The Wisam Khamees Scholarship Fund for Arabs and Jews

The Wisam Khamees Scholarship Fund for Arabs and Jews is dedicated to supporting Israelis - both Arabs and Jews alike - in their pursuit of higher education. The Fund is the only Israeli non-profit organization to award scholarships for higher education to both Arabs and Jews, symbolizing the Fund's commitment to academic advancement as well as co-existence in Israel. In 1999, 17.5-year old Wisam Khamees was tragically killed in an accident, just months before he was to begin his academic career. Prior to his death, Wisam was an active leader in a non-profit organization which promotes co-existence between Jews and Arabs. Upon his death, the money he had saved over the years towards his higher education was used as the first scholarships the Fund awarded. Since then, the Fund has continued to award hundreds of scholarships each year. A call for equality and co-existence among Arabs and Jews: From the onset, the Fund has been guided by its strong belief in awarding scholarships to both Israeli Arabs and Jews alike and awards scholarships equally. The Fund's scholars, the future leaders of Israel, are proud recipients of scholarships that carry the spirit of equality and democracy. The Fund serves as a model of equal treatment and fairness in the face of a society still tainted with discrimination. The successful, egalitarian policies of the Fund are a call to the government of Israel that co-existence among Arabs and Jews is possible. Profound devotion to higher education: The Wisam Khamees Scholarship Fund for Arabs and Jews was made possible by Wisam-s dream and investment in education from a very early age. The Fund believes that higher education supports the backbone of a modern and progressive society in the State of Israel.