In July, PRE4CLE Executive Director Katie Kelly joined 40 other nonprofit, education, and community leaders on the new Thomas and Joann Adler Civic Leaders Israel Mission.

The biennial weeklong mission launched by Tom and Joanie Adler was established through an endowment at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. The trip is meant introduce participants to Israel’s economic and community development, education and support of at-risk populations, and to create partnership opportunities.

Several of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s initiatives were visited during the week-long journey, including Parents and Children Together (PACT).

PACT addresses the educational disparity within the Ethiopian-Israeli community by reducing the academic and social gaps between Ethiopian-Israeli children and their veteran Israeli peers, helping them to enter first grade on an equal footing. Adopting a holistic approach, PACT provides comprehensive educational and community services for Ethiopian- Israeli children from 6 months to 12 years, while at the same time offering targeted training and support to their parents, the community, local educators and service providers.

Recognizing parents as central to their child’s development, PACT works to strengthen them in their parental role and help ensure a smoother integration for themselves and their families. Today, PACT is working in 14 cities across Israel reaching some 7000 Ethiopian-Israeli children.

During the Adler Mission visit, PACT celebrated its 20^th Anniversary.  In those 20 years, the PACT program has made significant strides in the educational attainment of Ethiopian-Israeli children, including reducing the kindergarten repetition rate among that population from 48% to 2%.

PRE4CLE is grateful for the opportunity to learn from successful early childhood models across the nation, and now across the world!  Thank you to Tom and Joann Adler and The Jewish Federation of Cleveland for making these important connections possible.