Athena Fund

Athena Fund is a non-profit organization established in 2006 to empower all teachers in Israel by providing them with tools for self-fulfillment and professional advancement. Named after the Goddess of Wisdom in Greek mythology, the Fund was founded by several prominent business leaders in Israel. The Fund’s flagship initiative is the innovative "Laptop Computer for Every Teacher in Israel" program.

The program’s mission is to empower Israeli teachers and raise their status. The goal of the program is to provide a laptop computer and 120 hours of professional training to each and every teacher in Israel by the year 2017. These innovative and "connected" teachers possess the professional tools required for successfully addressing the information revolution and elevating themselves from mere "sources of information" to true "mentors."

Launched in August 2007 under the sponsorship of the Prime Minister's Office, the program has been implemented with the cooperation of the Ministry of Education, the Fund for Professional Advancement of the Israel Teachers Union, and Bank Massad. The program is supported by donors from the philanthropic third sector as well as partners from the business sector.

More than 11,000 teachers have already received laptop or tablet computers and professional training in over 430 Jewish, Arab, Druzi, Circassian and Bedouin communities across Israel. In 2012, the program was expanded to include kindergarten teachers as well and teachers of science and technology in 2014 and special education teachers in 2015.