FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW YORK, NY – March 24, 2014 – Shimon Shkury, president of Ariel Property Advisors, announced that his company has created a scholarship program that will enable students attending the Open University of Israel to complete their studies.

Named after Mr. Shkury’s late brother, the Guy Shkury Scholarship for Excellent Academic Achievement and Determination at the Open University of Israel will be awarded to students over the next few years.

“Guy graduated with distinction from the Open University, which is in a position to make education accessible to everyone in Israel,” Mr. Shkury said. “Through this scholarship program, we are identifying excellent students who, due to circumstances beyond their control, need financial support to complete their studies.”

Scholarships given in memory of Guy Shkury target individual students who have completed a minimum of half of their academic studies with distinction and cannot afford to finish the balance of their requirements to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. In partnership with the Open University of Israel, the chosen students are given the opportunity to finish their academic studies at no further cost to them. Nine scholarship recipients have already been selected.

“I am honored to acknowledge this generous gesture, which marks the first time a New York City-based real estate firm has made such a substantial contribution to our institution and to efforts to close the socioeconomic gap in Israeli society,” said Prof. Jacob Metzer, president of the Open University. “As the scholarship recipients move on to the next stages of their lives and careers, they will be perpetuating the message of the scholarship and the memory of Guy Shkury.”

The scholarship program was announced at a recent event co-sponsored by the Open University of Israel at which Justice Dorit Beinish, Chancellor of the Open University of Israel and President of the Supreme Court of Israel (Ret), served as the keynote speaker.

Justice Beinish thanked Mr. Shkury and Ariel Property Advisors for the scholarship program and highlighted how it is compatible with the Open University’s objective to reach out and educate Israelis that wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to study.

“I have always believed that our very complex and diverse society needs to cultivate and promote the values of democracy and equality and that we have two pillars to achieve that—the law and education,” Justice Beinish said. “Without education, we won’t have a democratic society, a healthy society, a more equal society, and a good and developed economy.”

As part of Ariel Property Advisors’ mission, the firm supports nearly 50 nonprofit and community-based organizations including Legal Outreach; Harlem RBI; Steve’s Camp at Horizon Farms; UJA Federation of NY; Brooklyn Historical Society; the Jewish Children’s Museum; local development corporations in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx; business and professional groups; affordable and supportive housing groups; and Israeli-related organizations.

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