The MERKAVA Portal will be open for submissions until 8.12.2020.

Purpose of the support 

The support is intended to encourage local councils to establish new plans (or expand existing ones) that promote an active and healthy lifestyle for their residents by joining the 'Efsharibari in the City' initiative and execute an annual work plan in 2021, including programs that are compatible with the COVID-19 restrictions, in the following areas:  

1. Physical activity
2. Healthy nutrition 
3. Smoke-free environment 
4. Reinforcing the resilience of high-risk populations 

Details of the support

Assistance with questions and clarifications

In case of technical difficulties, contact the technical support staff of the MERKAVA portal at 02-5012443.

Below is a response document to the clarification questions about public appeal 12380 that were sent to the Ministry by mail and were discussed in the briefing session for local councils' representatives on November 5th, 2020:

Response document to the clarification questions about public appeal 12380 (HE)

Please note:

• Applications must be filed through the MERKAVA portal and they must include all of the required documents and forms as specified in the public appeal.
• Once you have uploaded all the filled out required documents to the MERKAVA portal, click "Submit created application" (in the main page in the category "applications"). Without this action, there will be no confirmation that the documents have been submitted, even if they have been entered. 
• Additionally, as part of Efsharibari in the City 2020, you must log on into a task-specific system created for filling out the required online documents.
• The final decision is subject to approval by the Support Committee.

Files and links 

A. The full support document – Public appeal number 12380 by the Ministry of Health for supporting local councils implementing health-promotion programs as part of the "Efsharibari in the City" initiative 2020 (HE) (Please note: Due to a scribal error on page 10, a revised edition has been uploaded on 27.10.2020)

B. Links to the required documents (HE): 

1. Head of council declaration and commitment to lead and promote the 'Efsharibari in the City' initiative in the local council
2. Head of council and treasurer declaration and commitment to fulfill the terms and conditions, instructions and guidelines 
3. Online questionnaire – The indices of 'Efsharibari in the City' – for online completion only (PDF file, identical to the online questionnaire, can be used to help prepare all the details before filling out the online form)
4. Format of an 'Efsharibari in the City' work plan for support – for online completion only (PDF file, identical to the online questionnaire, can be used to help prepare all the details before filling out the online work plan

C. Required forms, in accordance with the guidance by the Accountant General, that will appear upon creation of the application in the portal.

Recommendations for professional assistance

1. It is important to get the various partners involved in the program, especially the directors of education and sports, the steering committee and the top council officials in order to receive a confirmation for the required budgetary commitment. 
2. When planning the work plan, it is important to involve the health promoters in the local health bureaus, subject to their availability. 
3. It is important that your application will rely on mappings or surveys, if previously made in the council, and of course on the indices questionnaire that you are required to fill out as part of the application. Some of these health indices are displayed in the locality health map – the Ministry of Health's geographical information portal (HE).
4. You may use the following pages for assistance (HE): 
   
   • Efsharibari guide for local councils
   • Efsharibari website
   • Healthy cities in Israel: Document on the healthy cities network
   • Healthy Cities network website
   • The Nutrition Division, the Ministry of Health
5. You may seek the assistance of professionals specializing in health-promoting programs and other professionals according to the subject of the program (HE): 
   
   • Healthy Cities
   • Atid Association maintains a list of certified nutritionists
6. You should consult officials who are experienced in filling out public appeal documents for local councils in the MERKAVA portal and be prepared ahead of time to fill out all the documents and forms.
7.  In case additional assistance is required, you may also contact Mr. Nasim Asi, the national coordinator of Efsharibari in the City at nasimahealth@gmail.com and/or Ilana Shemla Laloum, the professional manager of the Healthy Cities network at ilana.healthycities@masham.org.il and schedule a brief consultation session.