The Lifesaving Legacy of Boys Town Jerusalem

FJMC Regions and Clubs have a unique opportunity to support and advocate for the Israel Defense Forces through supporting Boys Town Jerusalem, from where the IDF gains many future soldiers. Representatives and volunteers for Boys Town, including Ron Kurzer, in FJMC’s Northern New Jersey region are looking for other volunteers from FJMC Regions to advocate for BTJ and tell BTJ’s story at your meetings and events! Contact
Ron Kurzer to join the BTJ team.

Here’s the story of BTJ

At the State of Israel’s birth in 1948, American educator Rabbi Alexander Linchner gave the new nation a life-changing gift: the establishment of Boys Town Jerusalem. Today, the school’s 7,500 graduates take the lead in Israeli technology, commerce, education, military service, and public life. There are BTJ foundations in the US, Canada, UK and Australia. Canadian Friends of Boys Town Jerusalem was founded in the mid-1970s under the guidance and leadership of Eric Exton, z’l, and several other generous community leaders from across Canada. It is based in Toronto.

“Boys Town Jerusalem was among Israel’s very first academic and vocational high
schools,” notes CEO Yoni Strimber. “It offered a haven—and critical vocational
skills—to teenage boys escaping the horrors of the Holocaust and oppression in
Arab lands.”

The school’s pioneering three-part curriculum encompassing academic, technological, and Jewish studies continues today, demanding long hours and
great effort from students—but granting them vital tools to thrive. For the record number of boys from distressed or impoverished homes, this opportunity is life changing.

Currently, 900 students in grades 7–12 study advanced computer science, robotics,
cybersecurity, and technology, alongside comprehensive academic and religious studies. In addition, BTJ’s two-year College of Applied Engineering prepares graduates to serve as IDF officers in elite technological and cyber units throughout their five-year military commitment.

“We’re immensely proud of the hundreds of BTJ alumni now serving in IDF units and in the reserves,” Strimber emphasizes. “Our grads lead in tech units, operate Iron Dome defense systems, contribute to R&D programs, and serve across all branches. Tragically, 76 alumni and faculty members have fallen since 1948—including six grads in the current war.”

More than an academic institution, Boys Town Jerusalem is a nurturing, supportive home. Students enjoy three wholesome, home-cooked meals daily—a lifeline for boys with no food at home. Modern dormitories offer comfort and security, while students enjoy donors’ gifts of a state-of-the-art gym and sports field. Most importantly, the school’s well-resourced Social Services Department gives boys a lifesaving helping hand to gain confidence, acquire life skills, and achieve their potential.

“We’re deeply proud to be building Israel’s future and strengthening the Jewish people,” Strimber affirms.