Regional Chess Tournament for Bedouin Schools

**IMPORTANT UPDATE - MAY 6 @ 3PM - We have a matching donor for the first $1000 raised! It will be given through a DAF, so we are taking the $1,000 off the goal to raise here on the jgive site.  Money can be donated through this website, through the PEF, JFNA, or JCF San Diego. Please be in touch with menucha@desertstars.org.il with any questions  ** For the first time in the Negev, a regional chess tournament will bring together students from 12 Bedouin schools in six towns. This is ​a pioneering step towards creating a culture of strategic thinking and inter-community dialogue in Bedouin society. Chess, considered a noble and intellectual game throughout the world, is almost non-existent in Bedouin schools. Through this tournament, and through ongoing after school clubs led by Jibril, we seek to change this reality. Project goals: • Promoting chess culture in Bedouin schools in the Negev • Encouraging investment in strategic thinking education • Fostering values ​​of fairness, positive competition, and mutual respect • Creating social connections between students from different towns Competition details: May 29, 2025 at Wadi Attir 96 students from 12 Bedouin schools Team competition (teams of 6 players), 4 rounds, qualified professional judges Total cost: 19,000 ₪ (approx. $5,000) Why now? This tournament was born from the field, at the initiative of a Desert Stars graduate, and seeks to mark a new horizon for students who are not used to seeing themselves as thinkers. How can I help? We are looking for one or more partners to sponsor the initiative. Every donation will be warmly acknowledged, with updates from the field and video documentation of the event. This is an opportunity to take part in a small change with a big impact.