ITEC Haifa Embrace Program Report 2025

Embrace Program Report ITEC Haifa Prepared for the Tampa Community

Index About ITEC

04

Program Overview

06

Director Letter

08

Program Coordinator Letter

08

Program Photos

10

Center Manager Letter

11

Participant Stories

13

Participant Thank Yous

15

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About ITEC Founded in 1976, the Israel Tennis & Education Centers has become one of Israel’s largest social service organizations, providing comprehensive social-emotional, athletic, and recreational programs and support services to youth from historically marginalized communities throughout the country.

Our centers, which span from Kiryat Shmona in the North to Beer Sheva in the South, serve 24 communities. They are open six days a week and welcome more than 10,000 youth annually, ranging in age from preschool to young adulthood. This includes the 1,600 youth we serve in our social-impact programs.

Our vision is a world where every Israeli child’s potential is not just realized but celebrated. We aspire to be the catalysts for positive change fostering lifelong skills, inclusivity, and excellence on and off the court.

Your support is changing lives—giving Israel’s children a sense of belonging, resilience, and hope for a better future. Thank you!

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Program Overview The Embrace program in Haifa is operating this year in collaboration with Gabrieli School.

The school is located near Paz Bridge in the eastern neighborhood of Haifa.

It is a mixed neighborhood with a population that includes new immigrants, long-time residents, and also Arabs.The neighborhood’s socioeconomic status is low, and the surrounding infrastructure is quite old and not very accessible.

The connection with the school was established through the principal, Revital Avrahami, who learned about the program from one of her colleagues, Ziva from Hofit School, where the program had been running for the past two years. Revital reached out to me, pleading to bring the program to her school. During a meeting I held at the school, I realized just how much the school needed a program like this.

The students at Gabrieli School receive only a limited range of services from the education system and the municipality, and they have very few enrichment programs apart from those directly related to academics.

Due to the great diversity of the children and their backgrounds, the Embrace program can greatly help them build social connections and strengthen values such as responsibility, friendship, and acceptance of others.

Together with Revital and the educational staff, we selected 12 students from 5th and 6th grades who could benefit the most from the program, which combines tennis training and workshops. These are children who lack enrichment opportunities and social skills, those with learning difficulties, and children facing challenges in adaptation and integration.

The selected group, consisting of both boys and girls, participates in two training sessions—totaling two hours— on Thursdays from 9:00 to 11:00, followed by a one-hour values-based workshop from 11:00 to 12:00.

From the very first meetings, the cultural diversity within the group was evident. Arab children, who had never been in a Jewish setting before and were initially very hesitant; immigrant children struggling with the language; and Ethiopian children facing their own unique challenges. Through the workshops and tennis training, the children learn to communicate more effectively and safely, cooperate, and get to know one another in a team-building environment.

Additionally, they acquire essential life skills that extend beyond friendships, such as goal-setting and achievement, coping with difficulties and peer pressure, and even investing in their studies.

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From a sports perspective, their progress is noticeable. Beyond learning a new sport, they improve their quality of life simply by engaging in physical activity. They develop their tennis skills and techniques, enhance their physical fitness, and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Furthermore, as a byproduct of the program, they learn to deal with success and failure, develop leadership skills, and support their peers—all while enjoying the experience.

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Director Letter My name is Shuki Rajman, and since 2018, I have been serving as the Director of Social Impact for the Israel Tennis & Education Centers. My role involves managing a dedicated team of 10 social impact coordinators stationed at our tennis centers, each responsible for leading and overseeing our programs.

Your generosity makes a profound difference in the lives of children from challenging backgrounds, giving them hope for a brighter future. Thanks to your contributions, we are able to reach more children each year and instill a sense of optimism, especially in the wake of a year and a half of conflict in Israel.

These coordinators bring a strong educational background and extensive experience working with diverse populations. Their expertise is essential in engaging with various communities, and they operate with great sensitivity and professionalism to ensure the success of our programs. They maintain excellent relationships with the children, schools, and institutions from which the children come.

Over the past year and a half, Israel has faced and continues to face significant challenges due to war. Many children in affected areas have experienced social and emotional difficulties, anxiety, and struggles in returning to a normal routine. Thanks to your support, our programs play a crucial role in helping these children rebuild their confidence and resilience during this challenging period.

Utilizing sports, and particularly tennis, as an educational tool is truly transformative. Our professional coaches and mentors incorporate tennis alongside diverse educational methodologies to equip children with critical life skills. Tennis is a unique sport that serves as a powerful medium for imparting essential values that every child needs.

The tennis court serves as a bridge for connection and empowerment, allowing children to find a shared language and develop lasting friendships.

Your donations enable us to reach children in need of social and emotional support, helping them grow and thrive in all aspects of life.

Many families of the children in our programs cannot afford extracurricular and enrichment activities. We work closely with local authorities to identify families most in need and offer them access to our programs.

The Embrace Program is the longest-running initiative within the tennis centers, operating for over 18 years.

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It serves children and teens aged 8-15 across 15 tennis centers nationwide, with over 570 participants. The program focuses on empowerment and life skills development through tennis.

Participants come from various educational and welfare institutions, including schools, youth villages, and social service frameworks. Many of these children face significant socio-economic hardships and come from complex family backgrounds.

The Embrace Program provides structured support twice a week, including sports training and empowerment sessions led by professionals with expertise in working with at-risk youth.

Throughout the year, participants engage in sessions covering personal resilience, healthy lifestyles, teamwork, goal-setting, conflict resolution, and more.

As part of the program, children from different centers meet and engage in shared activities, helping them expand their social circles, develop interpersonal skills, and experience a sense of community and inclusion.

It is important for me to emphasize that your contributions are life-changing for many children. Thanks to your generosity, these children have the opportunity to experience the joys and benefits of childhood just like any other child in Israel.

The children, as well as our dedicated staff, would love to thank you in person and look forward to welcoming you on your next visit to Israel!

Shuki Rajman Director of Social Impact

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Program Coordinator Letter Dear Tampa Community, My name is Shachar, and I have been coordinating community programs in Haifa for the past six years.

Throughout my adult life, I have been dedicated to educating children. I firmly believe that sports, and tennis in particular, have a profound impact on children. The ability to enjoy the sport on an individual level while experiencing challenges at their own pace is what makes tennis so unique.

This year, we expanded our collaboration to a new school—Gabrieli School.

The school’s principal reached out to me two years ago, but at the time, our partnership was with a different school.

Having heard about the program from other school principals, she believed that the children at Gabrieli could greatly benefit from it, gaining skills that would help them both academically and in life.

Finally, this year, we had the opportunity to bring our wonderful program to Gabrieli School, which perfectly aligns with our social impact programs at the ITEC—serving socially disadvantaged areas and children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Many of the children in our group are new immigrants, primarily from Russia and Ukraine, and some are Arab children who, for the first time, are attending a “Jewish” school and interacting with Jewish peers. The language barriers—Russian, Arabic, and Hebrew—are gradually

fading as time passes, and the children are beginning to form social connections.

They are learning values of respect and cooperation. In this difficult time, when life is overshadowed by war and national trauma, we provide them with a sense of normalcy—a break from anxiety, allowing them to focus on simple, meaningful activities. It is truly moving to see how the workshops enable each child to express their emotions in a supportive environment, with the guidance of our facilitator, helping them learn how to cope with challenges and focus on their personal growth.

I wish you could be here to witness their joy firsthand, to see the pride they feel when they come to our sessions.

It is something that is hard to put into words. You are truly changing children’s lives, and each child is a world unto themselves. Thanks to your generosity, I too feel privileged to be part of this incredible journey of giving.

For all this and more, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your invaluable contributions and your kindness toward the children of Israel, I send you my deepest thanks, appreciation, and a warm embrace.

With great respect and gratitude,

Shachar Kama Social Impact Coordinator ITEC Haifa

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Center Manager Letter Dear Tampa Community, My name is Eran Dank, and I have been managing the Haifa Tennis Center for the past six years.

Although I originally played and coached tennis competitively, I have always believed that tennis is much more than just a competitive challenge. I see it as a sport that enables its players to succeed in many ways.

This year, we began a new collaboration with Gabrieli Elementary School.

We chose Gabrieli after its principal reached out to us. The school is located in one of Haifa’s older eastern neighborhoods, and we discovered a small school with only one class per grade—a multicultural environment with Jewish and Arab students, both Christian and Muslim. Many of the children are new immigrants, some having arrived in Israel just a few months ago. Being in an old neighborhood, the school serves a population that largely comes from low socioeconomic backgrounds, including many single-parent and mixed-background families. It is truly a “melting pot” in every sense of the word.

What we also found was an incredibly dedicated principal and a special teaching staff—one that operates with great passion and responsibility. Revital, the principal, works tirelessly to

bring meaningful programs to her students, and our program, Embrace, is exactly what these children need.

We are extremely proud of Embrace, which allows us to reach children who otherwise would never have had the opportunity to experience tennis or visit our center. Through this program, we provide them with the chance to learn the game just like any other child.

But beyond tennis, they also participate in valuable, educational activities that help develop their social skills and strengthen their personal growth.

Through workshops and team-building activities, they enhance their sense of belonging—both to their community and to our country.

Throughout the year, Gabrieli’s 12 wonderful students arrive at our center with big smiles and positive energy, eager to experience the joy of tennis. In these complex and challenging times of war, we see just how significant and invaluable their time with us truly is.

For a long period, these children were not even allowed to come to our center, and we had to bring the training sessions to them. The ability to return to our facilities provides them with a safe escape from their hardships and anxieties, giving them a chance to simply enjoy, smile, and feel secure.

It is a tremendous privilege for us to make this possible through your gen-

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erosity. Thanks to your support and generous investment, we can continue shaping future champions—not just in sports, but in life. You empower us with the resources to provide the best possible experience for these children, teaching them valuable sportsmanship, social values, and cross-cultural connections that help create a more inclusive and respectful world.

Embrace children, ensuring that every session remains meaningful, exciting, and impactful.

On behalf of myself and the entire Haifa team, I promise that we will continue to invest in and nurture our

Center Manager ITEC Haifa

I extend my deepest gratitude and heartfelt appreciation for your support and invaluable contribution.

With great respect and appreciation,

Eran Dank

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Participant Stories: Elinor Elinor is a 12-year-old student in the 6th grade. She comes from the Ethiopian community and is the eldest of five young children in a struggling family. Due to the family’s financial hardships, the children do not have access to extracurricular activities, and afternoon programs are considered a luxury they simply cannot afford.

For Elinor, this tennis program is her first extracurricular activity—and she joined it with great hesitation.

Her parents, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and now because of the ongoing war, have been reluctant to allow her to leave the boundaries of the school, let alone participate in any external activities.

Elinor is a reserved and quiet student, well-behaved and disciplined, but she avoids social interactions— perhaps even struggling with social anxiety. She is extremely shy, refrains from participating in physical education classes, and does not engage in play with other children, partly due to a physical limitation in her legs.

However, since the beginning of the year, everything has changed. From the moment Elinor began attending the tennis program at the Haifa Tennis Center, we have witnessed a transformation! She started smiling, engaging with others, and even accepting invitations to play. Her school attendance became more

consistent, and she overcame her habit of arriving late every morning.

I constantly see and hear how much her classmates appreciate and include her, and I know this shift started on the tennis court.

The workshops she participates in alongside her peers have brought out a self-expression we had never seen from her before. She now communicates with her classmates and shares her feelings with them.

Her friends show her genuine support and encouragement, often saying that Elinor is a one-of-a-kind friend—responsible, caring, and always willing to help others.

As her teacher, I attribute a significant part of her personal growth and newfound confidence to her participation in the tennis program. There is no doubt that both the tennis lessons and the workshops have yielded incredible results.

One particularly moving milestone was when Elinor, for the first time, participated in a physical education class and even served as a referee on Sports Day at school!

Well done to everyone involved.

Best regards,

Karin Segev Elkayam

6th Grade Homeroom Teacher

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Participant Stories: Aya One of the many success stories from our tennis group is that of Aya. Aya is a 5th-grade student and an only child. Before this year, she had never participated in any extracurricular activity. The tennis program that our students are fortunate to receive this year is the first structured activity Aya has ever committed to, and the changes in her over this period have been truly remarkable.

Thanks to Aya’s consistent participation in the tennis project, we have observed significant improvement in various aspects of her development— both academically and emotionally.

Aya has always been a quiet and introverted child, but through her lessons at the Haifa Tennis Center, we have seen a noticeable boost in her confidence. Since the start of the program, she has flourished, and this growth is evident in all areas of her life—socially and personally.

Aya has opened up, gained confidence, and we witness her incredible transformation every single day.

We would like to express our deep gratitude and appreciation for the wonderful program at your center.

Thank you for your dedication, commitment, and professional guidance.

Your generosity has played a crucial role in Aya’s growth, success in the classroom, and personal development.

With great respect and appreciation,

Osnat Rachmut

5th Grade Homeroom Teacher

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With much gratitude, Your ITEC Family

ITEC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and contributions are tax-deductible to the extent of the law. Tax ID: 13-2961273