About BTJ

Our Mission

Boys Town Jerusalem transforms the lives of disadvantaged youth through excellent education in technology and Jewish values, empowering future generations of leaders to build Israel.

Our Vision

Established in 1948 to provide a home and education for young immigrants to the newly-created State of Israel, Boys Town Jerusalem provides an outstanding education that integrates Jewish heritage and advanced technology.

Through educating, caring, and innovating, Boys Town Jerusalem transforms the lives of Israeli youth from diverse backgrounds, inspiring our students to serve as productive citizens and defenders of Israel. We offer grades 7-12 and a College of Applied Engineering, certified by Israel’s Ministry of Education. Approximately 950 students study and live on the campus. The children of immigrants from 45 countries on six continents, they mirror Israel’s ethnic diversity. Our 7,500 graduates serve in top positions in the IDF and Israeli companies.

Today, your support allows Boys Town Jerusalem to continue to help Israel’s most vulnerable children and bring out the best in each and every child. More than 95% come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and require substantial scholarship assistance. Join us in supporting our mission to empower the next generation of leaders.

Our partners around the world

Click on the flags to learn more

Boys Town Jerusalem Foundation of America

British Friends of Boys Town Jerusalem

Canadian Friends of Boys Town Jerusalem

Australian Friends of Boys Town Jerusalem

FAQs

When was Boys Town Jerusalem established?

The school first open in 1948.

What age are the students who attend Boys Town Jerusalem?

Boys Town Jerusalem is a high school (secondary school), the children start at age 12 and graduate at age 18.

Beyond 18, a proportion of students defer their IDF service for two years to study in the College of Applied Engineering (CAE). Students are also able to enroll in an undergraduate degree program in conjunction with the Jerusalem College of Technology. Boys Town Jerusalem is now one of very few Israeli institutions to offer the opportunity to study from 7th Grade through college.

What specific areas or services are directly supported by my gift to BTJ?

Your gift to BTJ supports several crucial areas and services, including: three nourishing meals a day, practical support such as clothing and travel expenses, full-time counseling services, one-to-one tutoring support, dedicated special education classes, and a diverse extracurricular program.

How many students are there in the school?

Numbers vary from year to year but on average 950 students attend Boys Town Jerusalem at any one time.

Since its establishment, more than 7,500 boys have graduated from Boys Town Jerusalem.

Where is the school?

Boys Town Jerusalem’s 18 acre campus has been situated in Bayit Vegan since the 1960s. The neighborhood is in southwest Jerusalem to the east of Mount Herzl and borders the neighborhoods of Kiryat Hayovel and Givat Mordechai. 

Alumni Success

With over 7,500 graduates, Boys Town Jerusalem alumni have continued on to do incredible things. Here are just some of the notable Boys Town Jerusalem graduates:

{The four formative years I spent at this school helped shape my entire path in life. The analytic, logical thinking I learned at Boys Town and the ability to deal with problems became invaluable tools throughout my over 30 years in the Army.
5
Yoav Mordechai
Ret. IDF Major General
IDF
{

I owe Boys Town Jerusalem a great deal… The six years that I spent here were a life-changing experience for me.

5
Dr. Maro Gete
ENT
Shaare Zedek Hospital

Yaakov Afflalo
IT Director
Rafa Pharmaceutical

Ayal Ben Atar
Director of Training
Magen David Adom, Jerusalem

Roni Avivi
Project Manager
Orbotech

Judge Baruch Azulai
Deputy President of Israel’s Southern District Court

Major Benny Brinder
Commander of Fighter Jet Engines Division on IAF base

Daniel C.
Deputy Commander
Israel Air Force

Yakir Damri
Systems Engineer
Rafael Defense Systems

Shai Dreizen
General Manager
Ashkelon Water Desalination Plant (click to see video)

Colonel Ben-Zvi Elyassi
Logistics Coordinator
Home Front Command in the IDF

Professor Dan Engelhard, MD
Director of Paediatrics
Hadassah Hospital

Avi Fruchter
Development Team Leader
CISCO

Meir Harel
Deputy Inspector
National Fire Department

Yossi Hasan
Computer Development
Sandisk

Shaul Hodefi
Production Supervisor
ELTA Electronic Industries, Ltd.

Shmuel Hollander
Civil Service Commissioner

Lt. Col. Benayahu Jamus
Chief Chaplain of the Israeli Navy

Moti Landes
Network Monitoring, IT Infrastructure & Info Security Manager
Coca Cola

Yechiel Levenson
Senior Product Engineer and Technical Leader, Intel

Prof. Avi Levy
President
Chemdat Hadarom University

Ohad Liebovitz
Head of Security Operations
Prime Minister’s Office

Yuval Miara
Principal
Hillel Community School
Aventura FL

Brigadier General Yoav Mordechai
Coordinator of Gov. Activities in the Territories

Captain Nir S.
Fighter Pilot
Israel Air Force

Avraham Novogrodski
CEO, Africa – Israel Industries

Raphael Ouzan
Founder and CEO of BillGuard
(online security)

Boaz Roth
Team Leader
Samsung

Dr. Moshe Suissa
Cardiologist
Hadassah Hospital
Jerusalem

Uriel Touito
Head of Religious Services
Herzog Hospital

Lior Uza
Computer Engineer
Elbit

Eli Zeitlin
Senior Development Lead
Microsoft

Dr. Maro Gete
ENT Specialist
Shaarei Zedek Hospital