The History

Established as an immigrant city in 1954, Kiryat Gat suffers from high unemployment and has few facilities to engage local children after school. The city which has 52,000 residents, many of whom are first or second generation Olim from Arab countries, Africa and Russia, suffers from poor infrastructure and a lack of government funding. There is, therefore, a lack of facilities providing for the needs and well-being of residents, and more specifically there is no place for the city’s youth to interact and have fun.

JNF UK worked closely with local authorities and in 2012 began a project to create a Sports Club and Enrichment Centre for the young people of the area. We converted a section of a football stadium into a state-of-the-art youth club, which was completed in 2014. Children and young people attend the Centre after school to enjoy socialising and an array of activities including sports, art, music and martial-arts.  The Centre also offers a relaxed and informal atmosphere to get help and encouragement with school work.

By providing a warm and stimulating environment, the centre gives the young people of Kiryat Gat a place of safety, support and personal enrichment.