Noble Energy joins Jewish Agency disadvantaged children project

Noble Energy Inc. (NYSE: NBL) yesterday announced that it has joined the Jewish Agency Youth Futures program, which supports disadvantaged children and children at risk in Israel's periphery. Noble Energy's $2 million donation targets programs in four towns: Beersheva, Ofakim, Lod, and Safed.

The announcement of Noble Energy's partnership was made at a Jewish Agency governors meeting at the Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem, in the presence of Jewish community leaders from around the world, Jewish Agency Board of Governors chairman James Tisch, executive chairman Natan Sharansky, and Noble Energy director of corporate affairs Bini Zomer.

Youth Futures is a leading program for children at risk and for narrowing social gaps in Israel. The program works with the education and welfare systems, municipal authorities, schools, and communities. Jewish communities around the world, Israeli and foreign foundations, and Israeli companies, finance the program. The program's 2012 budget is NIS 40 million.

Noble Energy SVP Eastern Mediterranean Operations Lawson Freeman said that the company hoped that this would be the start of long and fruitful collaboration.

Members of Israel's business community were also present at the event, including Raya Strauss Ben-Dror, Eliezer (Modi) Zandberg, Galia Albin, Moshe Golbary, Dedi Levi, Moshe Teumim, Tali Biron, Yehiel Eckstein, Miriam (Miki) Haran, and Eli Avidar.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 27, 2012