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2020 Scholarship Awards Ceremony

Faces from far and near

 A very different ceremony was held this year due to the pandemic.We couldn't personally introduce our donors to their students as we do each year.However, what we could do was invite so many more ESRA members and overseas members, donors and friends and our Zoom event took place with over 100 participants.

Our students led the ceremony with one student from the five neighborhoods – 4 in Netanya and 1 in Akko – introducing themselves and talking about different aspects of their time in the project.After each talk, the students showed a video of their activities with the kids both before and during the Corona period.The videos were very well done and received with great enthusiasm by the onlookers.

Here is one of our student's speeches:

"My name is Sigal Sandaka. I am 26 years old, a third year student of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya.I work as a youth coordinator at Moshav Udim, a moshav near Netanya.

I'm in the project for the second year, and would love to tell you what it means for me. The project gives me peace of mind to concentrate on my studies, it reinforces in me the values of cooperation and helping others, and the importance of community. I have four sweet pupils, whom I am mentoring for the second year.I think the meeting between us contributes a lot to both of us, the kids come regularly twice a week where we concentrate on different subjects, homework, educational movies, games related to personal expression, team building and more.

As students, we emphasize the power of the group, the place of each and every one of the pupils within the group and outside it.At the same time we work on strengthening the children's personal abilities, their belief in themselves and the choice of values which will guide them now and in the future.

In addition, the very fact of meeting together especially in the Corona era, where they sit all day and study in front of the computer, gives them twice a week a dynamic, liberating and social time, which is so lacking at present.

We are very happy and appreciative of our part in this project and would like to say a big thank you to ESRA for supporting us." 

Love and appreciation from Netanya

Through the generosity of our private donors and ESRA branches, we were able to give out 36 scholarships this year.Our partnership with Mifal HaPayis (the National Lottery), where we share the scholarships on an equal basis, each giving NIS 5000, was also a big factor in our ability to increase the number of scholarships.

Our Chairman, Terry Morris, gave the closing speech and the evening ended with our groups of students lighting the 5th Hanukah candle and everyone joining in singing Maoz Tzur.

The feedback received from the participants in the event was overwhelming, and I'd like to thank all our wonderful donors, branches and overseas friends for their very meaningful support.

Nina Zuck is the ESRA Volunteer Projects Coordinator. 

 

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Thursday, 28 March 2024

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