B.Y.O.B. (Birthright on Bat Yam) - Going Strong!!!

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.

Birthright Israel participants visiting the community within Bat Yam on June 2nd, 2010

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

Touched by Bat Yam on Birthright Israel (January 2010)

By: Vanessa Bloomfield (Banff, Alberta)

I recently went on Taglit-Birthright trip to Israel with Canada Israel Experience. I am extremely grateful to Canada Israel Experience and my madrachim (trip leaders)for this incredible opportunity. While it was eye opening in many respects regarding my personal beliefs about Judaism—the most eye opening experience came on the final day of the trip. We went to Bat Yam, a small, poor Ethiopian immigrant community on the outskirts of Tel Aviv. While in Tel Aviv you can feel the wealth and capitalism. There are shops, markets, hair salons and modern apartment buildings strung in rows upon each other. The people walking the streets speak English and Hebrew; there are tourist attractions, local pubs, and advertisements for businesses. Tel Aviv, is, in every sense, a modern city.

As we drove to Bat Yam the apartments became more run down, smaller. The streets became different. Maybe it was my imagination, but it felt darker. We were told that these children have come to Israel with nothing, usually only the clothes on their backs. They are, literally, starting from scratch. We went to an after school program where the children are given a positive space to play and learn after school. We made boxes for soldiers and pom-poms out of tissue paper to cheer on the basketball game that was to occur.

The kids were shy at first, but despite the language barrier were obviously excited and pleased. Underneath the excitement the sense of poverty was apparent. The play room was a former bunker, and the school heavily relied on charity to create this space for the children of Bat Yam. This place could be the difference between a life of crime on the streets or a life of bettering the world with whatever contribution the children choose to make. And choice is the key, here in the slums of Tel Aviv. These people have all chosen to come to Israel; to make a better life for their families. They choose to pursue their dreams in a place of hope surrounded by enemies and prejudice. Yet still the children are faced with a choice of right and wrong in a very real sense of defining their entire lives.

The positive after-school space helps provide an escape, a warm meal, and the ability to define themselves in terms of sports or dance. We, our bus, took them ballet gear and basketballs for their sports program. The children were thrilled! Have you ever felt that sense of poverty, and the fire of the will from the people in this situation?

The capitalism is apparent in Tel Aviv; and these children want what everyone else has. The will of the children to learn and grow is only topped by their pursuit of fun. A girl shouts “Sit down” to a participant. He sits. She shouts “Sit Down” again. Now he's confused. He tells her “I'm already sitting”. She shouts “Sit down” with a gigantic smile on her face. So he lays down. “Sit down” she yells. Now everyone is confused and he stands up again. A teacher wanders over and speaks in Hebrew with the girl; apparently she does not know what “sit down” means, but she knows how to say it. The teacher explains in Hebrew and the girl giggles. I look over and another participant is playing a game of chase with two girls, much like any dad would do at the park with his daughters. He runs, slowly, letting the girls 'escape' then runs after them roaring while the girls shriek with laughter.

I am touched by the love and laughter of this place; in the place of abject poverty I feel no sadness, but a love of life. I found out that even in the poorest of circumstances, money does not dictate laughter and love. The richest may not be the happiest and that even the simplest activities like playing a game of chase or laughing over a shared language barrier may bring the greatest joy.

We should all look to our children for inspiration of positive and simple ways to laugh. It eases the heart of an adult and gives children such a sense of accomplishment that we find value in their ways and thoughts. This alone creates a positivity that can change the world. Even though we were in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Tel Aviv,we were amazed at what generosity from Canadians can do for a few children’s futures. We all agreed that was one of the most incredible moments of the trip. For many of us, it even topped floating in the Dead Sea! Which was great! I would love to go back and volunteer, but in the meantime, I will volunteer in my own community to increase the laughter and positivity of children, give back to the world, and strive to create positive space wherever I go.

H4I Word Bubble

Hoops 4 Israel's 'sister-project' > JAM 4 ISRAEL!!

Hoops 4 Israel - the charity basketball initiative launched by Birthright Israel Alumni Community in 2007 has been looking long and hard for an after-party to celebrate their annual success that enhances the lives of hundreds of Ethiopian-Israeli at-risk youth. Finally, we have found our esteemed volunteer in Elissa Grossman, an ambitious young woman with an incredible gift of connecting with others coupled with a heart of gold.

The idea of a charitable 'Jam' was conceived by Elissa, a York Student with desire to give back to the Jewish community and inspired by her late grandfather, Alexander Grossman z"l.

“To appreciate your community, you must give back to it.”
-Alexander Grossman z"l

Elissa's grandfather was a large member of UJA and a genuine pillar of support for the Jewish community. "He did more than talk the talk but he supported his words with tremendous vision and generosity. When he passed away, I was left with his foremost lesson to never let the spirit of giving die." says Elissa.

The Hoops 4 Israel team is thrilled to bring Elissa on in 2010 to help spearhead the charitable after-party fundraiser of H4I, where all proceeds go towards supporting the vulnerable community of Ethiopian Israeli immigrants living in Bat Yam.

On June 17th, 2010 at the Empire Lounge, the inaugural Jam 4 Israel event will take place with a $15 entrance fee before 11:45pm and $20 afterwards. For more information or to help enhance this event, please contact elissa@jam4israel.com.

Birthright Visits Bat Yam in January 2010!

Visiting Bat Yam and Kiryat Moshe has become a staple of Canada Israel Experience - Taglit-Birthright Israel trips over the past 3 years. The engine that drives this partnership is of course fueled by Laura Kindler & Leah Biteolin, two outstanding individuals who have facilitated over 30 volunteer projects with BRI trips. On January 25th, 42 Canadian participants teamed up with at-risk youth of Bat Yam to create gift-packages for soldiers, paint murals to decorate the school, and taught basketball skills to the youngsters who were grateful to share the afternoon with such spirited Taglit participants.

Kindler & Biteolin describing the background of Ethiopian-Israeli youth

The participants visit to Bat Yam was an nice lift of for the students of the Akiva after-school program, as the BRI participants taught them english words, affirmed the importance of tikkun olam and doing volunteer service, and gave the children a sense of importance and purpose in making a special visit to spend time with them in Israel as Diaspora Jews.

Leah cutting cake for a student's birthday

Dave Goodman in a photo opp with some of the at-risk youth in the after school program

One unique aspect of these Akiva after-school programs - also known as 'Youth Futures' - a dynamic program supported by Hoops 4 Israel in Bat Yam since 2008. A tailored intervention that helps at-risk youth achieve personal and scholastic success and become productive members of society. Below shows a boy who receives additional food from the supplemental assistance that this program provides.

A Taglit-Birthright Israel participant really takes to the youth on Jan 25

Birthright volunteers teach the youth basketball skills and use some of the donated
Wilson Sports equipment brought down by them on their flight to Israel

A professional soccer coach is subsidized for training this youth soccer team - providing leadership and purpose to these sports and recreational programs for the at-risk youth

Packing gift boxes from IDF soldiers living away from their families

Volunteers involved the children in the mural painting project - a huge success!

On behalf of Hoops 4 Israel & Taglit-Birthright Israel:

THANK YOU > Laura & Leah for coordinating such a fulfilling afternoon of Tikkun Olam activities for us!!

Nice Chemistry: Taglit-Birthright Israel & Hoops 4 Israel

Since 2007, Canada Israel Experience, the leading trip organizer of Taglit-Birthright Israel in Canada has partnered with the Jewish Agency of Israel to provide volunteer outlets during the trip where participants could learn about the challenges of Ethiopian Olim (immigrants) in both Kiryat Moshe and Bat Yam. The volunteer projects have been a huge success over the past three years, ranging from painting projects to packing gift packages for Israelis serving the IDF.

In June 2007, David Goodman (founder of H4I) had the privilege of bringing his national bus to visit Kiryat Moshe on the final day of their trip and the grand opening of the outdoor sports-court that was built with the funds of Hoops 4 Israel from April 2007. Speeches, dancing and an inaugural basketball game put an explanation mark on this Birthright Israel trip, emphasizing the significance of volunteer work in support of Israel from the Diaspora (outside of Israel).

The inaugural basketball game: Birthright Israel vs. Yechallal sponsored basketball team in Kiryat Moshe

Birthright Israel participants repaint an old post-office in the centre of Kiryat Moshe

Since that initial visit to Kiryat Moshe, Laura Kindler & Leah Biteolin have facilitated over 25 projects with Taglit-Birthright Israel buses, involving 1000+ Canadian Jews in Tikkun Olam (meaning: 'repairing the world') in conjunction with at-risk Ethiopian Israeli youth.

Basketball games are a staple when CIE Birthright Israel trips visit Kiryat Moshe

A CIE Birthright Israel group visits Bat Yam in December 2008

Laura "Superwoman" Kindler, delivers messages to BRI pariticipants and youth of the Kadimah centre in Bat Yam

A visit with a David Goodman bus guarantees a couple case loads of rubber basketballs as a corporate donation from Wilson Canada through Jim Sanderson.

If you have interest in donating tangible goods that can be delivered to children in Bat Yam or Kiryat Moshe, please contact davidg@hoops4israel.com to arrange transferring the merchandise via Birthright Israel trips to our constituents in Israel.