Apr 14, 2016 - Page 1 ... For more Stories from the Field, follow us on Facebook .... Football is used to empower the ch
TheEqualizer April 2017
MAGAZINE
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2) Stories from the Field, 4) Volunteer of the Week, 6) Nice to Meet
Picture of the Month—from two angles... During a regional tournament in Jerusalem, this picture was posted on our Instagram and Facebook. When the full photo album was uploaded, a shot from the exact same second was discovered from the opposite direction...
Stories from the Field Players from the Israeli football league champion, Hapoal Beersheva—Ben Shahar, Waba Brown, and Guy Chaimov— came to the Negev Region’s Passover tournament. The players photographed with the children and gave them tips on how to succeed.
A very emotional and exciting event happened this month in Tel Aviv's Hatikva neighborhood - the first high school tournament ever for The Equalizer! The enthusiastic high school students played fairly and with great sportsmanship—as they should at their age!
We launched a joint program between Citibank and The Equalizer at the ORT High School in Lod. Citibank employees run unique leadership programming in the study center, developed by the company, based on the book by the legendary Manchester United's manager, Alex Ferguson! In picture: Opening Tournament Invitation
more Stories from the Field, follow us on Facebook Thursday, April 14th, 2016For in Afula
The Equalizer - Education on Top
Stories from the Field At the study center in the Eshkol School's team in Acco, Yana ran an especially interesting activity where each kid gets a piece of paper cut out in the shape of a fish and writes on it the good things his teammates said about him. The activity teaches that we all may be similar (like fish) but each person has their own defining traits. We are all special!
Efrat and Cherut, study center tutors for the Harel School's team in Lod, ran an interesting get-to-know-you activity called "ten fingers".
This beautiful photo comes from Afula—the only region comprised of teams that are all from one city!
In picture:
For more Stories from the Field, follow us on Facebook
The Equalizer - Education on Top
Volunteer of the Week Shai, Adi and Ma’ayan. These three tutors volunteer at the Kol Ya’akov School’s study center in Yerucham. As part of their national service and part of Midreshet Be’er they are volunteering for The Equalizer. They told us, “We enjoy seeing the children paying attention. In the beginning it was difficult and now these kids love and want to come to the study center.” Avi Buchbut, the Eastern Negev Region’s regional manager, chose to highlight these women because, “From the beginning of the year, they have been devoted to the program, they take initiative, and volunteer above and beyond.” Wael Mohana. Originally from P eki’in and lives today in Kiryat Shmoneh, studying economics and management at the Tel-Hai Academic College. As part of his scholarship through the Rothschild Ambassadors program, he is volunteering as the logistics and human resources coordinator in our Upper Galilee Region. Wael told us: “I chose to volunteer with the program, because I heard a lot of positive things about the organization and its contribution to the community. My love for sport in general, and football especially, was another attraction. I was looking to be able to give and contribute my all to an organization, the kids and have it connect to my interests. I see The Equalizer as a warm home for me and the kids—it supports, cares In picture: for, and helps the kids enjoy.” Wael adds: Opening Tournament Invitation “To me, integrating sport and education is a very positive thing. Sport is education and culture before sportsman needs to be a mensche before s/he is a player. I Thursday, Aprilcompetition. 14th, 2016 in A Afula think education is a top value that helps one succeed in sport.”
Volunteer of the Week Dudu Balchao. An assistant coach for our veteran team at the Guatemala School in Jerusalem's Kiryat Menachem neighborhood. Dudu, originally from Ashdod, started volunteering through the Aharai organization and shortly connected with the kids. He said: "The Equalizer activity has made my volunteer year even more meaningful. I get along well with the children and love each and every one of them. I am enjoying each moment with them." Gabi Holzhacker, our organization's deputy director responsible for Jerusalem, added: "Dudu is part of our school staff - comprised of the coach Eli Deri, the tutors Omri and Hadar from The Israeli Scouts, and Aluma through Ruach Tova. This staff works together and are in constant contact about the children's behavior and the process they are going through. Together, they deal with the challenges and help one another incredibly."
In picture: Opening Tournament Invitation Thursday, April 14th, 2016 in Afula
Sliman George. Slim an is in his 3rd year of nursing school and lives in Yafo. He volunteers in partnership with the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yafo as a tutor in the Zahara School. Omer Kleiman, our Central Regional Manager, said, "I chose Sliman because he is very familiar with the issues the kids deal with, since he has lived in Yafo his whole life. He knows the neighborhood and the temptations on the street. For this group of kids, understanding their mentality is crucial to succeeding." Sliman told us, "My biggest challenge and success thus far has been making sure the children understand the connection between the study center and the football practices. They now know that if they don't show up to the study center and behave properly, it will hurt them in terms of their participation in the football practices."
Nice to Meet Alfaruk School, Fureidis
The Alfaruk School's team is in its third year with The Equalizer. Marwa, the school principal shared: "The program brings pride to the participants and boosts their confidence. Last year, the team won all of the cups." Sujud was tutoring in the study center on Fridays, but then had a conflict with a university course on the same day. She switched her study center days in order to continue volunteering. The team has been challenged with having a teacher at school, Ali, who was at first accompanying the team to the tournaments, but is now the team's coach and does allot more than just sport games. Despite these changes, the participants are succeeding to behave well. Itamar Eli, the Carmel Regional Manager, chose to highlight this team, "because of the changes the team has endured. I therefore felt it important to compliment the volunteer and the teacher. They have really done a wonderful job." The team runs in participation with the Fureidis City without and Violence and with support from the Bloom Foundation.
Giora Yoseftal School, Migdal Ha’emek
The team’s coach, Ofek, inspires the team with his leadership and the young players admire him. The team’s study center operates at a very high level, led by Danielle Zeltzer, a student at the Academic College of Emek Yizrael, who also joins the team for every tournament. She wants to be with the children for these important moments to show them that there is no disconnect between the study center activity and the football. Rinat, the school principal, told us: “The Equalizer program matches our school’s philosophy of ‘positive psychology.’ This empowerment program, through the means of football, provides individual and team training, which also leads to great results in other areas, like refining the children’s reactions, a better school atmosphere, higher achievements, a feeling of capability, increased motivation, internal happiness, and more. This is an opportunity to thank The Equalizer staff and volunteers for their devoted and serious investment on the academic-social level, and to the regional manager, Jonny Tennenboim, for the partnerships for the benefit of each child. In addition, we are grateful to the Migdal Ha’emek Municipality for the ability to expose each child to achievements through the strengths within them and the areas of interest that each child discovers.”
Nice to Meet Sinai School, Rehovot
The Sinai School benefits from a partnership, where it is actually "adopted" by the hi-tech company, Applied Materials. Tuesday - a short school day - employees from Applied Materials provide a range of activities for all the students. Among the activities offered, is The Equalizer's football training, run in partnership. The activities do not take place at the school, rather on the company’s premises. The team's coach is Eliran Gilad, a Yavne resident studying law at Kiryat Ono Academic College, who learned about The Equalizer through the college. Love for football connects him to the students, and he says that "the students await for Tuesdays, especially for the football." Some of Applied Materials' employees assist in the football training as well. Yossi Oliver, the Shfela Regional Manager, says, "This partnership is beyond ordinary and shows several beautiful pans of Israeli society - a hi-tech company adopting a school and its top people helping the community and the success of the next generation."
Rambam School, Kiryat Shmoneh
The team's dedicated coach, Gidi, has been doing wonderful work with the kids from the start of the year. The study center's tutors come from the Better Together program - a successful partnership created this year which will expand in the years ahead. The story of how the team started is especially interesting: Two summers ago, the school principal, Rachel, requested that her school join the program. Last year, the team was very successful, which made Rachel ask that the program run two teams in her school. Rachel told us: "The program empowers and strengthens the connection between the children and the school staff. Football is used to empower the children, motivate, create a desire for selfdevelopment and succeed in school, respect the other and the school rules. The connection between the tutor-coach-staff contributes to the school to strengthening and creating successes for he students. The program is an integral part of the school. It's important for the students and is an excellent educational tool for the teachers. All sides are pleased. The teachers benefit from more meaningful teaching, the parents receive academic and sportive support and the children enjoy it all."
