Photos by: Michael Rajzman
With over 500 young Jewish adults coming through Bat Yam this spring and summer as part of a new initiative in conjunction with United Israel Appeal of Canada, Canada Israel Experience trips with Taglit-Birthright & Hoops 4 Israel; the social action encounters have brought new perspective and nachas into the hearts of these dynamic children of this vulnerable community. UJA Federation of Greater Toronto's sister-city for the past two years has been Bat Yam - as several fundraising and now grassroots initiatives are cropping up to bring support to the youth of this growing city.
Founder of Hoops 4 Israel in Toronto, Canada - Dave Goodman greets the kids!
The visit to Bat Yam gives young Jewish adults from Canada a glimpse into the lives of these young children who have to face significant challenges to assimilate and adapt to Israeli society. Many children living in Bat Yam have only moved to Israel in the past 1-4 years and are still going through the transition phase of life. The CIE Taglit-Birthright time with these Ethiopian-Israeli youth give them a better idea of how difficult adolescence can be during a life of transition and difficult cultural change.
Over 80 care packages were made for IDF soldiers who are stationed
away from family during their service on bases throughout Israel.
Bat Yam youth really taking to the Canadians playfulness and durability
Over 50% of these children come from families relying on social welfare services
40% of these children are categorized as 'at-risk' and 1 in 4 will drop out of high school
B.Y.O.B., an initiative to bring participants of TBI to visit the community and bring tangible goods to enhance these children's lives. If you have any of the following and would like to have them shipped to Bat Yam via CIE trips, please contact goodman@hoops4israel.com:
- school supplies
- musical instruments
- sports equipment
- gently used or new clothing
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