Volume 8, Issue 9 / Av 5765 / September 2005

Net@

"A Net@ certificate is very prestigious and will really help me to establish myself in the high-tech sector."

Or Edri (16) lives in the development town of Sderot. Living under the constant threat of Kassam rocket attacks from the neighboring Gaza Strip, Or and his family try to live life as normally as possible.

The fourth of five children, Or loves computers and writing and combines both these passions in his everyday life: Or is in the process of writing a book – though the subject is still secret; and as a result of his extraordinary grades, motivation and exemplary behavior, Or was accepted to Net@.

A collaborative and innovative three-year program of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Hayesod, the Tapuach Association and Cisco Systems, Net@ trains disadvantaged youth in Israel's peripheral areas in computer technology and in the building and maintenance of Internet-related networks in order for them to compete for highly sought after hi-tech positions.

Or Edri

Going into 11th grade, Or has completed his second year in Net@ and is already a certified computer technician. “A Net@ certificate is very prestigious and will really help me to establish myself in the high-tech sector," Or adds.

In addition to training and education, Net@ entails volunteer projects in local schools and community centers during its third year. Net@ participants reflect a microcosm of Israeli society and include Jews and Arabs, religious and secular, and new immigrant and veteran Israeli students.

Or plans to serve in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as a computer technician. "I believe there are negotiations underway between Net@ and the IDF, so graduates can go directly into the army's technological units," says Or.

"Participating in Net@ has made me really excited about my future. I feel that I am on the right track with opportunities I never dreamed possible."

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