Following the devastating attacks of October 7, many young people from Southern Israeli kibbutzim (Kfar Aza, Be’eri, Nir Oz, Kerem Shalom, Erez) or who participated in the NOVA music festival are suffering from post-traumatic shock.

Some have lost family members, friends, or their homes. Marked by grief and a loss of stability, these young people are unable to resume a normal life or stable employment, and face a deeply uncertain future.

To enable them to continue their studies under the best possible conditions despite everything, without having to worry about the financial burden, FSJU Israel has established a dedicated scholarship program.

The objective: to support them materially and psychologically by ensuring the continuity of their academic journey.

This program was launched following a poignant meeting with survivors from Kfar Aza, just a few days after October 7. It quickly expanded to other attacked kibbutzim (Kerem Shalom, Beeri, Erez) as well as to survivors of the NOVA festival and relatives of hostages.

It was named in memory of Alon Shimriz z”l, an engineering student who was abducted on October 7 in Kfar Aza by Hamas terrorists, and tragically killed in Gaza during a failed rescue operation.

Thanks to an extended territorial network covering all southern communities, this student scholarship program is now established for the long term, serving young Israelis affected by the war.