Focus on the Next Generation

During the war, an extraordinary initiative was born: “An Hour of Focus” — a volunteer project by students who provide hundreds of free Zoom tutoring sessions each week to students who were evacuated from their homes. What began as a simple WhatsApp group has grown into a national project that offers students not only knowledge but also a sense of routine, stability, and hope.

Shalev Shriki and Ohad Teshuva, both students in the Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Technion and active IDF reservists, initiated the project. Shalev proposed the original idea — offering one-on-one Zoom tutoring — and Ohad suggested expanding it into an organized operation. Together with classmates, including Yoav Vinov and Alon Shorr, they built an infrastructure that still supports hundreds of weekly lessons, all of which are entirely on a volunteer basis.

“When I returned from reserve duty, I felt that I didn’t want to leave behind the spirit of mutual responsibility,” says Ohad. “This project allows us to bring that same spirit of care and giving into civilian life.”

Most of the volunteers are students — many from the Technion’s engineering faculty — who tutor in subjects like math, physics, and English. Each volunteer is paired with a specific student, enabling the development of a personal relationship and educational continuity.

“We quickly realized that the main challenge wasn’t teaching ourselves,” explains Shalev, “but managing the system, building an entire framework to recruit volunteers and  identify students, and match them accordingly.”

The scale of the operation is impressive: around 250 active volunteers, hundreds of students, a team of coordinators, and a behind-the-scenes support structure. The project has expanded beyond the Technion, now including volunteers from other universities and even professional teachers who joined the effort. Financial support is minimal and primarily covers graphic design, publicity, and website maintenance, funded by the Technion.

“There are some truly moving moments,” shares Ohad. “One of our volunteers is a tank soldier who was injured in Gaza and can no longer fight — but he found a way to keep contributing through this project. And some students told us their grades jumped from 20 to 70 — moments like these give us the strength to keep going.”

For more information: https://www.focushour.org.il