MAGAZINE

TheEqualizer December 2016

MAGAZINE

TABLE OF CONTENTS (2) Stories from the Field (4) Volunteer of the Week (6) Nice to Meet

PICTURE OF THE MONTH

This photo was taken in Kiryat Shmona at the first tournament of the year for the Upper Galilee Region with teams from Katzrin, Majdal Shams, Eilabun, Yesod Hama’aleh, Gush Chalav, Kfar Blum and, of course, Kiryat Shmona. It was featured on The Equalizer’s Instagram and Facebook.

We Thank Our Partners

Stories from the Field Before the football practice begins for the new team of the Tali Moriah School in Jerusalem's Armon Hanatziv neighborhood, the coach, Guy, a Hapoel Jerusalem player, speaks with the participants to check on their welfare.

Our beginning-of-the-year questionnaire to evaluate our program is being distributed to all our students. The principal of the Faruk School in Faradeis helped her students to complete the questions. This evaluation is being carried out thanks to the generosity of City Without Violence.

This year, Dimona was our first tournament of the year for the Eastern Negev Region - which was also the first tournament of our entire program for 20162017! The tournament opened with a festive kick off by the mayor, Benny Biton, who helps the program tremendously in his city. In

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Stories from the Field This year, Mitzpe Ramon began its activities for 7th-8th graders in Hashalom Middle School. The first meeting was a procedures, rules, and setting expectations discussion with the coach, Eli, who also serves as the local council’s sports coordinator.

One of the new teams in the Heart of the Galilee Region is the Gimmel Elementary School from the Arab town Tu'ran. The team, in partnership with City without Violence and UJIA, is honored to practice in the town's largest football pitch.

As part of a parents and children meeting at the Rambam School in Kiryat Shmona, the parents learned more about the program and what their children will experience during the year, followed by a special activity where the parents and children drafted a contract to set expectations between them and The Equalizer. Then, everyone read their document to the rest of the team. In picture: Opening Tournament Invitation

more Stories from the Field, follow us on Facebook Thursday, April 14th, 2016For in Afula

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Volunteer of the Week Danielle Seltzer. From K ibbutz Beit Alfa, volunteering in Migdal Ha’emek in the GioraYoseftal School. Danielle tutors in The Equalizer’s study center as part of her practicum requirements while doing her BA in Education and Sociology at the Max Stern Academic College of Emek Yezreel. 10 days into her volunteer work, Danielle already made an annual program for the study enter, after speaking with all of the children and learning about each child’s background. The regional manager, Jonathan Tenenboim, said “She made an excellent impression from the first time we met – very intelligent and serious with a lot of motivation and really wants to help the children. This is why we placed her in the new school in our region, because I trust she will do wonderful work.”

In picture:

Eyal, Omer and Omri. They are doing their volunteer year through Ayalim's Student Village in Lod. They chose to volunteer in the Ma'apilim School through our program. They meet with the participants four times a week: twice in the study center - which they run quite creatively, and twice during the football practices - where they assist the coach to support the kids and strengthen them sport-wise. Yosi Oliver, our Shfela Regional Manager, says about them: "These volunteers set a high standard of values, communal giving, modesty, and commitment. The students appreciate them and enjoy attending the study center and enjoy even more the relationship they are developing with Eyal,Omer and Omri through the football. They deserve much praise."

Volunteer of the Week Or Zeira. A student of m achine engineering at the SCE College of Engineering in Beersheva. He volunteers with us as a coach for the Neta’im School in Beersheva through the BR Ambassadors scholarship. Or said “I volunteer with The Equalizer mainly because I think sport has the power to be a tool for societal change.” One of his challenges is coaching one of our largest teams – 20 children. Or comes to Beersheva from the north and his brother is our Upper Galilee Regional Manager, Nevo Zeira. Shay Rosilio, our Western Negev Regional Manager, told us: “I chose Or as the volunteer of the week, because he is not only a coach, but also coordinates the team and manages the relationship and communication with the school, and devotes a lot of thought and attention to the children.” Yana Kruglak. A 2nd year student at the Western Galilee College majoring in criminology and education, tutors in the Eshkol School in Acco through the Katzir Foundation Scholarship. Guy Slama, the Western Galilee Regional Manager, said: "It is a challenge to provide each child his/her needs in an effective and fun way. Yana split the team into four small groups, where she was better able to address the individual needs – academic strengthening vs. enrichment activities. I enjoy hearing feedback from the school about Yana’s volunteering. In places where the tutor is happy, the children are happy with this added value!” Yana told us: “Advancing children is top priority for the school, and they allow me to In picture:this in many different ways. The school views me parallel to a teacher and appreciachieve ates the Tournament activities and conveys this to the children. The children love that they are receiving Opening Invitation special attention because they are part of The Equalizer. I love coming to the school and alThursday, April 14th, 2016 Afula ways leave satisfied andinfulfilled.”

Nice to Meet Noam Neriya, Beit She’an

We are thrilled to work with this school for the first time, and hope there will be many more years together. The school principal, Betzalel Simchon, shared: “The kids arrive willingly. There is good chemistry between the coach and the players. The program contributes greatly to the atmosphere amongst the players. We are grateful for the changes the program has brought to our school.” The study center is being run by Hodaya Elmakies, majoring in teaching science in elementary schools at Ohalo College in Katzrin. The coach, Oren Sandrusi, is a well-known football player in the city. Jonny, the Amakim Regional Manager, said: “I wanted to highlight this team because of the seriousness of the young participants and the staff, right from the beginning.”

El Omariyya School, Jerusalem

This group, in its 4th year with The Equalizer, is unique due to the school's story. It was established in 1923 in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem, on the Via Dolorosa, near Nablus Gate. From the rooftop of the school, one can see the Temple Mount, and from the football pitch there are mosques and churches in the background. The coach and team coordinator, Mamdooh Karem, a Silwan resident, and is also our East Jerusalem coordinator responsible for 5 additional teams. Mamdooh: "These children get an opportunity to know children from other neighborhoods in Jerusalem. It's incredible. This encounter changes their thinking and how they view the world. They always attend the football practices and the study center, where they receive assistance with homework from tutors through the Israel State Lottery and National Service."

Nice to Meet Elementary Aleph School, Mughar

Nahil, the school principal, shared that "the program exposes the children to new populations and introduces them to people with different backgrounds. They are exposed to a new world because of this." The team moved to a new region this year and the staff has the challenge of connecting the kids to their new geographic region. (They moved from the Uppper Galilee to the Heart of the Galilee region.) The school is in its second year with The Equalizer. Eyal is the coach for his 2nd year. The tutors, Kanar, Avrahim and Butrus, are scholarship recipients of the Israeli National Lottery. 8 kids are continuing the program from last year. Itamar, the Heart of the Galilee Regional Manager, said: "the principal is tied to the program, the football coach is first a quality educator and we have real partners with the local municipality. All these elements combined together make a quality team in our region."

Dekalim School, Dimona

The team is in its 2nd year. The coach, Lior Ben Shetrit, born in Dimona, says that "The team unity is improving from one practice to the next. These kids are wonderful, disciplined and talented."

The school principal, Sara Lobel, told us "The Equalizer program helps students lacking motivation to learn to connect to their class and society. Thanks to the program the students are recognized for their self-realization abilities." The tutors - Meirav, Osnat, Shir, and Florensia - are volunteering through Perach and National Service. Meirav and Florensia are originally from Dimona. Avi Buchbut, the regional manager, shared: "The team is very diverse with top- and under-performing kids. The kids in this team were all in the team last year and underwent a meaningful process to improve their behavior and studies. The school has a very productive relationship with the tutors."