman in 2005Kennemer, Daniel, "New fund for lone soldiers launched", "Jerusalem Post", May 4, 2005] to provide scholarships to former "lone soldiers" who are non-Israeli-born Jews without family in Israel who go to the country in order to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. [ [http://www.heseg.com/page2.asp?id=9 HESEG Foundation website] , accessed January 1, 2008] [Falconer, Sara, " Indigo donates millions to Israeli soldiers", "The Hour", June 7, 2007] HESEG provides money to cover tuition and living expenses for former "lone soldiers" who wish to remain in Israel to study after they've completed their military service.Wheeler, Glen, " [http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2007-06-07/news_story5.php Indigo's Israel problem] ", "Now Magazine", July 7-13, 2007]

Approximately 6,000 "lone soldiers" serve in the IDF in any one year. At a ceremony at Sde Dov Air Force Base in 2005 launching the foundation, Schwartz said "I hope that with the help of the Heseg Foundation, we will be able to grant lone soldiers, who have contributed and sacrificed so much for Israel, the chance to grow and enrich themselves academically, and, above all, that their future in Israel will be ensured."

In 2006, HESEG donated 100 mobile air conditioning units to provide relief for residents of northern Israel forced to live in bomb shelters during the Israel-Hezbollah War. [Rettig, Haviv, "Canadians bring breath of fresh air to shelters", "Jerusalem Post", July 21, 2006]

Schwartz and Reisman's role in the foundation has led to a boycott campaign by anti-Israel activists of the Chapters and Indigo book chain (Chapters/Indigo) as Reisman owns the chains and Schwartz, her husband, serves on the company's board of directors.

"Heseg" is the Hebrew word for "achievement".

References

External links

* [http://www.heseg.com HESEG Foundation website]