Inside AMIT by AMIT Children

September 2021 : Tishrei 5782

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE BY AUDREY AXELROD TRACHTMAN

his summer I had the pleasure of attending AMIT’s first in-person event in New York. By the end of my extra-long biographical introduction, everyone knew more about my life than ever before – including me! Afterwards, a lovely woman approached me. “Your bio made me smile,” she said. She wanted her granddaughter, who also went to Wharton, to get involved with AMIT but always brushed her off. “Now, if she knows you went to Wharton, maybe she will relent.” I laughed, recalling virtually the same conversation with my mother. The interaction made me consider: Who has changed more over the past 40 years, AMIT or me? Have our values evolved in tandem or do we simply articulate them differently today? The Hebrew month of Elul is known as a time of cheshbon hanefesh, an accounting of our souls — who are we, where do we want to go, and how best to get there. I think organizations need this annual accounting as well, to remain effective and responsive in a changing world. AMIT was founded 96 years ago as a few residential homes and vocational centers for orphans with two guiding principles: 1. To even the playing field for disadvantaged children and provide them opportunities for success; 2. To recognize the intrinsic value of each individual in Klal Yisroel (the collective Jewish people). These values were meaningful to my mother 50 years ago and they remain meaningful to me today. But 25 years ago, the “how we do it” changed. AMIT realized that if we wanted to have a greater impact on Israeli society we must focus our efforts on education as a gateway to success. After some additional cheshbon hanefesh, AMIT widened its doors and educational tent. We incorporated secu-

lar and chareidi schools into our network without sacrificing our religious and Zionist ideals. Our latest evolution is a result of “Start-up Nation” success not trickling down to Israel’s disadvantaged populations and an educational system that emphasizes memorization above all else. To address these issues, AMIT developed and implements GOGYA, a novel academic model prioritizing individualized learning, entrepreneurship, critical thinking, creativity, and values. We not only changed AMIT schools, but successfully advocate for reform in how Israel assesses educational performance and develops performance standards. What has remained the same for 96 years, is our work is judged not only by the education we provide, but by how well we meet the individual needs of students. With two-thirds of our students coming from poor families with unemployed parents, we prioritize basic needs. Whether it was making a bar mitzvah, providing computers, filling empty refrigerators, or arranging a Shabbat away from missiles, we stepped in to fill the gaps. This adaptation to changing circumstances is what I love best about AMIT. While maintaining our core values of helping disadvantaged children and promoting the unity of Klal Yisroel, we innovate education, empower women, engage in social justice, and advance the Zionist enterprise. In 2008, Rascal Flatts sang: “Life is a highway, I wanna drive it all night long.” I hope that in 5782, each of you scales new horizons while retaining the best parts of your personal landscape. May AMIT continue to evolve and use God’s blessings to impact more people for good. Shana tova u’metukah – A happy and sweet New Year. Keep your emails coming to audreyt@amitchildren.org

President Audrey Axelrod Trachtman

Director General Dr. Amnon Eldar

Executive Vice President Andrew Goldsmith

Vice President, Marketing & Communications Daniela Gontownik

Designer Michael Shirey

AMIT enables Israel’s youth to realize their potential and strengthens Israeli society by educating and nurturing children from diverse backgrounds within a framework of academic excellence, Jewish values and Zionist ideals. AMIT is an acronym for “Irgun Mitnadvot L’Ma’an Yisrael V’Torata” (organization of volunteers for Israel and her Torah). Visit us online at www.amitchildren.org AMIT Magazine (ISSN 1085-2891) is published biannually, fall and spring, by AMIT. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: AMIT 49 West 37th St., New York, NY 10018

TABLE OF CONTENTS 03

President’s Message

Executive VP’s Impressions

From Boring to Exciting

11 A MIT Trailblazer:

Principal Tzippi Harpenes

Girl Power

18 How the AMIT Network Thrived During COVID

22 S ervice & Success 27 A n AMIT Educator Who

Goes Above and Beyond

30 Food and Culture Combine with Sustainability

Dvar Torah

AMIT Highlights & Successes

Development News

Signed articles do not necessarily represent the opinion of the organization. Reproduction of any material requires permission and attribution.

AMIT Offices Around the World AMIT NATIONAL OFFICE

MID-ATLANTIC

SOUTHEAST

AMIT FRANCE

New York City Tel: 212.477.4720 info@amitchildren.org www.amitchildren.org

Baltimore/Boston/ D.C./Philadelphia Tel: 410.484.2223 AMITNewEngland@amitchildren.org AMITMidAtlantic@amitchildren.org

Florida Tel: 954.922.5100 AMITSoutheast@amitchildren.org

Tel: +33-611-487-314 France@amitchildren.org

WESTERN

AMIT UK

AMIT ISRAEL Petach Tikvah Office Tel: +972-3-912-3171 info@amit.org.il

MIDWEST Chicago Tel: 847.677.3800 AMITChicago@amitchildren.org Cleveland Tel: 216.591.1119 AMITCleveland@amitchildren.org

Los Angeles Tel: 310.859.4885 AMITLA@amitchildren.org

Tel: 212.477.4725 RobinR@amitchildren.org www.amitchildren.org.uk

IMPRESSIONS BY ANDREW GOLDSMITH

ublishing the AMIT magazine entails an integrated challenge. Logistics demand it print about a month before it arrives in your mailbox, and it’s especially hard when the deadline for a Rosh Hashanah message is only a few hours after the end of Tisha B ’Av - apples and honey seem far, far away, especially when your back aches from sitting on the floor reading about our national cataclysmic destruction. In addition to our personal challenges of the year gone by, for lovers of Israel like us it has been a confounding year of dashed hopes. AMIT supporters share one absolute and common denominator - a deep, visceral, and often inexplicable love for the children of Israel. And when you love something dearly you desperately want to be connected to it. Our organizational lifeblood is greatly powered by a steady stream of activities building that connection. Most of us, being unable to penetrate a confounding bureaucracy, are limited to virtual tours or some such fabrication, in face of thwarted reopening hopes. It means the delay (again and again) of the living bridge that powers our organization and, admittedly, growing bitterness at being locked out. No one likes being excluded. So, we look for hope in small things. July brought cause for celebration with the welcome return of AMIT “in person” events. A joyful Long Island Yom Iyun (day of learning) was filled with abun- dant hugs as friends long separated by circumstances reunited. These were not short, social hugs. These were “grandchildren goodbye at the airport” hugs. Across the AMIT network similar gatherings are eliciting the same phenomenon – “It’s so great to see you!” – so often just a pleasantry but now we really, really, really mean it.

And what about Israel? What do we lovers of Zion grasp onto for now until better comes along? R. Kattina said: “Whenever Yisrael came up to the festival, the curtain (of the holy of holies within the Temple) would be removed and the Keruvim (cherubs) would be shown to them, and their bodies would be intertwined with one another.” We are taught that when Hashem and his chosen nation are close the Keruvim look at each other – face to face. One discerns the state of our divine union by a mostly hidden physical manifestation. When the Keruvim face away from each other - like a couple sleeping on far flung sides of the bed - it is very bad. There is a chasm that needs to be traversed. But the Talmud (Yoma 54b) recalling the destruction of the first temple apparently contradicts this idea. Resh Lakish said: “When the heathens (Babylonians) entered the Temple and saw the Keruvim (cherubs) – who were clinging to each other.” At arguably the very worst moment in our history - as we faced national death and are yet still to be redeemed from exile - as Hashem is quickly retreating to the furthest Heaven and building barriers between us and him, the Keruvim are intertwined. Not just facing each other but clinging together for dear life. It is at times of desperate separation that we cling to each other. We will work our hardest to bring Israel to you by whatever means we can possibly create. But for the meanwhile, lovers of Israel, on behalf of all our AMIT children, please accept this extra long and most passionate hug from afar. Shana Tovah U’metuka

AMIT Educators are Turning Distance Learning into a Successful Experience for Students BY HELGA ABRAHAM

n the summer of 2020 when AMIT educators Dikla Bar and Danny Steiner were asked to prepare a Hybrid program that would offer junior and high school students tracks and general knowledge courses online, they jumped at the opportunity. “We immediately realized that distance learning could help resolve problems faced by schools with limited resources or schools in remote areas such as the north of Israel,” says Bar. “Through distance learning, stu-

dents at these schools would be able to enjoy the same opportunities as schools in the center of the country.” Bar is proud of the fact that the program has enabled two students from Hatzor in the north of the country to study computer science for their high school certificate. “Since AMIT Hatzor does not offer computer science, the only other option would have been to bus the students to Acre twice a week, which is very impractical.”

Rather than a stop-gap project made necessary by an emergency situation, Bar and Steiner saw their mission as an opportunity to do something creative and pioneering. “From the start,” says Steiner, “we aimed to do something different and wide-ranging.” The new Hybrid School which they created caters specifically to AMIT students in the north of the country and offers six tracks and a dozen general knowledge courses online. The school is presented online with a colorful background and each course is accompanied by a cute video description. Aware of the challenges of distance learning — the success rate has been as dismal in Israel as around the world — the two educators made every effort to make the school interesting and fun. “In regular distance learning at schools, students see on their

screens the same teachers they have in class. We did something new,” says Steiner. “We brought in new teachers in order to create new situations that would be more stimulating for the student.” The approach proved particularly successful for the courses offered in the General Knowledge program, a two hour a week mandatory program for grade 10 students. Until the Hybrid School was launched, tenth graders had to make do with whichever teachers were able to teach them an extracurricular subject. “With the Hybrid School we were able to bring in teachers from other schools or external teachers and offer a huge range of subjects,” says Bar. In this framework, Bar taught a course in astrophysics and one in science fiction while Steiner taught a course in emotional leadership and one in psychological experiments with humans. Other courses offered on the program included: moral philosophy, digital music editing, mass communication, financial management, fashion, and styling, baking, public speaking in English, and many more. One of the most popular general knowledge courses among the students was the baking course given by Meirav Huri, a veteran Hebrew grammar teacher at AMIT Haifa Ulpana who had done an advanced course in baking and baked simply as a hobby. “I was, however, looking to do something creative,” recalls Huri, “although I never imagined it was possible to teach baking online.“ With a little training on how to work with cameras, Huri set about pre-

Meirav Huri

The new hybrid school is presented online with a colorful background and each course is accompanied by a cute video description.

paring her course. “From the start, I made sure the course would be accessible to all students in terms of expenses. I only used basic products and did everything by hand in order to avoid the need for a mixer. For a beginners’ course, the tasks assigned to the students were more than challenging; they had to bake challahs, pizzas, bagels, layered cakes and eclairs. Some girls had never operated an oven before, so they found it hard at first. But the results were amazing and of a very high standard.” Shilat Mordok, a tenth grader from AMIT Hatzor who comes from a family of 10, took Huri’s course and found it easier than she expected: “I thought it would be really hard to follow online, but I was surprised. The course was very clear, well-constructed, and I knew exactly what I had to do. Some recipes were more diﬃcult than others.” Bagels, she recalls, took time and required a lot of patience. In contrast, she says, chocolate souﬄés are easy to make and she now makes them regularly for her parents and siblings. For her part, tenth grader Inbal Ohana, from AMIT Haifa, had no cooking or baking background when she joined Huri’s course. “I was apprehensive at first but I discovered quite quickly that baking is fun and relatively easy. It’s very satisfying to begin from zero and make something that looks and tastes good.” She says she got into trouble with her eclairs but is proud of the heart-shaped cream cake she made and beautifully decorated. “My family loved everything I made, especially my pizza and they ask me to bake something for them every week.“

Inbal Ohana (l) and teacher Meirav Huri (r)

For Huri, the challenge of teaching online was mainly technical: “I had to learn how to work with two cameras, one on my face and a mobile camera

on my hands, and watch the students work at the same time. Of course, I couldn’t taste their creations, but just by looking I was able to tell if they had succeeded or not.” Commenting on the overall experience, she says, “If you are creative, distance learning can open the door to a new world.” Five hundred students from 11 Amit schools attended the Hybrid School. A key to its success was the relationship which the teachers built with their students. “The main challenge of distance learning is creating a commitment on the part of the students,” says Adam Ben-Natan, who gave a course in public speaking in English. “A lot of extra class support is needed, such as communicating individually with the students on WhatsApp and reinforcing them.” One of his students, tenth grader Hallel Zochman, had no problem with distance learning: “When distance learning is forced on you, then it’s boring, but I chose to do the public speaking course and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is harder to concentrate online and you have to learn how to multitask, but once you do you can accomplish more than in a regular class.” Zochman says she learned a lot about speechwriting during the course, and indeed, her newfound skills enabled her to win

first place at the Rotary Club Young Speaker Competition with a speech she gave, this time in Hebrew, on children’s rights. A key ingredient to the Hybrid School’s success in its first year of operation was clearly the personal touch. “We understood that regular Zoom classes were unsuccessful because the teachers did not have a good relationship with the students,” says Bar. “So we put great emphasis on building a good relationship both with the students and with the teachers.” Asked what she learned from the overall experience, she says, “I learned how great and fulfilling it is to do something pioneering and new.” In the next academic year, AMIT plans to expand the Hybrid School to AMIT schools across the country, offering a greater selection of tracks and courses. “This year, 20% of students were involved in some form of independent learning,” says Bar. “Next year, we want this number to reach 80%. Distance learning will not just be relegated to the home. Schools will have hybrid spaces equipped with monitors and earphones where students can learn online practically any subject they wish. The emphasis will be on greater choice.”

AMIT

Trailblazer Principal Tzippi Harpenes has transformed a school for disadvantaged youth into an educational model.

BY HELGA ABRAHAM

hen Tzippi Harpenes took the podium to light a torch at Israel’s 73rd Independence Day ceremony this year, her moving speech brought tears to the eyes of thousands of viewers. “I, Tzippi Harpenes, daughter of Nehama Tova and Rav Simha Fruchter, among the founders of Beersheba, light this torch in honor of my beloved city Beersheba, the AMIT network and, in particular, my students – my children, our children, our future and our hope. I love you, I learn from you, and I am proud of you.” Harpenes was selected as a torch-lighter for her pioneering work at AMIT Elaine Silver Technological School in Beersheba, for succeeding in keeping the school open throughout the pandemic. She went above and beyond her regular duties by accompanying one of her students night and day during long months of medical treatment. “Harpenes is more of a therapist than a principal,” says vice principal Koby Revivo. “She is like a second mother to her students.” An educator all her life, Harpenes taught computer science for 25 years before she decided to change direction. “I considered doing a doctorate but a colleague/ mentor of mine persuaded me that I could do more good by taking the helm of a school.” In 2013, Harpenes took the role as principle of AMIT Elaine Silver – a small school for children at risk in one of Beersheba’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods – and made an immediate impact. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing.

Tzippi Harpenes

“I decided to do a ‘happening’ for the first day of school,” she recalls with a smile. “I ordered 300 balloons, laid out tables with pastries, dressed nicely, and waited for the students. No one came. Then at ten, five students strolled in. They popped all the balloons with pocket knives, turned over the tables, punched holes in the tires of my car, and left!” It was clearly a test of strength but Harpenes was not about to give up. “The next day I wore exactly the same outfit to send the message that we were starting anew, and stood waiting at the entrance of the school. When the same group of students turned up, I asked them why they popped the balloons. They said they wanted to show they were strong. I told them ‘you are strong and I want to learn from you.’ Of course they were also punished.”

Tzippi Harpenes raised the bar. She brought in a new spirit and a new belief that they could do greater things.

Harpenes’ alternative approach to education which is based on building trust, learning from the students, and raising expectations, soon brought results. From a small school of 60 students, AMIT Elaine Silver now numbers 130 students, 60 percent of whom graduate with a high school certificate. “Before Harpenes arrived, all that we expected of the students was that they complete the standard years of schooling,” says Revivo. “But Harpenes raised the bar. She brought in a new spirit and a new belief that they could do greater things.” She also introduced numerous new programs: individual learning plans for each student, a one-to-one mentoring program, new high school tracks such as automative mechanics and design, enrichment classes such as landscaping and dog training, and a threeyear post-high school college program in computer science.

Tzippi Harpenes with students

As standards changed, so did the profile of the students. While the overall profile still involves youth with a criminal record, low socioeconomic backgrounds, history of dropping out of school, etc., the general atmosphere has changed. “In the past, we used to have serious criminals here and I can honestly say that I used to be scared of the violent kids,” recalls Revivo. “But this is no longer the case.” The individualized learning plans and the mentoring program ensure that the students receive a constant high level of attention and support from trained educational and therapeutic staff.” Grade 12 students Elimelech Hedri and David Hai Saban both came from difficult backgrounds and are about to achieve their dream. They are graduating with high school certificates and have been accepted into a prestigious combat unit in the IDF. For Hedri, who comes from a family of 12 children and had skipped school for a couple of years before arriving at AMIT Elaine Silver, this is nothing less than miraculous. “I arrived here at the age of 16 with no knowledge of mathematics or English and no wish to study. I never thought it would be possible to achieve a high school certificate in two years. But Harpenes and the staff said I could do it. My English teacher, Miri Werzberger, called me every day to get me out of bed, and in the end I succeeded. I don’t think this would have been possible in any other school. I am in the first in my family to graduate from high school and I am proud of it.” For his part, Hai Saban, who also comes from a large family, arrived at AMIT Elaine Silver with a history of drugs and unruly behavior. “I had been through a number of boarding schools and never wanted to study. But the staff here kept telling me, try, you can succeed. They gave me a lot of attention and, in the end, I did it.” Both students credit Harpenes with making their success possible. “She loves her students and is like a mother to us. What principal do you know,” asks Hedri, “keeps a drawer in her desk full of sweets and chocolates which the students can dip into whenever they want? It’s unheard of!”

“I am most proud of my students. But I am also proud to be a female principal in a man’s world

Above: Tzippi Harpenes with with student Tzuriel Cohen Below: Students Elimeleh Hedri and David Hai Saban

A unique feature of the school is its mentoring program, also known as the responsible adult model, in which the students choose a mentor who will accompany them throughout their school years and for another seven years post-school. In addition to getting the students through school, the mentors prepare them to enter the army, support them during their military service and help them when they begin to work and eventually marry. Any member of staff can serve as a mentor. Harpenes herself serves as mentor to numerous students. One of her mentorees, Tzuriel Cohen, needed to undergo a kidney transplant last year. Despite her busy schedule at school and at home as a mother of six, she accompanied Cohen to his medical appointments and stayed by his side when he was hospitalized. Previously, Harpenes was a mentor to Cohen’s older brother, Aviyad. “Aviyad came to us at 16 with three criminal files. He said he wanted to join a combat unit and we told him he would not be accepted unless he reformed and achieved his high school certificate. We built a plan for him, set goals, and worked with his probation oﬃcer and social worker to resolve his issues of violence. Aviyad is now an oﬃcer in the IDF and about to get married.” While most schools in Israel operated primarily through distance learning during the pandemic, Harpenes managed to keep her school open throughout 2020. Citing Winston Churchill’s motto “Never let a good crisis go to waste,” Harpenes says that the crisis helped to increase trust between staff and students and made the school more aware of its strengths. Asked what she is most proud of, she answers: “I am most proud of my students. But I am also proud to be a female principal in a man’s world (it appears that the majority of principals of schools for children with special needs are men), and I am proud that I was the first educator and the first representative of AMIT to be honored as an Independence Day torch-lighter.”

GIRLPOWER Students Experience Careers and Personal Development in Innovative Programs at AMIT Ori BY GLORIA AVERBUCH

ina Hendler had a dream: to open the eyes of her female students to the world around them. With her hard work and dedication to that dream, she has dramatically changed the lives of the all-girls middle- and high-school students at AMIT Ori in Ma’ale Adumim. It began six years ago, when two high school seniors approached Hendler and asked her how to save a PDF on their computers. Hendler recalls that moment. “I understood that our students don’t really know even the simple things that make life easier.” Since then, she and her students have plunged directly into science, medicine and technology, including a trip to Google and a meeting with the tech giant’s top female executives. “There is no chance to do this in regular studies, we want to take the students out to meet women who have gone far, and in places like Google and Microsoft.” It is Hendler’s goal that the students achieve both real-world experience as well as encouragement to pursue related studies.

Student Shelly Erez

Part of the school programming, called yezemut (entrepreneurship), has thus far brought the students to Hebrew University to meet with professors in various fields. In a branch of the program called eco-medicine, the students interact with doctors and engineers. This year, they queried a medical team following embryo implantation for IVF, specifically an innovative fertility surgery to help a cancer survivor. A dialogue with such surgeons is no small accomplishment for any young person. But Hendler emphasizes the magnitude of this achievement for her students. “Five years ago, our girls didn’t even ask questions. They were like newborns in that regard.”

The Support of the AMIT Network Hendler’s efforts began small but grew radically with the support and involvement of the AMIT network, which she says has made all the difference. “Now we can expand much further than I could have before,” she explains gratefully. In particular, Hendler praises AMIT Ori school principal Ruchama Vogel. “Students need the extra time for these programs, which takes the vision of the head of the school.”

Hendler summarizes: “The girls need to learn to interact with others, not just fellow students. They need to learn skills — how to work cooperatively, be creative, interview, and stand in front of people and speak clearly.” In this way she says, “They develop life skills.” The students study the history of Jewish girls all over the world. Virtually, they have met students from Odessa and Perth in an effort to learn about the lives of Jews living in the diaspora. Simultaneously, they become more motivated to learn and practice their English language skills.

“ The girls need to learn to interact with others, not just fellow students. They need to learn skills — how to work cooperatively, be creative, interview, and stand in front of people and speak clearly.”

Crucial support also comes from others in the AMIT network. Hendler singles out the network’s Limor Friedman (Director, Partnerships and Ecosystems), Nechama Hollendar (Friedman’s coordinator), Galia Kedmi Fragman (Head of Entrepreneurship), and Batiya Ariele (Regional Community Director of AMIT schools in Jerusalem).

Ahead of the National Curve

A Holistic Education

According to the Report’s research, there are eight essential educational skills in the 21st century: critical thinking, the ability to problem-solve, self-learning, self-direction, collaboration, creativity, information management, and technological and digital literacy. All of these are addressed by AMIT Ori and the AMIT network.

The programs at AMIT Ori also include personal and social development—from an emphasis on serving others to helping the girls understand their Judaism on a more universal level. The goal, says Hendler, is “arvut hadadit” (mutual respect). “You can use entrepreneurship to help other people,” she explains. An example is a collaborative brainstorming project to assist children at a school for the blind which the 8th graders visited. The students created a cup that blind children can determine when full.

The Israeli government’s 71B Annual Audit Report, released in March 2021, analyzed the state of many fields in the country. In the area of education, this latest version of the report found a serious lag in preparing Israeli students for the essential skills necessary for the 21st century.

Additionally, the 2019 report stated there is a serious dearth of women in the high-tech industry (figures indicate less than 20% participation), a serious deficit particularly considering Israel’s acknowledged designation as a “start-up nation.” This is most ex-

actual doctors, specifically surgeons. When you brainstorm problems in a hospital setting you get creative ideas on how to be a doctor.” Odeya Kehat, a 9th grader, is looking ahead to her 10th grade “magama” (major) in which her emphasis will be on her career interests in medicine, physics, and math. “This gives me a good perspective about what I want to do in my career when I grow up.” Kehat has always studied in girls’-only schools and chose AMIT Ori over all the high schools in Jerusalem, where she lives in the Arnona neighborhood. It is not only because of her emphasis on science and medicine, but it is the impactful way the school provides a holistic educational experience.

Student Odeya Kehat

tensively addressed at AMIT Ori and in the AMIT educational system. To this end, a representative of the AMIT network was chosen to be interviewed on several network news programs following the release of the report, explaining the unique structure, efforts, and progress of AMIT schools addressing these critical issues. Programs such as the one built by Dina Hendler are a perfect example.

The Beneficiaries A mere decade or two ago, young girls would not ordinarily have approached life the way AMIT Ori students Shelly Erez and Odeya Kehat do. In fact, even today, their focus, determination, and assuredness stand out. Erez, an 8th grader who immigrated to Israel from Seattle with her family at the age of 10, says, “I want to be a cardiothoracic surgeon,” confidently stating it as if it were any average choice profession. She chose AMIT Ori over the other high schools in Ma’ale Adumim where she lives, because, “In addition to the regular studies it is the only school in the city with an opportunity for “refua b’hadshnut” (innovative medicine) and the chance to speak with

Explains Kehat: “Every week we meet a professor who works in the specialty in which we’re studying, and they help and really inspire us.” She mentions Professor Ariel Ravel at Hadassah University Medical Center, a senior physician and expert in infertility. Recently, Kehat was among a group of students to whom Ravel explained an innovative surgical procedure. What made a particular impression on her was that “He spoke to us as equals.” That alone surely builds self-esteem and confidence. Erez explains other important aspects of the school’s programs. “We make a lot of presentations, learn about speaking, and the themes are about functioning in the world. In class we learn about life skills. Speaking with other young people in places like Russia and Australia helps us to understand the world outside ourselves.” Both girls are aware of the value of the special environment at AMIT Ori. Says Erez, “What stands out is that in addition to the fact the staff provides so many programs, they love the students so much. They care about their students. They want to give us a taste of the world, what’s around us, and what we are going to become.” Kehat agrees. “The feeling in my school is that the teachers care about us. They want us to be happy. That’s one of the reasons why I travel to Ma’ale Adumim. Every student has her own place.”

How the AMIT Network

Thrived During COVID A Conversation with Amnon Eldar, PhD, AMIT Director General

BY GLORIA AVERBUCH

r. Amnon Eldar was steeped in the education field from an early age. He grew up in Be’er Sheva to educator parents. “In my family, education was always of utmost importance,” he explains. Nevertheless, initially he was torn between a career in medicine or law. However, he was greatly impacted by his army service, which changed his mind. “I realized I had to go into education in order to influence Israeli society as much as possible,” he says. He began his career, together with his wife Michal, as a surrogate couple at AMIT Frisch Beit Hayeled in Jerusalem, AMIT’s home for at-risk youth. From there, he taught in high schools, continued working with at-risk youth, and oversaw AMIT Beit Hayeled and the AMIT Kfar Blatt Youth Village in Petach Tikvah. While there, Eldar wrote his PhD thesis on the “mishpachton” (family) model, unique to the AMIT Network, and its impact on youth who must be removed from their homes. Dr. Eldar has served as AMIT Director General since 2003. Considered one of Israel’s leaders in education, Eldar has led AMIT to become Israel’s top educational network, revolutionizing the field of education and ensuring its relevance in the 21st century. Dr. Eldar is a sought-after educator who has served on the Prime Minister’s Roundtable Committee and as the sole representative of educational networks on the Minister of Education’s Committee for School Principal Autonomy.

What have been your personal highlights in your role as AMIT General Director? Leading the Network to first place for four years in the Ministry of Education’s Picture (a measure of seven criteria); being ranked as Israel’s leading educational network in academic excellence, values-based education, and army enlistment; development and implementation of the Gogya method to lead schools into the 21st century, thereby transforming the educational experience for students and educators alike; ensuring that the professional HQ team and educational teams in schools are winning teams across the board; and ensuring that the Network is strong and financially stable. What were your priorities when you realized the educational challenges due to COVID? How did you adapt? At AMIT we always look at the whole child, including academics, social and emotional development, values-based education, home situation, and more. It was critical that we not lose any child and that each child’s needs were fully met. The form and management of the Network which is deeply ingrained in our teams, allowed us the ability, flexibility, and agility to think outside the box. We immediately established four strategic teams based on the methods of the BCG Consulting Group for management in a time of crisis, to ensure transformation during

Dr. Amnon Eldar (r) and Yifat Shasha-Biton (l), Israel’s Minister of Education.

this challenging time, and to grapple with questions in areas including management, finances, and streamlining processes. We utilized existing frameworks and provided an all-encompassing approach to adapt to the educational challenges. Subject-based professional teacher communities from across the Network quickly worked together to create unique, skillsbased, interdisciplinary learning journeys which allow for customized student progress. A pilot hybrid school in AMIT’s northern regional community picked up speed allowing for participation by students from small, peripheral schools with more diverse and challenging learning, and with access to better teachers, something that is now spreading throughout the Network. The topic of ecosystem and entrepreneurship — exposing students to the real world through interactive, experiential learning—operated virtually and enabled a significant expansion to more AMIT students. Computers were distributed to peripheral students, ensuring that technical challenges would not prevent them from participating in the learning process. And, of course, a unique element at AMIT is our in-house evaluation unit, which provides real-time data about our schools and students, and allows for data-driven changes and adaptations. During COVID, our evaluation unit administered weekly questionnaires to students, allowing for a constant and ready flow of information to our professional teams. Beyond the primary issues and problems that resulted from COVID, can you explain some of the emotional challenges and how those impacted the educational process? How did you address these challenges? In the best of circumstances, a global pandemic is filled with uncertainty, stress, disconnection from society, and fear about one’s health and that of their family. Add to that the typical challenges of the teenage years, alongside the fact that many students were preoccupied with

basic needs at home, such as parents who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, and the emotional challenges are very significant. We immediately understood that without being able to be there emotionally for our students, and providing them with a warm, supportive, and loving environment, education would be the last thing on their minds. Creating resilience in principals, teachers, and students was our main goal during this period. We sped up the process of what we call 1:15. Rather than having one teacher for an entire class, which in Israel usually means about 35-40 students, we decided that what is needed is one significant mentor for every 15 students, who can be more available and really get to know each student in-depth. The personal/professional growth program that AMIT has been running for several years took on new meaning during this time. Mentors work with students on creating personalized growth plans, and this connects students’ emotional well-being to their academic growth and dreams. We offered professional training for our educational teams and our parent body through workshops and one-off sessions. Consulting psychologist Dr. Naomi Baum provided meaningful resources to our teams. While Corona certainly posed many challenges, this more personalized approach is a positive outcome that will remain with us moving forward. What creativity was necessary during the pandemic, and how will it affect how you move forward? We needed creativity in maintaining our values and continuing to foster social activism among our students even during closures, quarantines, and other unexpected realities during the past year-and-a-half. The emotional component of providing support to our students and being there for them was more challenging with-

out physical attendance at school, the ability to have face-to-face interactions, and the multiple challenges facing students at home. This dynamic required creativity and new ways of thinking from us at headquarters, and from our educational teams on the ground. The concept of “no child left behind,” which always guides us at AMIT, especially in our work with peripheral youth, took on new meaning and required us to come up with innovative modes and methods of connection.

I am very proud of. At AMIT, we always deal with the here and now while also dreaming about and building the future.

In terms of moving forward, we are currently busy accelerating Gogya implementation within our schools. This is being done through a new method of training several inhouse leaders at each school in a variety of fields determined to be the critical elements to ensuring a 21st century educational experience. These leaders receive top-level training by HQ experts, and comprise the school’s strategic team, under the principal’s leadership. Moving forward with this process even during a pandemic is something I am very proud of. At AMIT, we always deal with the here and now while also dreaming about and building the future. What most surprised you about the COVID period? How quickly our principals and teachers knew how to respond creatively, and how significant the Network was to them—personally and professionally.

SERVICE &

SUCCESS Distinguished and Remarkable AMIT Graduate Leah Gene Avuno

BY GLORIA AVERBUCH

eah Gene Avuno has an abiding motto: “I don’t have everything, but I have all I need.” The 22-year-old graduate of AMIT Kiryat Malachi found all that she needed in her AMIT education. That education began in the 7th grade, when she and her parents chose AMIT Kiryat Malachi, where she studied for six years in the all-girls program, majoring in communications and film. “I loved my school. I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. Beyond the actual education, the school teaches a lot about life. Everything I learned about values I learned from that school.” AMIT Kiryat Malachi provides special programs, such as partnerships with outside groups to widen students’ scope of understanding of both Judaism and the world at large. Leah gives the example of New York’s Yeshiva University students who came to her school every summer. “Together, we learned about each other’s lives,” she says. In addition, this is when she practiced her now fluent English.

Leah Gene Avuno with AMIT students across Israel

Her AMIT principal at the time, Assaf Cohen, was also instrumental in her development. “He encouraged me to volunteer in the community a lot. Everything about his attitude just changed my life. He was the first one to make me feel that I could have a different reality, which I wasn’t able to imagine before.” She also praises her teachers. “For everything I wanted to do, they had a solution.” They enabled her to pay for a trip to Poland, and when it was diﬃcult for her to study at home with so many siblings and the resulting noise, they took her to their own homes. AMIT was transformative for Leah, a resident of Kiryat Malachi, who lives with her mother, stepfather and six siblings. Born in Gondar, Ethiopia, she immigrated to Israel with her family when she was two. Her actual birth first name is Yuval, given by her mother with a purpose in mind. As her mother was the only Jewish person in her native Ethiopian neighborhood, she gave her daughter

a name, which in Aramaic means “go your own path.” Concludes Leah, “So no matter what people say about you, go on your own path.” She has certainly carved her own path. It is rooted in her AMIT education, which led to the following resumé of her extensive accomplishments listed below: *Community Activist. In high school, Leah started to volunteer in student council, getting further involved in the youth movement. The principal even let her out of classes to expand her work. “One thing led to another, and I became chairman of the youth council in my city,” she explains. Her role entailed meeting with the mayor, doing various projects with adults, and meeting with those involved in Birthright.

“ You should take advantage of every tool you are given there, and not take it for granted, because when I went out into the big world I understood how lucky I am, how unbelievably privileged we are at AMIT.” *Israeli Representative in the U.S. After speaking to the Birthright participants visiting Kiryat Malachi, one of their staff approached Leah and asked her age. She was 16. “Call me when you are 18,” he said. She deliberately kept track and reached out to him two years later. “Back then, no one in my city did anything like go to the U.S. for a role like this,” she says. It took her six months to get accepted, but she persevered. Subsequently, she headed to Tucson, Arizona, for a one-year stint as an Israeli representative. The move didn’t come without its challenges. “I didn’t have anyone there. I left everything I know in my country and moved. It wasn’t always easy,

coming from a different culture and also figuring out my own Ethiopian, Black, Jewish identity.” But facing challenges is second nature to Leah. Consequently, she reports, “It was the best year of my life; a life-changing experience.” Even today, “the Jewish community in Tucson is a family to me. I still have a strong connection with my host family.” Creating connections within Tucson’s Jewish community with people from toddlers to the elderly, including those with special needs, was of particular interest to her. “I touched everyone there,” she says proudly. Notably, she adds, “because I am Black woman, I thought to build a bridge between the Jewish and African-American communities.” Consequently, for the first time ever, she arranged for Hillel students and Black students, both from the University of Arizona, to come together “to talk about life.” That also evolved to joint meetings at both a Baptist church and a synagogue. *Army Service. Leah’s two years in the Israeli Army were spent as part of Garin Nahal, which combines military service in a combat unit with civilian service. During her service, she was stationed in Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, located five minutes from the Gaza Strip, where she participated in an archeological dig. She was then drafted to serve as a commander for basic training troops near Hadera, in the northern part of the country. There, she trained new soldiers, teaching them everything from using a gun, to wearing a uniform,

“I loved my school. I wouldn’t be where I am today without it. Beyond the actual education, the school teaches a lot about life.” 25

to speaking the “army language.” She explains, “I shifted their whole existence from a regular person to a solider.” They were from all backgrounds, including Muslims, Druze, Ethiopians, and Russians. “The connections I made with my soldiers were unbelievable. I am still in contact with them, and I still see them.” She was eventually promoted to a role in which she scouted high schools to locate teens with potential to be accepted into oﬃcer training school. *Leadership Counselor. Following Army service, Leah spent four months traveling in the U.S., cutting her trip short and returning to Israel due to Covid. She became a counselor in the Nativ Leadership Program, a program that includes a challenging academic year, in which she worked with Canadian students at Hebrew University. *Social Programming Director. Leah currently works full-time with AMIT as the head of Social Programming at Beit Moreshet KKL (JNS), a state-of-the-art new facility that opened in 2021. It houses after-school activities, including everything from tutoring to tech support, for Kiryat Malachi residents, mostly AMIT students. *Future Lawyer. All her leadership and community service experience has led Leah to be accepted to Ono Academic College law school, located in Kiryat Ono, one of the fastest growing colleges in Israel. She will begin her studies there in October. In her free time, the ambitious AMIT grad also

enjoys practicing a cultural craft. She is adept at braiding, knitting, and sewing, such as making yarmulkes—a craft that she points out is a large part of Ethiopian culture. “It sticks with me even though I left Ethiopia at age two,” she says. In fact, crafts, in addition to working with special needs children, is something she learned directly from her mother. What would Leah, such a successful graduate, tell AMIT students? “You should take advantage of every tool you are given there, and not take it for granted, because when I went out into the big world I understood how lucky I am, how unbelievably privileged we are at AMIT.” She emphasizes one of the most important AMIT lessons. “It doesn’t matter where you start, even if you’re not from wealth or privilege, you can still get far if you believe in yourself.”

Rabbi Zev Shandalov — aka “Rav Zev”

An AMIT Educator Who Goes Above and Beyond BY ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN

he AMIT network has successfully helped two generations of immigrants from Ethiopia and the countries of the former Soviet Union overcome linguistic, cultural, socioeconomic, and academic hurdles on the path to becoming fully contributing members of Israeli society. Although newcomers from Western countries generally arrive with greater resources, children in an unfamiliar land always face challenges. At AMIT Eitan Jr. and Sr. High School for Boys in Ma’ale Adumim, students from English-speaking homes find warm support during their transition and beyond – no less than those students from more disadvantaged backgrounds. “When we started gaining the trust of immigrant families from 13 different states and countries –

including French, Ethiopian, American, Canadian, Portuguese and Russian immigrants – to educate their sons, we tried to give every immigrant group proper guidance beyond what the Education Ministry provides,” said Daniel Be’eri, now entering his sixth year as principal of the award-winning school. AMIT Eitan gives these boys a boost in the person of Rabbi Zev Shandalov — aka “Rav Zev” — who made aliyah 12 years ago from Chicago following a career in business, education, and the pulpit. In fact, in one of those “small world” coincidences so common in Israel, Be’eri’s father was good friends with Shandalov’s late father-in-law in Chicago. “I was teaching in a classroom at AMIT Eitan for three and a half years and then I proposed to Daniel that I work with the immigrant kids — a couple of Ethiopians, a Russian, and many English speakers,” he said. “They need handholding for the language, for the culture, for whatever it may be.” Be’eri readily agreed. During his 12 years at AMIT Eitan he’d seen a large uptick of English-speakers in the school’s population, and particularly an influx of Americans about seven years ago, before he became principal. “We understood that what we need is Rav Zev to work with them and be with them during all or most of their classes and help them understand what’s going on, to study with them and help them prepare for bagrut,” the matriculation exams leading to an academic diploma. “Rav Zev is the rabbi for many Anglo families in his neighborhood,” continued Be’eri. “When we bring students or par-

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ents of these families for meetings, he knows their background and can give guidance. Sometimes he works with the whole family. It’s really unique how community and school life come together here.” There’s no job description in the Education Ministry for Shandalov’s position at AMIT Eitan, the principal emphasized. “We made it up. We hire people for special jobs that have a big influence in their community.” Which helps explain why AMIT Eitan won the prize for best national religious school in Israel in the 2020-2021 school year. Having taught for seven years at the school so far, Shandalov declared that he’s never encountered finer people. “It’s the best staff I’ve worked with in any position in my life, from business to the rabbinate. Truly the school is for the kids. Daniel Be’eri’s administration is very encouraging to the faculty and students to come up with new approaches, new ideas, new innovations.” Shandalov’s work with immigrants was one of those innovations. Among other boys he has assisted, he accompanied a core group of four students from seventh through 12th grade, assisting them through coursework, projects, and matriculation exams. “It was a lifesaver that Rav Zev was there,” said Yonatan Reiffman, now a 19-year-old hesder yeshiva student at Sha’alvim and still a weekly study partner of his mentor.

“We made aliyah from Wisconsin in 2014, when I was going into seventh grade. I was a little nervous knowing no Hebrew and coming into a classroom full of Israelis,” he related. “It was extremely crazy not knowing a word that was being said. Language is a big barrier both academically and socially. I didn’t retain information as well because I was spending so much energy trying to understand what the teacher was saying,” he recalled. “But from the first day of school, Rav Zev was there, translating and helping me understand. In the beginning, he would come into class and help translate. He’d explain word by word and whole ideas. Later he would sometimes pull us out of class. I remember that 10th grade history was hard for the new immigrants, so he’d do a private kind of class going over the material with us and translating what was in the textbook.” As they began understanding Hebrew better, the group of Americans continued relying on Shandalov as a teacher, study partner, and confidante. “When we learned with him, he’d joke and tell funny stories, so our learning was filled with laughter. He did so much for me and all my friends that no matter what I say about it won’t do it justice,” said Reiffman. “Even for things not connected to school, he was there for us. We could text or call him, and he’d always happily help us with any problem. In the later years he helped us prepare for the bagrut in school and on his own time he’d invite us to his house to go over the material. He said a bunch of times that his goal was to make sure every one of us graduated with a teudat bagrut [academic diploma] and he is the main reason we all did that.” Indeed, said Be’eri, “These were kids who hardly knew Hebrew when they started, and they finished with good grades on their bagrut.” Reiffman said that looking back at his overall experience at AMIT Eitan, “I made a lot of nice friends, the school was warm, and the teachers were extremely nice. I heard from friends at other schools that this was not necessarily the usual experience.”

Rabbi Zev Shandalov recently published a book of Hebrew piyyutim – short liturgical poems – that he composed with the inspiration and support of AMIT Eitan. “The book came about because I was helping some boys in a Hebrew literature class and the first topic that came up was piyyutim,” he explained. “I’ve been reading piyyutim for a number of years. While I was translating for the boys, I learned about the amazing structure and how piyyutim are built. After about a month of just listening along with the students, I tried my hand at one. And that was it. I’ve written about 50 so far. The book has 16; there will be a second edition soon.” The school helped fund the printing and contributed a tremendous amount of encouragement, he says. “Three teachers helped me along the way in aspects from linguistics to structure: Yael Lazarovich, Eliyahu Pahima, and Hadas Kimhi.” Principal Daniel Be’eri says that encouraging teachers in pursuing their individual interests is a central value in the AMIT network. “Rav Zev found this fountain of creativity coming out of him from the classes in our school, and we supported that because we want to show our whole staff that when you have something unique to develop, the school wants to be part of it,” he said. Shandalov has been doing book launch talks in various parts of Israel. “My goal was never to make money on this project,” he emphasized. “I just found there is something in me that I can bring out. It took me until I was 60 years old to discover it.” What do AMIT Eitan students think of the piyyutim? “The students who are aware of the book think it’s the coolest thing that we have a payytan in the school,” Shandalov replied. “It’s not just some names from the Middle Ages – that’s the style I write in. It’s from a guy they know!”

At Ofaimme Farm,

Food and Culture Combine with Sustainability. The results are exquisite!

BY GLORIA AVERBUCH

he phrase “Land of Milk and Honey” is literal at Israel’s Ofaimme Farm for Sustainable Agriculture. At Ofaimme, that milk is fresh from their organic goats and the honey direct from their own beehives and date groves. These riches, together with a myriad of crops and animals, are all grown, raised, and harvested by Hedai Offaim, his family, and a group of like-minded farmers and volunteer workers from Israel and around the world. The result is food imbued with

deep passion not only for its delicious flavors, but for its historical, cultural, and spiritual values. This special combination of qualities takes a totality of commitment. “We are not farm to table, we are seed to table,” declares Offaim, who oversees Ofaimme and imbues it with his philosophy. That phrase means that they do it all: from seeding of the fodder used to feed the animals, to milking them, making the cheeses, and

Organic goat cheeses from Ofaimme Farm, made by hand and using traditional methods. (Photo credit: Asaf Karela)

bringing those delights to the table in their own farm shops and cafes. The depth of nurturing extends to all their products: including such endeavors as beer produced in a boutique brewery and distilling their own arak. New on the horizon are heirloom variety groves, including figs, pomegranates, carob, almonds, olives, apples, apricots, and plums. Ofaimme (the biblical word for branches) includes two farms. The original, founded by Hedai with his brother Yinon, was established in 2000, and is located on Moshav Idan in the Arava in southern Israel. The second, located in the Ella Valley, was established in 2011. Between the two, they supply the six various restaurants and shops, online delivery orders and catering—all featuring Ofaimme products. That number is slated to soon expand to nine locations, including a much-anticipated presence in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Ofaimme is uniquely structured in its approach. As Hedai Offaime explains, there are predominantly two kinds of “farm to table” models. One is the “fine dining, super elite” that can usually be found in expensive restaurants in big cities; the other is the more alternative lifestyle type, illustrated by small farmers selling their limited wares at local farmers’ markets. “Our method is to create a model that relies on the values that we stand for, but to do it on a larger scale, thus we have the ability to bring fresh, organic, sustainable products and food to wider communities. We come to you; that’s the idea.”

Roots in Agriculture Brought up in Haifa, Hedai and his brother and partner, Yinon, also have deep roots in Kibbutz Yagur, located close to that city and where their mother was raised. The brothers were raised with the myths once related to kibbutz farming life, and took a path leading to agriculture as a way to a holistic approach to life on the land and to Israel. Hedai has an eclectic resumé. Among his accomplishments, he is a self-taught chef (self-taught Photo credit: Yeela Zer

because “I cannot sit in a chair,” as he explains), manages a tourism company, has written food columns for major Israeli newspapers, authored several cookbooks, and often appears in cooking shows on TV and radio. He continues to teach cooking and farming techniques. “I also try to study as often as I can,” he says. Ofaimme’s bounty stems from a wealth of Israeli culinary traditions. Hedai’s creations draw from the country’s rich immigration population, which has brought with it a taste of Europe, North Africa, and the Levant. That tradition includes both the food and more. Hedai’s variety of Israeli wines from the farm’s recently planted vineyards will be productive in three years. The farm’s long list of online offerings, including bakery items, conclude with the phrase “and everything the heart desires.”

Love of Food & Hospitality Hedai’s creative videos, which are featured on the iCenter website and can be found on YouTube, include renowned Israeli musicians combining song performance with cooking demos. They are accompanied by an illuminating discussion of musical, culinary, and cultural history.

In one of those videos, Hedai creates a signature Yogurt and Tahini Date Cake (see recipe on page 34) with Ethiopian Israeli jazz/soul singer Ester Rada. The hearty baked good includes his farm-raised eggs, homemade yogurt, raw tahini, and silan date syrup (the type of honey actually referred to in the Bible) made from the farm’s date groves. Hedai regularly delights in cooking in his home kitchen. His famed butcher-block, handcrafted dining room table, which seats up to 40 people, is the site of meals with family and numerous guests, enjoying traditional Friday night Shabbat meals. Hedai — husband, father, and farmer — both creates and entertains with customs deeply rooted in Judaism. “I am very much involved in Jewish spirituality and a Jewish way of thinking,” he says. “Our Shabbat dinners, which include discussion and song, revolve around those issues. That’s why the dinners are uniquely special.”

Sustainable Farming Yields Proven Benefits As Ofaimme’s website explains, three elements comprise sustainable agriculture: ecological, social, and economic. Ofaimme Farm adheres to strict or-

ganic and fair-trade practices. Its products are guaranteed to be free of any type of genetic engineering, preservatives, pesticides, and hormones. Farming methods include the use of solar energy, recycled water, and natural fertilizers. In addition to vegetables, fruits, and herbs, the farm raises goats, and provides millions of organic chicken eggs each year. “We’re organic, but high-tech,” adds Hedai. Numerous sources back up Ofaimme’s sustainable farming methods as yielding vast improvements in the quality of food, benefitting the environment by encouraging food diversity, and reducing its carbon footprint, as well as contributing positively to the local economy. What’s more, eating farm to table (or seed to table, as Hedai puts it) has been shown to improve food-related health problems, reducing diseases and conditions such as cancer and obesity. Fair trade agreements are struck with farms that provide Ofaimme with supplemental products. “No one can produce everything,” explains Hedai. “We cooperate using fair trade practices with small farmers that adhere to our standards, sharing the profits. For example, we buy olives while still on

the tree to make sure they are organic and pressed to the highest quality of olive oil.” Ofaimme’s nearly 260 workers (missing are about 90 of them at this writing due to Covid, meaning double shifts for current workers) are all paid above minimum wage. In addition, in a program coordinated with the Arava R&D center, agricultural students from over a dozen third world countries are hosted at the farm to learn the latest methods. These techniques, such as maintaining the crops and feeding animals without the need to import supplies and feed from afar, are honed with Ofaimme’s continued research and development.

The Very Israeli Meaning of It All Ofaimme represents a complete immersion in the land and the country’s culture. “Everything I do is Israeli,” says Hedai. “My father is a Holocaust survivor from Poland, and in one generation all three of his children: my brother, my sister, and I are all Israeli farmers. Sustenance is the most basic notion, and the ability to grow our own food on our own land. To sustain the body and the soul is the whole idea of modern Zionism.”

Ofaimme Farm is not just farm to table. It is seed to table. (Photo credit: Irrie Oﬀaim)

Yogurt & Tahini Date Cake RECIPE BY HEDAI OFFAIM

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup fresh yogurt 1 cup raw tahini* 1 cup sugar ½ cup date honey (Silan) 2 eggs 2 cups white flour 1 tbsp baking powder 12-15 big Medjoul dates Butter to grease the pan

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F. 2. In a big bowl or in a mixer with a mixing hook, mix together all the ingredients other than the flour and the baking powder. Add the flour and the baking powder and continue mixing until the batter is homogeneous. 3. Grease a round baking pan and transfer the batter into it. Flatten the top using a spatula. Halve the dates and get rid of the pits. Set the halved dates in a round shape on the cake, pushing them a little into the batter. 4. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick that you dip in the cake comes out dry with crumbs. Be careful not to overbake. 5. Serve warm with fresh Greek-style yogurt. *Substitute ½ cup tahini and ½ cup water for a lighter cake.

Recipe courtesy of The iCenter (theicenter.org).

Dvar Torah BY RABBI STEVEN BURG

ne of the most well-known and basic tenets of Judaism is the belief in one God. Monotheism is our most primary and central contribution to humanity. Every AMIT student knows first and foremost the Shema prayer; “Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem Echad.” God is one. The first commandment brought to the Jewish people when Moses descended Har Sinai was: “Anochi Hashem Elokecha, asher hotzeitcha m’eretz Mitzrayim;” I am Hashem, your God, Who took you out of the land of Egypt. (Sefer Shemot, Parashat Yitro) Belief in one God, monotheism, is the basic tenet of our faith and our the Jewish people’s most primary and central contribution to humanity. This commandment establishes for the ages the singularity of God, setting the stage for all that Judaism stands for. Yet Hashem includes in this primary, introductory, expansive, and universal mitzvah, the very specific detail of His taking us out of Egypt. While His presence is infinite and universal, this declaration includes one concrete and specific moment in time. Why bring this to the forefront now? Rabbi Yitzchak Mi Kurbil, one of the early Ba’alei haTosafos from the early 1300s, known as the SMaK for his writings in Sefer Mitzvos HaKatan, explains that the first mitzvah is belief in God (Emunah). However, it is more than that. The commandment includes knowing with steadfast faithfulness that He has a plan for the world. Hashem told our forefathers that bringing us down to Egypt was a part of His plan — as was His taking us out as a nation. This reminder points to our constant need to know and understand that the world’s unfolding is by design. This acknowledgment — which sometimes gets overlooked — is central to the mitzvah of Emunah. To take this even one step further, the power of faith in Hashem’s existence, combined with faith in His divine plan, inherently includes

the mitzvah to find our individual role within that greater plan. The most recent chapter in our history contains dramatic examples of Hashem’s plan, both in terms of suffering and redemption. We witnessed the horrors of the Holocaust which ended in 1945, and just three impossible years later the establishment of the modern State of Israel. We have experienced so many episodes of great tragedy and suffering. Yet our Emunah is constantly infused with the knowledge that Hashem has a plan and we are part of the unfolding. When the book is written on the creation and building of the modern State of Israel, AMIT’s role in the narrative will feature prominently. We understand how critical it is for our children to have a good education. For close to 100 years with support from around the world, AMIT has taken the responsibility of ensuring the children of Israel — all from diverse backgrounds — continue to have access to an excellent Jewish education, infused with timeless Jewish values. AMIT has helped thousands of Israeli children realize their potential and their unique role in Hashem’s larger plan for the Jewish nation. Through garnering international support, AMIT brings together Jews from around the world unified for this beautiful cause. Aish and AMIT share a common value, one that states our collective responsibility to impart timeless Jewish wisdom to the next generation; to acknowledge Hashem as our God, with a divine plan for each of us, and for the Jewish people as a whole. May we continue to be successful in building the Jewish people and fulfilling our role as a “light unto the nations.” Rabbi Steven Burg is the CEO of Aish. He also serves on the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency and the Executive Board of the RCA.

HIGHLIGHTS & SUCCESSES Graduate of AMIT Bar-Ilan, Yoav Rosenblatt, Receives Outstanding Presidential Medal On the 73rd Independence Day of the State of Israel, Sgt. Yoav Rosenblatt received the “Outstanding Presidential Medal” from Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. Sgt. Rosenblatt is a paramedic in the 71st Battalion of the 188th Brigade. His father is Israel’s ambassador to Angola in Africa. He studied at the AMIT Bar-Ilan School and then at the pre-military preparatory school “Kol-Ami” near Jerusalem, and his second year in Ein Prat. Yoav really wanted to be a paramedic and took on extra shifts to continuously show initiative. Commander, Captain Elior Ashkenazi, says: “Yoav is a serious soldier, engaged in every task, professional in his field. He provides a quality response during training and throughout, serves as a wealth of knowledge for the battalion, and helps develop and increase the battalion’s medical knowledge. He is without a doubt outstanding.” Tomer Shofer, principal of the AMIT Bar-Ilan Gush Dan school, said: “Yoav came to us in the middle of his school years from a mission abroad, and in a short time he was able to integrate… there is no doubt that his ability to integrate and excel in a short time is admirable in the army. We are very proud and happy.” “I came to AMIT Bar-Ilan High School in the tenth grade, after a long period abroad,” says Rosenblatt. “This is the opportunity for me to thank the teachers, the management and my good classmates.”

The Student Who Became the School Principal and Won the National Religious Education Prize Once again, an AMIT school has been recognized for excellence. Yona Kanino, the principal of AMIT Kol Yaakov in Yerucham, was awarded the National Religious Education Prize this week. This is a double win for AMIT as Yona is a graduate of Kol Yaakov and is herself a product of its success. “My personal and professional development, alongside raising my kids and family in Yerucham, are intertwined with the story of the growth and development of Kol Yaakov, which has been a second home to me and to them for almost four decades,” she said. When Yona began as principal, the school had only 140 students. “I am happy and proud to lead the only National Religious elementary school in Yerucham, which now numbers close to 750 students,” she said. Despite its growth, AMIT Kol Yaakov continues to feel like a warm and loving home.

HIGHLIGHTS & SUCCESSES Yeshivat AMIT Eliraz Takes First Place in Math Competition; AMIT Be’er Tuvia Wins SpaceLab Competition The team from Yeshivat AMIT Eliraz in Petach Tikva, led by their teacher Tzvika Leibovitch, won first place in this year’s Tangram 7th grade math competition, run by the Davidson Institute of Science Education of the Weizmann Institute of Science. “The students had to deal with math challenges that required thinking creatively and out of the box, worked together as a group, and of course, enjoyed the special atmosphere,” said Rabbi Ofer Eran, the principal. “We are proud of our students who won first place from among all the other schools that participated in the competition.” AMIT Be’er Tuvia, a recent addition to the AMIT network, won another SpaceLab competition run by the Ramon Foundation in conjunction with the Air Force’s satellite unit. Outstanding students in 7th and 8th grade across Israel had to decipher and analyze satellite pictures. The prize? A meeting with representatives from Israel’s Air Force satellite unit. “Winning this national competition for outstanding students brings great joy and gratification to the entire school,” said Principal Avigdor Weizman.

AMIT Be’er Tuvia Student Chosen as Israel’s Representative for UN Climate Conference Tomer Gertel, a student from AMIT Be’er Tuvia, has been chosen as Israel’s representative at the UN International Climate Conference. Tomer, a sophomore, will participate in the conference in three months’ time in Milan, Italy. Approximately 9,000 candidates from all over the world applied to take part, and only 400 youth were chosen to attend. The September pre-conference is being held in advance of the UN’s 26th annual International Climate Conference. The young participants are tasked with developing ideas and strategies for improving, coping, and preventing the climate crisis, and will present them to the world governments taking part in the main conference. Gertel has been active in the school’s educational garden and environmental quality groups. Last year, he even taught classes on these subjects to the ninth and twelfth grades. “We are not prophets of destruction but prophets of hope. We are the generation that will bring freedom, our right to life. We are the generation that will be remembered in the history books,” Gertel said.

HIGHLIGHTS & SUCCESSES

First Place in the “Leadership Scores” Competition: AMIT Wasserman Jr. And Sr. High School, Be’er Sheva Students from AMIT Wasserman Jr. and Sr. High School in Beer Sheva won first place in the Southern District in the “Leadership Scores” competition. “Leadership Scores” is designed to instill values and develop leadership abilities among youth through basketball tournaments and classroom leadership educational activities. The program, which is for eighth-grade students, combines sports, values education, strengthens social skills, and improves motivation. “I really enjoyed the program,” shared student Daniel Yagzau. “I increased my abilities and fitness, and it helped me both learn better and win the competition.” “The uniqueness of sports is their ability to help students discover strengths they did not know existed,” said Tzuriel Robbins, principal of AMIT Wasserman Be’er Sheva.

16 Braids for Cancer Patients Students at Sutker AMIT Renanim Science and Technology High School for Girls in Ra’anana, recently held a hair donation event for cancer patients. It took a long time for the students to grow their hair long enough to donate to this important cause. Two professional hairdressers volunteered for the donation event, at the end of which some 16 braids were donated and transferred to Ezer Mizion, an organization that helps cancer patients. Eliana Cohen, one of the students who donated her hair, shared: “I decided to donate because I think whoever gets my hair will appreciate it much more than I do. I’m sure it will make her day compared to her diﬃcult struggle with the disease.” This is the second year that Sutker AMIT Renanim has held a hair donation event. “I consider it a great privilege for our students to be part of a volunteer project that encourages involvement and caring, as these are values rooted within the school,” said Ofra Peer, principal of the school. “A huge thank you to Ofra Ben Shahar, our school’s Bat Sherut. This is her second year leading such a big event for us.”

$1,000,000 +

$75,000-$99,999

Helen and Jacob Greenfield, z”l, NJ

Jerusalem Foundation, Israel

Evan and Layla Green Family Foundation, CA Ellen, z”l, and Meyer Koplow, NY The Lewis and Wolkoff Family Legacy, CO Sarena and David Koschitzky, Mira and Saul Koschitzky, Tamar and Eric Goldstein, and Joel Koschitzky, US, Canada and Israel The Moise Y. Safra Foundation, NY Ellen and Stanley Wasserman, NY

$50,000-$74,999 Anonymous, NY

Hadassah and Marvin Bienenfeld, NY Canada Foundation, Israel Joan and Norman Ciment, FL Suzanne and Jacob Doft, NY Naomi and Avery Friedman, Israel Education for Giving, Israel

$250,000-$999,999 Lee and Lou, z”l, Benjamin, FL Florence and Albert Dreisinger, z”l, NY Shari and Jacob M. Safra, NY Ethel and Lester, z”l Sutker

David Goldman Charitable Trust, Israel Harvey Goodstein Foundation, PA Barbara Gordon, NY The Kolatch Family Foundation, NJ Barbara and Fred Kort Foundation, CA Ria and Tim Levart, NJ Leon and Gloria, Edward, Sari, and Howard Miller, NY Barbara and Jules, z”l, Nordlicht, NY

$100,000-$249,999 Susan Ederson, z”l, NY

Norman and Bettina Roberts Foundation, NJ Audrey Axelrod Trachtman and Chaim Trachtman, NY

The Barbara and Fred Kort Foundation, CA Ellen and Emanuel Kronitz, Israel Estate of Marilyn H. Phillips, NY Joyce and Daniel Straus, NJ Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, MD Pauline Zonon, z”l, NY

As of July 12, 2021. We apologize if your name was inadvertently left off this list.

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$18,000 - $24,999

Anonymous, MA

Grace, Shua and Jacob Ballas

Joseph Abelow, z”l, Israel

Charitable Trust, Israel

Kol Hanearim Inc., NY

Aaron and Marie Blackman Foundation, CA

Ike, Molly and Steven Elias Foundation, NY Keren Yerushalayim, Israel

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$36,000 - $49,999

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AMIT • B 

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Christian Friends of Yesha Communities, Israel

North American Conference of Ethiopian Jews, Israel

Marion Crespi, NY

Regina Peterseil, z”l, NY

Jone and Allen Dalezman, MA

Hedy and Paul, z”l, Peyser, MD

Adena and Ezra Dyckman, NY

Lauren and Mitchell Presser, NY

Michael Cleeman, NY

Danielle and Ronald Ellis, Israel

Barbara and Joel, z”l, Rascoff, NY

Pnina and Jacob Graff, CA

Ruth and Gene Fax, MA

Jennie and Avi Rothner, IL Shirley and Milton Sabin, FL Jan and Sheldon Schechter, NY

Amy, z”l, and James Haber, NY

Eve Finkelstein, Israel

Magbit, Israel

Pearl and Marty Herskovitz, Israel

Sharon and Morris Silver, CA

Hamifal Education Childrens Home, Israel

Lisa Rosenbaum and Ronald Fisher, MA

Kivunim Foundation, Israel

$25,000 - $35,999 Anonymous, FL Anonymous, MA Anonymous, NY Raquela and Avi Adelsberg, NY American Embassy, Israel Ann and Yale Baron, NJ

Debbie and David Isaac, NY Sarah Liron and Sheldon Kahn, CA Keren DM (Glencor), Israel Sharon and Solomon Merkin, NJ Nerine Trust Company, Israel Shemesh Foundation, Israel

Doris and Marcus, z”l Blumkin, NY

Sylvia and Morris Trachten, z”l, Family Foundation, Israel

Rosa and Isaac Cohanzad, CA

Ina and David Tropper, NY

Jewel and Ted Edelman, NY

Youth Villages for Advancement and Excellence, Ltd., Israel

Gazit-Globe, Israel Harwit Charitable Trust, CA Laura and Jonathan Heller, NY Mildred, z”l, and Alvin Hellerstein, NY Russell Jay Hendel, MD Norma and Emanuel, z”l, Holzer, NY Max and Sunny Howard Memorial Fund, NY Brenda and Albert, z”l, Kalter, NY Kislev Tuvla Veschar, Israel Gitta and Richard Koppel, Israel Matanel, Israel The Joan S. and Leon Meyers Foundation, NY

Beth and Harry Fried, NJ Rosalyn and Ira Friedman, NJ Judith Isaac and Walter Gadlin, NY Randi and Alan Gelman, Israel Gemstone Cultural Heritage, Israel Leelah and Joseph Gitler, Israel Anne and Sheldon Golombeck, NY Paula Yudenfriend and Arlin Green, PA Harvey Greenberg, z”l, VA Haruach Halsraeli (The Israel Spirit), Israel

Rita and Eugene, z”l, Schwalb, FL Seligsohn Foundation, PA David Shapira Services, Israel Shemesh Foundation, Israel Celia and Reuven Sherwin, Israel Judy and Isaac Sherman, NY Shibley Righton LLP, Israel Chana and Daniel Shields, NJ Sally Sidman, IN Marilyn and Herbert, z”l, Smilowitz, NJ Sondra and Myron Sokal, NY

Michelle and Natalie Horovitz, Israel

Francine and Aaron Stein, NJ

Ithaca United Jewish Community, NY

Naomi and Gary Stein, NY

Anonymous, CA

Edith and Herman Itzkowitz, PA

Tishrei Transport, Israel

Trudy and Ted, z”l, Abramson, FL

Suzanne and Norman Javitt, NY

Valium, Israel

Adar Sachar Benlleumi, Israel

Ruth and Hillel Kellerman, CA

Hedya Stavisky Weiss, Israel

Amdocs, Israel

Rona and Ira Kellman, NY

Arizot Yerushalayim, Israel

Keren HaYesod, Israel

Judy and Morry Weiss/SapirsteinStone-Weiss Foundation, OH

Max and Anna Baran, Ben and Sarah Baran and Milton Baran, z”l, CA

Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek, Israel

Debbie and Julio Berger, NY

Rochelle and Seymour, z”l, Kraut, NJ

Zelda and Solomon Berger, NY

Arlene Kupietzky, CA

Daisy Berman, z”l, NY

Ruth and Robert Lewis, NY

Anne Bernstein, z”l, CA

$10,000 - $17,999

Ruth and Daniel Krasner, NY

Marguerite and Ronald Werrin, PA Yoreinu Foundation, Israel Youth Towns of Israel, Israel Helene and Gerald, z”l, Zisholtz, NY

$5,000 - $9,999

The Dorothy Phillips Michaud Charitable Trust, CA

Helen and Henry Bienenfeld

Zipporah and Rabbi Arnold, z”l, Marans, NY

Foundation, PA

Etella and Haim Marcovici, NY

Debbie and Samuel Moed, NJ

Barbara and Leonard, z”l, Bloom, MD

Lisa and Leon Meyers, NY

Phyllis and Arthur Rosenbaum, NY

Henry Ben Ezra, Israel

Mifalai Matmanot Meuchadim, Israel

Harriet and Heshe Seif, NJ

Natan Ben Natan, Israel

Migdal Hevra LeBituach, Israel

Amnon Shaashua, Israel

Deborah Stern Blumenthal and Michael Blumenthal, NJ

Judy and Albert Milstein, IL

Rebecca and Ari Adlerstein, PA

Elana and Shami Minkove, NY

Sarah and Maurice Aghion, MA

Robyn Price Stonehill and David Stonehill, NY

Lotte, z”l, and Ludwig Bravmann, NY

Anonymous, FL Anonymous, IL Anonymous, Israel Anonymous, MA Anonymous, TX

Bressler/Robbins Foundation, IL

Mischcon Family Charitable Trust, Israel

Agudat bet Sefer Tichon, Israel

Zahava and Moshael Straus, NJ Villar Group, Israel

Ethlynne and Stephen Brickman, MA

Marilyn and Leon Moed, NY

Zeldin Family, FL

Vanessa and Raymond Chalme, NY

Momentum Engine Growth, Israel

Randi Schatz Allerhand and Joseph Allerhand, NY

NivGal Inc., Israel

Susan Alter Klaperman, NY

Morris Zimmerman, z”l, NJ

Nicole and Raanan Agus, NY

As of July 12, 2021. We apologize if your name was inadvertently left off this list.

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• O  C Ann and Hy, z”l, Arbesfeld, NY

Linda and Norman Garfield, PA

Diane and Barry Kirschenbaum, FL

Karen and Roy Simon, NY

Michael Atar, UK

Abigail and Ari Glass, NY

Chani and Steven Klein, NY

Lois Blumenthal and Norman Sohn, NJ

Lolly and Harris Bak, NY

Miriam and Felix Glaubach, NY

Jane Klitsner, Israel

Vivian and Solomon, z”l, Rosen, FL

Rachel, z”l, and Martin Balsam, NY

Shari and Maurice Gluckstadt, NY

Evelyn and Lawrence Kraut, NJ

Gale and Eric Rothner, IL

Tamar and Ethan Benovitz, Israel

Paulette and Max, z”l, Goldberg, NY

Edy and Jacob Kupietzky, IL

Elizabeth and Gidon Rothstein, NY

Phyllis and Edward Berkowitz, NY

Esther and Jack Goldman, NY

Bryna and Joshua Landes, NY

Ellen and Morris Bienenfeld, NJ

Sandra E. Goodstein and Arthur Rosenblatt, PA

Donna and Jeffrey Lawrence, MD

Paul H. Rubenstein Charitable Foundation, OH

Martin Leiderman, NY

Hedda Rudoff, NY

Andrea and Bryan Bier, NJ

Gorlin Family Foundation, MD

Diane and David Lent, NY

Esther and William Schulder, NJ

Beth and Reuben Blumenthal, NY

The Gottesman Fund, NY

Kari and Joshua Levine, NY

Deanne and Leonard Shapiro, Israel

Freda and Elliot Braha, NJ

Sara and Ronald Gottlieb, FL

Dorothy and Robert Lewis, NY

Ruth and Irwin Shapiro, NY

Sari and Stuart Braunstein, NY

Sharon and Melvin Gross, NY

Mindy and Seymour Liebman, NY

Jane Shiff, NJ

Jorden Brinn, MD

Myrna and Ernest, z”l, Haas, NJ

Audrey and Haskel Lookstein, NY

Mollie Siegel, NJ

Adrianne and Leon Brum, FL

Phyllis Hammer, MA

Rita Lourie-Galena, PA & NY

Rosalyn and Richard Slifka, MA

Margaret, z”l, and Chaim Charytan, NY

Debbie and Robert Hartman, IL

Rita Lowi, CA

Marsha and Jan Spector, GA

Michelle Chrein, NY

Debbie and Eddie Herbst, CA

Adama Makhteshim, Israel

Nancy and Benjamin Sporn, NY

Barbara and Melvyn Ciment, MD

Howard Heller, MA

Meira and Solomon, z”l, Max, NY

MA Stern, Israel

Trina and Paul, z”l, Cleeman, NY

Shulamit and Avrom Holzer, NJ

Manette and Louis Mayberg, MD

Adina Straus, NY

Daniel Eli Cohen, Israel

Aviva Hoschander-Sulzberger and Vernon Sulzberger, NY

Benay and Ira Meisels, NY

Nechama and Howard Taber, NY

Caroline and Marcelo Messer, NY

Talpiot Religious Children’s Village, Israel

Evelyn and Isaac Blachor, NY

Florence Cohen, z”l, NY Shevi and Milton Cohen, NY

Peggy and Robert Insel, NY Shulamit and Joakim Isaacs, Israel

Judith Goldberg Ness and Seth Ness, NJ

Lisa and Ephraim Dardashti, PA

Sonia Bodenstein-Izenstark and Ira Izenstark, CA

Gloria and Burton Nusbacher, NY

Lilly Tempelsman, NY

Karen and David Cole, NY

Malky and Bezalel Jacobs, NY

Bea and Irwin, z”l, Peyser, NY

Sandra, z”l, and Max Thurm, NY

Dexel Factory, Israel

Bertie, z”l, and Fred Tryfus, NY

Michael and Elizabeth Diamond, NY

Debra Jakubovitz-Fletcher and Tim Fletcher, CA

Suzy and Paul Peyser, NY Esther and Donald Press, NY

Jessica Tuchinsky, NY

Renee and Harvey Douglen, Israel

Jewish National Fund, NY

Tzippi and Ira Press, NJ

Audrey and Max Wagner, NY

Elaine and Lewis Dubroff, NY

Barbara and Manfred Joseph, NY

Judy and Jerry Pressner, NY

Marilyn and Lee Wallach, NJ

Hattie and Arthur Dubroff, NJ

Connie and Alan Kadish, NJ

Joyce and Stanley Raskas, NY

Paula and Leslie Walter, NY

Susan and Fred Ehrman, NY

Robin and Simon Kahn, Israel

Tovah and Daniel Reich, NJ

Anne and Mark Wasserman, NY

Linda and Barry Eichler, PA & NY

Hermann Kaiser, NJ

Evelyn Reichenthal, TX

Marion and William Weiss, NJ

Sherry and Aaron Eidelman, NY

Ruth and Jerome Kamerman, NY

Reut Foundation, Israel

Roselyn and Walter, z”l, Weitzner, NY

Yaffa and Michael Eisenberg, Israel

Ruth and William, z”l, Kantrowitz, NY

Fritzie and Sheldon, z”l, Robinson, IL

Linda and Stanley Weissbrot, IL

Ester Eisenberg, z”l, CA

Harriet and Joel Kaplan, NY

Sandra and Evan Roklen, CA

Linda and Steven Weissman, NY

Phyllis and Joseph Eisenman, NJ

Elissa and Michael Katz, NJ

Booky and Jerome Wildes, NY

Sheila and Kenneth Fields, NJ

Evelyn and Shmuel Katz, FL

Kristina Reiko Cooper and Len Rosen, Israel

Lilly and Alfred, z”l, Friedman, NY

Craig Keebler, WA

Debbie and Ezra Feuer, NJ

Keren Roi, Israel

Marisa and Andrew Gadlin, NY

Rochelle Stern Kevelson, NY

Shifra and Perry Garber, NY

Estate of Morton Kinzler, z”l, FL

Diane and Howard Cole, NY

Miriam and Howard Rosenblum, NJ Lea and Arnold Rotter, CA Idelle Rudman, NY Diane Schiowitz and Paul Schwartz, Israel

As of July 12, 2021. We apologize if your name was inadvertently left off this list.

Hope and David Taragin, MD

Dee Dee and Steven Wilkowski, NY Stella and Samy Ymar, MD Esther and Dov Zeidman, NY Tamar and Benjamin Zeltser, NY Eva Zilz, NY

DEVELOPMENT

Virtual Programming

What a whirlwind this year has been! AMIT continued to connect with our donors during these uncertain times, through a vast array of virtual and hybrid events. Our community was able to come together in a whole new way, as members participated in events they wouldn’t normally be able to, rediscovering old friends living in diﬀerent cities, and enabling us to share our message with new people. Since January 2021 we have held more than 25 national, virtual programs and engaged hundreds of supporters from across the country and Canada. We have received tremendous positive feedback about our oﬀerings, and we want to share some highlights with you, here. Many of our past events are available on our website for viewing, at: amitchildren.org/connecting-with-amit/

AMIT’s Mother-in-Israel Program Was Out of this World!

Dare to Dream RE ACH FO R T H E STA R S

AMIT MOTHER-IN-ISRAEL EVENT

We were thrilled to have close to 1,000 Mother-in-Israel supporters join us on Sunday, June 6th, for a very special virtual trip to the Ilan Ramon memorial museum in the Ramon Crater Visitors’ Center. Our tour also included a visit to Tzfat to meet the student winners from the AMIT Florin Taman Yeshiva and the team of dedicated teachers and advisors who led them on their incredible journey to winning the prestigious SpaceLab competition. Our thanks to national chair

Us onnational Sunday, June 6th DebbieJoin Moed and co-chair Rebecca Adlerstein and the hard-workTwo Screenings! 10 a.m. & 8 p.m. EST

ing committee from all our AMIT chapters across the U.S. and Israel for making thisus our successful campaign yet! Join tomost encourage all Mother-in-Israel of our

AMIT students to dream big

Together we are educating the to dare to dream and reach for the stars! Your support enables our students next generation of superstars

Annual Assembly 2021 On Tuesday, June 15th, AMIT held its Annual Assembly. Due to COVID-19 it was a virtual event. The theme of the evening was “Moving Forward After a Year Apart.” President Audrey Trachtman and Treasurer Malky Jacobs gave updates on the organization. Together with Audrey, Dr. Amnon Eldar, Director General of the AMIT Reshet, provided an update on the state of our schools after the long year of pandemic life. Our hope is to see everyone in person next year.

DEVELOPMENT

Virtual Programming

3 Foodie Programs We are fortunate to attract some of the most talented chefs out there. This year we started off with a “Syrian Treats” program, led by Mollie Sherman and Pauline Ades, AMIT supporters from Englewood, NJ, who lent us their talents for the evening. Next, we had “Passover treats,” led by Esty Wolbe, an Instagram influencer best known for “Cooking with Tantrums.” Another highlight was our program “Shavout Dairy Cooking” with guest chef Paula Shoyer. Paula is a French-trained pastry chef who teaches cooking and baking classes all around the world. She is the author of five cookbooks, including the The Kosher Baker. To see our recipe corner on our website, visit: amitchildren.org/ connecting-with-amit

4 Arts & Culture Events This year we were able to bring people together virtually to create art and explore current and renown artists. We started off with a papercutting class led by AMIT supporter and Teaneck, NJ, resident, Dena Levie. Next, SVA Professor and well-known artist, Tobi Kahn, toured us through some of the latest, hot galleries around the world. Finally, Ronnit Vasserman led us on two amazing tours, including a study of Chagall and a tour of the underground art in the NYC subway system. These programs allowed supporters to both learn about AMIT as well as experience these exhibits without having to leave their homes.

3 Programs Featuring Education on Financial Wellness Financial planners Jonathan Blinken and Robert Soler offered their expertise through a series of financial education programs focusing on strategies for retirement, life insurance, and long term care. This series was organized through AMIT’s Planned Giving department. For more information, visit: amitlegacy.org

DEVELOPMENT

Virtual Programming

4 Literature Programs AMIT has always been known for our Book Clubs and we were lucky to expand upon the format, and virtually offer them to a much larger audience. This year we heard from Ronald Balson, author of Once we Were Brothers and Eli’s Promise, which was extremely well received. Next, we focused on a series we titled “Netflix and Novels,” with guest lecturer Bev Rosen. Bev taught literature at Drexel University and the Philadelphia College of Art. This series included discussions on: The Queens Gambit, A Woman of No Importance, and The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel. For future literature programs, please view our upcoming events here: amitchildren.org/events/

A Virtual Evening with Hadassah Lieberman On Sunday evening April 18th, more than 150 AMIT supporters enjoyed a virtual evening with Hadassah Lieberman in connection with the publishing of her memoir, Hadassah, An American Story. Interviewed by her son, Rabbi Ethan Tucker, attendees were privy to her personal insights as an immigrant in 1949. From earning her B.A. from Boston University, and her M.A. in international relations from Northeastern University, to marrying Joe Lieberman and their experiences as he campaigned for both the US Senate and then as half of the democratic presidential ticket in 2000. Hadassah’s story is impressive and exemplifies a true American dream.

Daniel Silva in Discussion with Michael Oren If it is July, it means there is a new Daniel Silva book. AMIT was privileged to host another virtual event with Daniel Silva on Monday evening July 19th. This time in discussion with former Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, more than 300 AMIT supporters heard about the new adventures of Gabriel Alon. We were treated to a very lively discussion on current affairs in both the United States and Israel, as well our guest’s insight into the rise of anti-Semitism.

DEVELOPMENT

Tri-State

Long Island Yom Iyun More than 130 women came out to attend AMIT’s Annual Long Island Yom Iyun, a day of learning for women and by women. The event featured keynote speaker Professor Shoshana Schechter, Associate Dean of Torah and Spiratual Life at Stern College for Women. Professor Schechter spoke on “Mourning the Past to Rebuild the Future.” In her discussion she addressed the purpose of having Tisha B’Av and other fast days throughout the year to mourn tragedies of the past, and how by looking backwards helps to build a better future moving forwards. “The Yom Iyun is a real happening. Event chairperson Rebbetzin Mimi Mehlman startKeynote Speaker Professor Shoshana ed this event 21 years ago. It began Schechter as an educational group with many prominent keynote speakers in Lido Beach and it has grown exponentially over the years. The Yom Iyun has motivated hundreds of women to come toProfessor Shoshana Schechter, Rebbetzin Adina Wolf, Rebbetzin Zipporah Marans, Rebbetzin Mimi Mehlman, gether to learn, as a chabura, many valued and insightful Sharon Simon, Naomi Kaszovitz, Audrey Axelrod Trachtman, Debby Gage, Audrey Wagner, Robbie Fried, lessons from our Torah and beyond. But this year being Jessica Koenigsberg in-person again gave special meaning to this gathering.”

AFLI

AMIT Future Leader’s Initiative is a branch of AMIT geared towards college and post-college students. The AFLI network creates opportunities to learn about AMIT, participate in fun and educational events, and engage with the next generation of students and members of the AMIT family.

On April 20th, AFLI hosted the 7th Annual Entrepreneurial & Networking Panel on a virtual platform making it accessible nationwide! Our moderator extraordinaire, Alex Luxenberg, hosted our largest group yet with more than 60 people logged in live to gain wisdom, get tips, and feel inspired by our panelists Batsheva Haart, Jeremy Parker, and Raleigh Anne Gray. Thank you to our dedicated and creative board who were able to get their peers out of their Zoom fatigue to participate: Abby Minkove, Anna Wilkowski, Daniella Aharoni, Eliana Isaac, Emily Cohen, Emma Tropper, Jared Isaac, Jillian Schiff, Joseph Minkove, and Josh Erber.

Attention all Midreshet AMIT Alumnae! Midreshet AMIT Alumnae : MIDRESHET AMIT Alumni

Did you go to Midreshet AMIT? Stay involved with the Alumnae from your year and years past! Join the FB Group or contact ElanaG@amitchildren.org to get involved: facebook.com/groups/1269014726814479/

DEVELOPMENT

NewGen

AMIT NewGen Shines Mid-Pandemic, to Contribute to the Emergency Relief Fund Kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh (Shavuot 39a), all of Israel are responsible for each other. This well known tenet of Jewish tradition is what we at AMIT live by. Our goal is to take care of the educational, social/ emotional, and even physical needs of each Israeli child in our Reshet (network) during the best of times as well as during times of great need. As communities in the United States begin navigating life during a pandemic, NewGen is thrilled to offer various Covid-19 safe opportunities. After a year and a half of engaging Zooms, family friendly sing-a-longs, lecture series, cooking demos, murder mysteries, and more, we are finally able to join together face to face. What better way to come together than to help Israel’s most at-risk students re-emerge from this challenging period through the AMIT Emergency Relief Fund, helping our Israeli sons and daughters rebuild after such a challenging year and a half.

AMIT Southeast NewGen beat the heat on Father’s Day with a Family Fun Day at Pine’s Ice Arena

AMIT Southeast NewGen region kicked off the campaign on June 20th with an outstanding Father’s Day Family Fun Day at the Pine’s Ice Arena. 25 families enjoyed ice skating and a pizza party while they got a break from the Florida heat. The event was chaired by Rachel and Rabbi Yoni Fein, Melissa and Josh Glaser, Gabrielle and Josh Gold, and Aliza and Mutty Shur.

The Southeast NewGen Ladies Night Out was an evening not to be missed! Meira Hakimi of *DingDong* Drinks mixed up various drinks including a variety of Mojitos while guests chatted, munched on sushi, and supported the Emergency Relief Campaign. The event was chaired by Elise Askenazi, Naomi Baratz, Leora Cohen, Dorit Gittler, Dina Lerer, and Nechama Marks. AMIT NewGen New England participated in the relief campaign with an outdoor Zumba class on July 7th, hosted by Caryn Wolfe in Newton, MA. A lively and committed group of women enjoyed an adrenaline packed hour while supporting the cause. Many thanks to Alissa Muzin, Annie Aliphas, Caryn Wolfe, Jillian Haise, and Zoe Shamash for their help with this event. On July 20th, Greater Westchester and Riverdale teamed up for an entertaining Margs & Mixology Ladies Night Out. More than 50 women got out and enjoyed sushi and Mikey Dubbs Frozen Custard while learning how to make delicious drinks with a Master Mixologist. AMIT NewGen New England’s Sweat for Good Zumba class

Greater Westchester and Riverdale Margs & Mixology Ladies Night

DEVELOPMENT

NewGen

Finally, on August 1st, NewGen Philadelphia hosted an incredible Summer Community Street Fair at the Kaiserman JCC / Perelman Jewish Day School in Wynnewood to fundraise for the Emergency Relief Campaign. With more than 30 vendors ranging from jewelry, gifts, nail & makeup artists, original art, graﬃti art, and more, 250 participants had a wonderful time and raised $5,500. The fair’s grand sponsors were Rosner Title Services, owned by long time AMIT supporters Sarah and Jeff Rosner as well as Norman and Linda Dubin Garfield, also longtime AMIT supporters. The crowd enjoyed live music, a festive joyous atmosphere as well as kosher food vendors who all donated a minimum of 10% of sales back to AMIT’s Emergency Relief Fund. All in all, AMIT NewGen has collectively raised more than $13,200 for the Emergency Relief Fund and we can’t wait to see what more we can do together in the coming New Year. Shana Tova!

We are excited to share that AMIT’s Wine Club is BACK right in time for the holidays! AMIT is providing exclusive curated cases of wine fulﬁlled by KosherWine for every type of wine lover at every price point. Whether you love reds, wines sourced only from Israel, or are ready to expand your palate, scan the QR code (left), or visit www.amitchildren.org/wineclub to get your wine for Rosh Hashana today! Questions? Need help ordering? Please email alizas@amitchildren.org, or elanag@amitchildren.org.

DEDICATION Trudy Abramson’s Everlasting Gift to AMIT

For Dr. Trudy Abramson, making an annual President’s Circle donation to AMIT is an incredibly meaningful experience. The gift hearkens her back to her childhood when she participated in Mizrachi Hatzair youth groups. Her mother and teachers were all Mizrachi women. “AMIT is the brand of Zionism and the brand of Judaism with which I identify myself,” she says.

able AMIT supporters to perpetually endow their annual gifts in their will. (See sidebar for more information.)

Her family’s commitment to AMIT transcends multiple generations. While she and her husband Ted were raising three children of their own, the children “grew up with AMIT and always knew what it represented,” she says.

While many devoted family members have set up perpetual endowments in memory of their parents and grandparents, this new initiative enables men and women to act now to craft a charitable legacy for generations to come that will serve as a role model for their offspring.

Now a member of AMIT’s national board and President of the Southeast region of AMIT, Abramson has spent her lifetime active in AMIT. It is important to her that her contributions continue even when she is no longer here. Abramson is spearheading the President & Ambassador Club Endowment (PACE), which will en-

“This is a way of leaving money in your estate to support AMIT for decades to come,” she says. “It doesn’t cost you anything now and may offer tax advantages.”

There’s also peace of mind in knowing that AMIT will continue to have your support. “I didn’t want to leave it up to chance,” Abramson says. To learn more about the President’s & Ambassador Club Endowment (PACE), contact Genene Kaye at GeneneK@AMITChildren.org or (212) 477-5465.

Certainty

Certainty in an Uncertain World

Consider an AMIT charitable gift annuity (CGA). Help secure your future and the future of AMIT’s children.

in an Uncertain World Receive fixed payments for life. Age

Rate

3.9%

4.2%

Consider an AMIT charitable gift annuity (CGA). Help secure your future and the future of AMIT’s children. Rates: Single Recipient

4.7%

5.4%

6.5%

7.6%

90+

8.6%

Certainty in an Uncertain W

If you are like many people, you have seen the value of your investments fluctuate with the markets. You might be wondering if there is a way to true security for you and yourannuity loved ones.(CGA). The good news is that with der anfind AMIT charitable gift annuity’s fixedof payments, you or a loved one ecureAMIT's yourcharitable futuregift and the (CGA) future can find the peace of mind that you are looking for.

children.

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Age

Rate

3.9%

4.2%

4.7%

5.4%

6.5%

7.6%

90+

8.6%

Help secure your future and the future of AMIT students with a charitable gift annuity.

For more information and to receive your free, no obligation CGA illustration, please contact Genene Kaye, Director of Planned Giving at 212.477.5465 or genenek@amitchildren.org. 49

Deborah Stern Blumenthal and Michael Blumenthal, NJ Renee Bohm, z”l, MD Boro Park and Tova Brooklyn Chapter, NY Ethlynne and Stephen Brickman, MA Adele and Jules Brody, NY Anonymous, FL

Elaine Brown, z”l, NY

Anonymous, MA

Beverly Brown, z”l, Israel

Anonymous, NY

Laurie and Eli Bryk, NY

Anonymous, NY

Lois and Michael Burak, NY

Anonymous, Israel

Goldie Bursten, z”l, MO

Goldie Abers, z”l, CA

Canada Foundation, Canada

Trudy and Ted, z”l, Abramson, FL

Celia Carson, z”l, CA

Nicole Schreiber Agus and Raanan Agus, NY

Miami Beach Chai Chapter, FL

Edith H. and Haim Agus, z”l, NY Alisa West Orange-Essex Chapter, NJ Aliza Oceanside Chapter, NY Randi Schatz and Joseph Allerhand, NY Rosalind Alper, z”l, NY Joseph Anmuth, z”l, CA Ann and Hy, z”l, Arbesfeld, NY Asara-Rishona/South Shore Chapter, NY Aviva Brooklyn Chapter, NY Avivah Chapter, WA Ayelet Queens Chapter, NY Lolly and Harris Bak, NY Mollie Baller, z”l, FL* Rachel, z”l, and Martin Balsam, NY Ann and Yale Baron, NJ Beersheva Delray Beach Chapter, FL Stella B. Behar-Testa, z”l, NY Joan and Shael Bellows, IL Nina and Sam Bellows, z”l, IL Lee and Louis, z”l, Benjamin, FL Irving Benveniste Fund, NY Beatrice and Harry, z”l, Berger, NJ Honey and David Berger, NY Thelma, z”l, and Harvey Berger, MA Zelda and Solomon Berger, NY Daisy and Herbert Berman, z”l, NY Anne and William Bernstein, z”l, CA Benjamin Bernstein, z”l, NY Roslyn and Matthew, z”l, Besdine, NY Beverly Hills Shirah Chapter, CA Elizabeth Beylin, Citibank N.A. Trusts & Est., NY Rosalin Bieber, z”l, MI

Margaret, z”l, and Chaim Charytan, NY AMIT Chicago Council, IL Julia Chosner, z”l, NY Joan and Norman Ciment, FL S. Trina and Paul, z”l, Cleeman, NY Greater Cleveland Chapter of AMIT, OH Rosa and Isaac Cohanzad, CA Freda Cohen, z”l, CT Florence and Melvin Cohen, z”l, NY Sherry and Neil Cohen, NY Joseph and Claire, z”l, Cohen, NY Shevi and Milton Cohen, NY Diane and Howard Cole, NY Jone and Allen Dalezman, MA Darchey Noam Long Beach Chapter, NY Daroma Long Beach Chapter, NY Yolande and Ernest, z”l, Dauber, TX Lila Denker, z”l, FL Irmgard and Joseph Deutsch, z”l, FL Dimona Boca Raton Chapter, FL Suzanne and Jacob Doft, NY Adina and Marc Dolfman, NY Irene and Murray, z”l, Dorit, CA Florence and Albert Dreisinger, z”l, NY Hattie and Arthur Dubroff, NJ Dvorah Shalom Chapter, FL Adena and Ezra Dyckman, NY Selma and Jacob Dyckman, NY Dina and Moses Dyckman, z”l, NY Jewel and Theodore Edelman, NY Gina and Graham Edwards, England Linda and Barry Eichler, NY Carole and Gary Eisen, NY

Chaiki and Ziel Feldman, NY Jack Fink, z”l, NY Myrna and Eli Fishbein, z”l, NJ Theresa and Michael, z”l, Foley, NY Roslyn and Ira Friedman, NJ Ruth Friedlander, z”l, NY Clara T. Friedman, z”l, NY Jacqueline and Zev Friedman, NY Lilly and Alfred, z”l, Friedman, NY Sylvia K. Friedman, NY Florence Furedi, z”l, FL Marisa and Andrew Gadlin, NY Galil-Moorings-Simcha Chapter, FL Rose Garfin, z”l, FL Galila Chapter of Chicago, IL Gayl Shechter Chapter, NY* The Gazit-Globe, Israel Rita Geller and Howard, z”l, Geller, IL Clara Gero, z”l, Israel Gesher Tzion-Atlanta Chapter, GA Geula-Shalvah Miami Beach Chapter, FL Lea Gilon, NY Dorrice and Harry Ginsburg, z”l, AZ* Leelah and Joseph Gitler, NJ Miriam and Felix Glaubach, NY Gloria Sheer Bronx Chapter, NY Golda Meir Chapter, FL Golda Meir Staten Island Chapter, NY Evalyn R. Goldberg, IN Gertrude Goldberg, z”l, NY Paulette & Max, z”l, Goldberg, NY Mildred and Hyman, z”l, Golden, NY Esther and Jack Goldman, NY David Goldman Charitable Trust, Israel N & L Goldsmith Foundation, NY Harold Goldstein, FL Tamar and Eric Goldstein, NY Helen Goldyk, FL Anne and Sheldon Golombeck, NY Harvey Goodstein Foundation, NY Lois Selevan Goodstein, z”l, NY Pnina and Jacob Graff, CA Adele Gray, z”l, FL Bertha K. Green Chapter, NY Evan & Layla Green Family Foundation, CA* Morris L. Green, z”l, NY

Esther Queens Chapter, NY

Paula and Arlin Green, PA

Ike, Molly and Steven Elias Foundation, NY

Helen and Jacob Greenfield, z”l, NY

Gail and Martin Elsant, NY

Hilda Gross, z”l, FL

Emek Hanahar Bronx Chapter, NY

Sharon and Melvin Gross, NY

Evelyn and Isaac Blachor, NY

Dorthy and William, z”l, Engel, CA

Julius Guggenheimer, NY

Sarah Black, z”l, TX

Esther Ben David Chapter, NY

Olga Guttmann, z”l, FL

Aaron and Marie Blackman Foundation, CA

Esther Chapter, MA

Amy, z”l, and James Haber, NY

Barbara Bloom, MD

Ruth and Gene Fax, MA

Lillian and Elliot, z”l, Hahn, FL

Frances Feder, z”l, NY

Phyllis Hammer, MA

Dassie and Marvin Bienenfeld, NY* Dahlia and Arthur Bilger, CA Birah Chapter of Greater Washington D.C., MD

Doris and Marcus, z”l, Blumkin, NY

Selma and Irving Ettenberg, z’’l, FL*

Lillian Feketis, z”l, FL

Hagudah Lekidim Hachinuch, Israel

Milton and Miriam Handler Foundation, NY Felicia Hanfling, z”l, NY Hanita Brooklyn Chapter, NY Debra and Robert Hartman, IL Harwit Charitable Trust, CA Havtacha Chapter, NJ Laura and Jonathan Heller, NY Mildred, z”l, and Alvin Hellerstein, NY Russell Jay Hendel, MD Barbara Hirschhorn, z”l, MD Marcia and Philip Holzer, z”l, NJ Norma and Emanuel, z”l, Holzer, NY Ima Hollywood Chapter, FL Peggy and Robert Insel, NY Debbie and David Isaac, NY Israeli Brooklyn Chapter, NY Michele and Ben-Zion Jacobs, NY Elaine and Robert Jacobs, NY Suzanne and Norman Javitt, NY New Jersey Council, NJ Kadimah Chapter, CT Robin and Simon Kahn, Israel Eva and Joseph Kahn, z”l, NY Sara Liron and Sheldon Kahn, CA Hannah, z”l, and Hermann Kaiser, NJ Brenda and Albert, z”l, Kalter, NY Ruth and Jerome Kamerman, FL Miriam and Sol Kanarek, NY Kansas City Nitzanim Chapter, MO Ruth and William, z”l, Kantrowitz, NY Marilyn and Edward Kaplan, FL Ida and Gustave Kaplan, z”l, FL M. Karasick/Deborah Chapter, CA Shirley Z. Kaufman, z”l, FL Laurie Kayden Foundation, NY Rona and Ira Kellman, NY Ruth and Hillel Kellerman, CA Rena Kent, z”l, NY* Amy and Todd Kesselman, NY Dora Kesten, z”l, NY Kfar Boca Chapter, FL The Kirkland & Ellis LLP, IL Kislev Tuvla Veschar Inc., Israel Kivunim Foundation, Israel Susan Alter Klaperman and Gilbert, z”l, Klaperman, NY Jane Klitsner, NY Kolatch Family Foundation, NJ Ellen, z”l, and Meyer Koplow, NY* Gitta and Richard Koppel, NY Laurie and Robert Koppel, NY Zlata Korman, z”l, FL Sylvia and Leon Korngold, z”l, NY Barbara and Fred Kort Foundation, CA Sarena and David Koschitzky, Canada Joel Koschitzky, Israel Ruth and Daniel Krasner, NY

*Indicates all donors of lifetime cumulative giving of $1 million or more.

Rochelle and Sy, z”l, Kraut, NJ

Mizrachi East Chapter, NY

Shirley and Milton Sabin, FL

Kravitz Family, z”l, CA

Marilyn and Leon Moed, NY

Shari and Jacob M. Safra, NY*

Dorothy Kreiselman, NY

Debbie and Sam Moed, NJ

The Moise Y. Safra Foundation, NY

Ellen and Emanuel Kronitz, Israel

Naomi Chapter, NY

Sam Samson, z”l, CA

Suri and David Kufeld, NY

Negba Foundation, Israel

The Sarah Kronovet Chapter, NY

Sarah Kupchik, z”l, FL

Robert Neiman, z”l, KY

The Sarah Ribakow-Tikvah Chapter, MD

Arlene and Moshe Kupietzky, CA

Celia and David Neuman, MD

The Savannah Chapter, GA

Ann and David, z”l, Kupperman, NY

Miriam and Bernard Neuman, IL

Jan and Sheldon Schechter, NY

Celia Kurr, z”l, FL

Miriam Neustadter, NY

Ellen and David Scheinfeld, z”l, NY

Bertha and Irving, z”l, Kutoff, MN

New England Council/ Ra’anana Chapter, MA

Janet Schiff, z”l, FL

Dena Ladin, FL Greta Landis, z”l, NY Esther and Stanley Landsman, NY Sylvia Lansky, z”l, NY Francine and Alvin, z”l, Lashinsky, NY Erna Lazard, z”l, FL Agatha I. Leifer, z”l, NY Miriam and Louis Leifer, z”l, NY Sheila, z”l, and Elihu Leifer, MD Ria and Tim Levart, NJ Alice Levi, z”l, NY Gerald Levy, z”l, NY Linda and Alan Lewis, FL Dorothy and Robert Lewis, FL Minnie Lieberman, z”l, NY* Mindy and Seymour Liebman, NY Rose Lippin, z”l, NY Lela London, z”l, NY Long Island Council, NY Audrey and Haskel Lookstein, NY Los Angeles Council, CA Bernice and Mitchell Macks, z”l, IL Gershona Maden, z”l, NY Maera Chapter, NY Millie and Lawrence Magid, NJ Manhattan Council Chapter, NY Mae Manney, z”l, NY Zipporah and Arnold, z“l, Marans, NY Etella and Tivadar Marcovici, NY Ilse Marcus, z”l, NY Margate Chapter, NJ

Dahlia Kalter Nordlicht and Mark Nordlicht, NY Barbara and Jules, z”l, Nordlicht, NY* Isidore Okun, z”l Minette and Nate Olick, CA Rose Orloff, z”l, FL Linda and Ira Panzier, NY Paul S. Pariser, MT Pearl Schwartz - Houston Chapter, TX Thelma Pearlman, z”l, FL Tama and Emanuel Penstein, z”l, NY Regina and Pincus Peterseil, z”l, NY Ingebord Petranker, z”l, CA Bea & Irwin, z”l, Peyser, NY Suzanne and Paul Peyser, NY The Philadelphia Council, PA Marilyn Phillips, z”l, NY Eve and Stuart L. Pinkert, IL Esther and Donald Press, NY Lauren S. and Mitchell Presser, NY The Prospect Park Aviva Chapter, NY The Queens Council, NY Jane and Bill Quint, z”l, CA Bethia Straus and Paul Quintas, IL The Raanana California Chapter, CA* The Raanana Channah Chapter, NY The Rae Koenigsberg Chapter, MD Roman Rakover, z”l, CA Barbara and Joel, z”l, Rascoff, NY Joyce and Stanley Raskas, NY

Margolit Queens Chapter, NJ

Marc and Micheline Ratzersdorfer, z”l, Israel

Matanel, Israel

Evelyn and Sidney, z”l, Reichenthal, TX

Meira and Solomon, z”l, Max, NY

Blanche Katz Renov and Joseph Renov, z’’l, Israel

Benay and Ira Meisels, NY Sema and Moshe Menora, z”l, IL Sharon and Solomon Merkin, NJ Shirley Mesirow, z”l, IL* The Joan S. and Leon Meyers Foundation, NY Lisa and Leon Meyers, NY*

Elaine and Saul Schreiber, Israel Daniela and Laurence Schreiber, NJ Shirley and Paul Schulder, z”l, NY Alice Schuster, z”l, NY Rita and Eugene, z”l, Schwalb, FL Diana Schiowitz and Paul Schwartz, Israel Pari and Henry Schwartz, NY Carmi Schwartz, z”l, Israel Dorothy Sebulsky, z”l, CA Seed the Dream Foundation, PA Harriet and Herbert Seif, NJ* Bashie R. and Irwin Selevan, z”l, NY

Miriam and Howard Rosenblum, NJ

Judy and Albert Milstein, IL

Etta Rubin, NY

Lottie Rothschild, z”l, CA Herbert and Augusta, z”l, Rudnick, NY LI Sabra Massada Chapters, NY

Ethel and Lester, z”l, Sutker, IL* Rosalee Swerdloff, z”l, FL Marion Talansky, Israel Rose Tapp, z”l, IL Marvin Walter Tasem, z”l, MN Anna Teich, z”l, FL Lilly Tempelsman, NY Sara, z”l, and Leo Thurm, NY Sandra, z”l, and Max Thurm, NY The Tikvah-B’noth Zion Chapter, CA Morris and Sylvia Trachten, z”l, Family Foundation, CO

The Trump Foundation, Israel

Shalva Chai Englewood Chapter, NJ

Bertie, z”l, and Fred Tryfus, NY

Deanne and Leonard Shapiro, NY

Audrey and Max Wagner, NY

The Margaret Rose Shapiro Chapter, FL

Ellen and Stanley Wasserman, NY*

Rose M. Shapiro, z”l, FL

Ida Wax, IL

The Sharona Chapter, CA

Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation Inc., MD*

Judy and Isaac Sherman, NY Chana and Daniel Shields, NY Deena and Adam Shiff, NY The Shira Chapter, PA The Shoshana Hempstead Chapter, NY Mollie and Israel, z”l, Siegel, NJ Deborah Silberman, NY* Roselle Silberstein, z”l, NY Silbert Charitable Fund, NY Elaine and Walter Silver, z”l, FL Samuel Silverman, z”l, FL Renee, z”l, and Gerald Silverstein, NJ

Harold Skolnick, z”l, CA* Marilyn and Herbert, z”l, Smilowitz, NJ Sondra and Myron Sokal, NY Arthur Solomon, z”l, NY William Solomon, z”l, NY Francine and Aaron Stein, NJ Hilda and Arthur Stern, z”l, NY

Marcia and Lee Weinblatt, NJ Hindy Weinstock Geula Teaneck Chapter, NJ Bronka Weintraub, z”l, NY Judy and Morry Weiss, OH Marion and William Weiss, NJ The Maurice and Vivienne Wohl Foundation, England Sylvia and William Wolff, NY Yedidut Toronto, Israel The Yeftah NPO, Israel The Yonkers/North Riverdale Chapter, NY The Yoreinu Foundation, Israel Jacob Zarember, AZ Hilde and Benjamin Zauderer, z”l, NY Tamar and Benjamin Zeltser, NY Gloria and Henry Zeisel, z”l, NY* Herbert M. Ziff, NY The Zionah Chapter, NY Helene and Gerald, z”l, Zisholtz, NY Molly and Jack Zwanziger, IL

Sandra and Harold Sternburg, z”l, ME Robyn Price Stonehill and David Stonehill, NY*

As of July 8, 2021. Please notify Laurie Georgeou, Associate Director of Donor Stewardship, of any inaccuracies or omissions at 212792.5025 (LaurieG@amitchildren.org). We regret any errors.

Aviva Hoschander-Sulzberger and Vernon Sulzberger, NY

Ina and David Tropper, NY

Marsha Slavitt, z”l, CA

Leon and Gloria, Edward, Sari and Howard Miller, NY

Adina Straus, NY

Shalhevet Great Neck Chapter, NY

Fritzie and Sheldon, z”l, Robinson, IL

Vivian and Solomon, z”l, Rosen, FL

Gwen and Joseph Straus, z”l, NY

Esther, z”l, and Jacques Semmelman, NJ

Marc Singer, Israel

Ellen Rogoff, z”l, NY

Zahava and Moshael Straus, NJ

Audrey Axelrod Trachtman and Chaim Trachtman, NY

Norman and Bettina Roberts Foundation, NJ Rochlin Foundation, Israel

Joyce and Daniel Straus, NJ*

Alan Selevan, z”l, NY

Ruth and Hyman Simon, z”l, NY

Sandra and Evan Roklen, CA

Myra and Samuel, z”l, Mitzner, NY

Charlotte Schneierson, NY

The Rishona Chaper, FL

The Dorothy Phillips Michaud Charitable Trust, CA

Marilyn E. Mitnick, z”l, NY

Gertrude Schneider, z”l, FL*

Ruth and Meyer Strassfeld, z”l, FL

PRSRT STD US Postage Paid Pontiac, IL Permit No. 397

Inside AMIT

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Development News

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Dvar Torah

How the AMIT Network Thrived During COVID

Service & Success

AMIT Trailblazer Principal Tzippi Harpenes

From Boring to Exciting

An AMIT Educator Who Goes Above and Beyond

Girl Power

Food and Culture Combine with Sustainability

Executive VP’s Impressions