HESEG Foundation
{{short description|Canadian charitable organization}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
The HESEG Foundation is a charitable organization founded by Canadian CEOs Gerry Schwartz and Heather Reisman in 2005Kennemer, Daniel, "New fund for lone soldiers launched", Jerusalem Post, May 4, 2005 to provide scholarships for post-secondary education to former lone soldiers who have completed their service in the Israel Defense Forces.[http://www.heseg.com/page2.asp?id=9 HESEG Foundation website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009163400/http://www.heseg.com/page2.asp?id=9 |date=2007-10-09 }}, accessed January 1, 2008Falconer, Sara, " Indigo donates millions to Israeli soldiers", The Hour, June 7, 2007
HESEG awards scholarships to several different categories of former soldiers, the largest of which (based on dollars awarded) are former lone soldiers. Lone soldiers are individuals that serve in the IDF that, for one reason or another, have no family in Israel to support them. Many of them have suffered traumas in their lives and have no local support system or assistance. HESEG receives approximately 900 applications each year in this category and awards approximately 70 scholarships.{{Cite news |last=Wheeler |first=Glenn |date=2007-06-07 |title=Indigo's Israel Problem |work=NOW Magazine |url=https://nowtoronto.com/news/indigos-israel-problem/ |access-date=2023-11-29}}
Approximately 6,000 "lone soldiers" serve in the IDF in any one year.
In 2006, HESEG donated 100 mobile air conditioning units to provide relief for residents of northern Israel forced to live in bomb shelters during the 2006 Lebanon War.Rettig, Haviv, "Canadians bring breath of fresh air to shelters", Jerusalem Post, July 21, 2006
Heseg is the Hebrew word for "achievement".Wheeler, Glen, "[http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2007-06-07/news_story5.php Indigo's Israel problem] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012171640/http://nowtoronto.com/issues/2007-06-07/news_story5.php|date=2007-10-12}}", Now Magazine, July 7-13, 2007
Criticism
Schwartz and Reisman's role in the foundation has led pro-Palestinian activists to organize a boycott campaign of the Chapters and Indigo book chain (Chapters/Indigo).Wheeler, Glen, "[http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2007-06-07/news_story5.php Indigo's Israel problem] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012171640/http://nowtoronto.com/issues/2007-06-07/news_story5.php|date=2007-10-12}}", Now Magazine, July 7-13, 2007
In light of the 2023 Israel-Hamas war, criticism of the IDF has escalated in regards to its international human rights and humanitarian law record.{{Cite web |date=2019-01-30 |title=Chapter 3: Israeli Settlements and International Law |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2019/01/chapter-3-israeli-settlements-and-international-law/ |access-date=2023-11-23 |website=Amnesty International |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-11-21 |title=International law questions abound as Israeli forces raid Gaza hospitals |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/gaza-hospitals-israel-hamas-international-law-rcna125889 |access-date=2023-11-23 |website=NBC News |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=UN chief says 'clear violations of international humanitarian law' in Gaza |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/24/un-chief-says-clear-violations-of-international-humanitarian-law-in-gaza |access-date=2023-11-23 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}
Critics claim HESEG violates the Foreign Enlistment Act by offering inducements to Canadians to join a foreign military service.{{cite news |last1=Engler |first1=Yves |title=Op-ed: The push to stop Israeli military recruitment in Canada |url=https://nowtoronto.com/news/the-push-to-stop-israeli-defense-forces-recruitment-in-canada/ |access-date=December 1, 2023 |work=Now Magazine |date=May 17, 2021}}
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) states that “supporting the armed forces of another country is not” charitable. Yves Engler wrote that HESEG violates CRA rules by being one of many Canadian charitable organizations that send money to the IDF.{{cite news|title=Legal complaint launched against Israeli-Canadian charity|url=https://rabble.ca/politics/canadian-politics/legal-complaint-launched-against-israeli-canadian-charity/}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.heseg.com HESEG Foundation website]
Category:Foundations based in Canada
Category:Israel Defense Forces
Category:Scholarships in Canada
Category:Charities based in Canada
{{Canada-org-stub}}
{{Israel-mil-stub}}