Shlomi Shalom and Batel Avshayev. "We are thrilled we are ... This is what Rachel Ozen, the principal of the Neve Amram.
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MAGAZINE
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2) Stories from the Field 4) Volunteer of the Week
6) Nice to Meet
Picture of the Month
Our picture of the month comes from Bayit Vegan—the football pitch of Beitar Jerusalem, who hosted the Jerusalem Region's 2nd tournament of the school year. The professional footballers spoke with our program participants and photographed with them. This picture was posted on our Instagram and Facebook. Please follow us!
Stories from the Field A new team, which joined us this year, is the North Tali School's team, from Jerusalem's Pisgat Ze'ev neighborhood. The study center is run by two wonderful volunteers - Shir from Ruach Tova and Eden from the Israeli Scouts Movement.
This is the first year in Tiberias and the first team from the city to run our program is the Noam School for Boys' team.
The Neta'im School's study center in Beersheva is run by tutors from three different frameworks - Michal from the Shvilim program at Kaye College, Inbal from Ruach Tova, and Dana from the public activists program at Ben Gurion University. Good luck to these three amazing women!
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The Equalizer - Education on Top
Stories from the Field
One of our veteran schools in the program, and in the Sharon Region, is the El Omriya School from Tira. The team is one of our only teams to practice on a synthetic grass football pitch, right next to the school!
Kiryat Shmoneh's Rambam School's team runs its study center in the municipal library. What a nice bonus!
A new team joined our Shfela Region from the Yishayahu School in Holon. This team looks full of strength and ready for a great year!
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The Equalizer - Education on Top
Volunteer of the Week Lera Kruhliak. "Lera is an excellent tutor. As part of her volunteer work, she also initiates her own activities. She has overcome some difficulties, while refusing to give up on any child during the process," Itamar, the Carmel Regional Manager, shared with us about Lera, our volunteer of the week. Lera volunteers as a tutor in the Yavnieli School's team's study center in Haifa. The school joined the program this year. In addition to volunteering though the Shachak Immigrants Scholarship in partnership with the Student Administration, Lera is studying Industrial Engineering and Management at the Technion. Here's wishing the team and Lera lots of success!
Shlomi Shalom and Batel Avshayev. "We are thrilled we are participating in such incredible work during our National Service year. It enriches us too and it's allot of fun," said Shlomi and Batel, tutors of the Eli Cohen School's team from Kiryat Malachi, who are our volunteers of the week! Batel and Shlomi are volunteering through the organization Ma'aseh. Shai, the Western Negev Regional Manager, shared: "Their volunteer spirit is amazing. They invest infinite time and energy in creating successful activities for the children!"
Volunteer of the Week Asmaa Amariya. "I enjoy meeting with the kids each time. They are full of smiles when we meet. I am pleased I was given this opportunity to be part of such work which positively influences the children from my town." Thus shared our volunteer of the week, Asmaa Amariya from the town of Ibtin, tutoring in the town's team's study center through her national service. Guy, the Western Galilee Regional Manager, explained his choice of Asmaa: "She comes with a very strong sense of volunteerism and is full of life. The children enjoy her varied activities and they cooperate incredibly. I love seeing the children with eyes sparkling out of happiness in a study center like the one in Ibtin."
"The Equalizer is an amazing project which enables us to work with children through football - something they love. I am thrilled to partake in the Guatemala School's team," said Amit Greenberg, our volunteer of the week. Amit volunteers as a tutor for the team's study center in partnership with the Rothschild Ambassadors program in Jerusalem. The regional manager, Gabi, shared that she joined the team about a month and a half ago and the team had an incredible turn around since. Amit introduced new activities, together with her staff of four tutors from Scouts and Acharai. The team won the fair play trophy this week in the regional tournament. Gabi added: "Amit brings new energy to the team and works beautifully with the school staff. The results have been very fruitful."
Nice to Meet
"The positive energy amongst the staff and towards the children are very apparent. It has an effect on the team and created a very positive atmosphere between the players during the recent tournament," said Omri, the Central Negev Regional Manager, about the Oriyan School's team from Be'er Sheva. This is also the team in which Omri started his journey with The Equalizer as a volunteer coach. This year, there is also an excellent staff - Gal, a psychology student at the Open University, is the coach, and Tal, Lior, and Inbar run the study center through a partnership with the Kaye College. Tal shared: "The team is comprised of almost completely new children who were not in the program last year, but have gelled incredibly. They are the most perfect children in the world." This is the school's 3rd year in the program.
"The Equalizer participants improve in their achievements and behavior and become quality alumni who contribute to society." This is what Rachel Ozen, the principal of the Neve Amram School in Dimona told us. This school is in its 6th (!) year and was one of our cornerstones in developing the program in the south. Rachel added: "The integration of the study center, the football, the school and the pitch, creates advanced students who are committed to their goals." The team is led by a great team including three tutors - Rotem and Noam (who volunteer through Perach) and Guy (who volunteers through National Service in partnership with the Ayalim Association). Rotem, who also is the team's coach, told us: "It is a privilege to help kids who have difficulty with formal education. So far, I see meaningful progress academically and most importantly socially and morally."
Nice to Meet
"The Equalizer connects children who otherwise would not have necessarily interacted with one another. It has made the kids more caring for one another and more responsible. They arrive more on time and have tons of fun! Itai, who volunteers as the coach for the Yadlin School's team from Rishon Lezion. Itai added: "Another amazing thing that happened is that despite the team's loss in the tournament, they are more determined to improve themselves." In addition to Itai, Avi and Rista volunteer in the study center. The school joined the program this year and is the first school to join from the city.
"There is nothing more satisfying and fulfilling than watching the children grow and develop with the tools we give them... both in school and football!" Yair (in black shirt in picture), coach of the Tali Bayit Vegan school's team, shared with us. He works together with his assistant, Eitan (with the yellow shirt). Other staff members are from the Ru'ach Nachon Mechina and Osnat, the school secretary, the team's activity coordinator. Together, they do a great job. The team works in partnership with the neighboring Arab team from the Beit Safafa neighborhood. They practice together and play in the regional tournaments as one team - part of an initiative aimed at deepening the relationship between Arab and Jewish schools from nearby neighborhoods in the city. Gabi, the Jerusalem Regional Manager, said: "This team is made up with children from different grades and includes two girls (one of whom is the team captain). The kids have gelled quickly and always help one another. The activities are very positive and have a great atmosphere."
