Sponsorships Encourage Students to Develop Their Potential Sponsorships give Ethiopian students the chance to gain the most out of school. In some cases, students’ talents become a gift for everyone! The outstanding examples below help us understand how valuable your contributions are. Sara Shachar Zisanu Baruch attends the Dror has a head start on SUMMER 2009 High School in university! Shachar Jerusalem and is a ninth grader is sponsored by at the Menachem THE NACOEJ/EDWARD G. VICTOR HIGH SCHOOL SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM Marsha Croland Begin High School of White Plains, in Ness Ziona. In NY. Sara has just fi fth grade, he took fi nished eleventh a mathematics course by correspondence Sponsors grade and is ac- through the Weizmann Institute for Sci- tive as a counselor in the youth move- ence. Since then, he has been taking ment HaShomer Hatzair, affi liated with special courses in math and science, won Give and the kibbutz movement. Sara has been a fi rst-place in the Municipal Bible contest member of the group since she was nine in sixth grade, and took second-place in years old and was encouraged to become a the Municipal Battlefi eld Heritage Con- Ethiopian counselor by her own counselor last year. test (a quiz on Israeli military history) Sara appreciates the values of teamwork, in seventh grade! Currently, Shachar is in independence, and positive communica- an advanced program for math at Bar Ilan Students tion that she has learned in the move- University and takes math and science ment. As a counselor of fourth graders, courses at Tel Aviv University. By taking many of whom are Ethiopian, she passes university courses in high school, Shachar Give Back on these values and is happy to be able hopes to fi nish his fi rst university degree to volunteer on behalf of the children. before he serves in the army! Sponsors his spring, participants in a NACOEJ She plans on continuing with this work, Benjamin Z. Forester, Charlotte Friend and mission to Ethiopian and Israel visited and will surely be a role model for young David Michaels can be very proud of the T a high school that participates in the NA- Ethiopian-Israelis! achievements of this gifted student. COEJ/Edward G. Victor High School Spon- Sivan Sisai, a talented ninth grader in the gifted sorship Program and were able to meet program in the Katzir A High School in some of the sponsored Ethiopian students in person. A discussion with the students Rehovot, excels not only at her studies JUST THE FACTS NACOEJ mission participants Daniel Friedman and Marion Seidemann (front left at Ramla-Lod High School, a good school but in dance. She discovered dance after and center) and others watch as sponsored high school student Senait Mulat a teacher recommended the program to Did you know that in the 2008-2009 school year… in a poor neighborhood, illustrated the (front right) conducts a physics experiment. her in seventh grade. Sivan had lost her • 1189 students were sponsored in the students’ engagement in their studies and mother the year before and the school’s NACOEJ/Edward G. Victor High School Sponsorship Program their high hopes for the future. Senait Mulat Born in Addis Ababa, Senait came to Israel in 2001. Now in eleventh grade, she special dance program has helped her to • 56 schools in Israel participated in the program An education at Ramla-Lod High School not only teaches students to value aca- is studying computer science and physics. Senait attends the Weizmann Insti- stay engaged in school, despite her grief. • 218 of our students graduated high school! She is thankful to her sponsors, Sandra demic studies but also to give back to the tute of Science program for scientifi c-technologic advancement. Her skills were and Jordan Laby of Ventura, CA, who have A large portion of the Ethiopian community in Israel is of school age and must community by participating in a variety of in evidence when she showed NACOEJ mission members a physics experiment made it possible for her to afford the pro- succeed in school in order to help their families break out of poverty. Tragically, community service projects. Leah Finder, about circuits. In fact, she had to simplify her explanation so that mission gram since seventh grade. This past year, Ethiopian high school students in Israel have a much higher drop-out rate than the school’s vice-principal, explains that members could understand! Senait’s dream is to be a doctor. Sivan has kept up superbly with both her other Israelis. But our sponsorships enable Ethiopian teenagers to stay in school, all students are required to complete 60 intense study load and the rigorous dance taking full advantage of educational and social activities and securing a better hours of community service and volun- Ortal Admassu Ortal, a tenth-grader, already displays leadership program. It will be a pleasure to watch future for themselves and all Ethiopian Israelis! Thank you! teering in soup kitchens, libraries, health ability! Her younger sister surprised Limudiah* Sivan dance her way through high school! clinics, youth movements, Magen David Adom (Israel’s national emergency medi- teachers when she began fi rst grade because she cal relief organization) and more. One already had some reading skills. It turned out that of the students in the NACOEJ Sponsor- Ortal, herself a former Limudiah student, had been NORTH AMERICAN CONFERENCE ON ETHIOPIAN JEWRY ship Program, Oshrat Teweve, helps fi rst teaching her to read at home! Ortal plans on go- graders in a local school while another, ing into the intelligence division in the army and is NACOEJ/EDWARD G. VICTOR HIGH SCHOOL SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM studying Arabic. Continued on page 2 132 Nassau St. • Suite 412 • NY, NY 10038 • 212-233-5200 Ext 230 • Fax: 212-233-5243 *NACOEJ after-school program for Ethiopian elementary E-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.nacoej.org Ortal Admassu school children. Barbara Ribakove Gordon, Founder and Executive Director Small Groups That Make a Big Difference: All in the Family: A Model Seder Raises Support for High School Students little creativity goes a long way – times. Sheila Firestone, the coordinator sponsor two Ethiopian-Israeli high school A Sponsor Gets Involved Aespecially in Delray Beach, Florida! of the Sisterhood’s Special Events, makes students refl ects the group’s interest in thiopian families face great challeng- gives the Wendam family The Sisterhood of Temple Sinai of Palm the connection between the Biblical Exo- building personal relationships with the Ees at every stage of their children’s reason to celebrate – Israela Beach County, sponsors of two high school dus and the exodus that Ethiopian Jewish Ethiopian community. Updates about the educational careers. NACOEJ offers these has successfully passed her students through the NACOEJ/Edward G. women experienced and still experience. group’s two high school students were giv- families several programs to help their nursing examinations and Victor High School Sponsorship Program, At this year’s seder, the focus was on en. As an added program component, three children advance academically. Last sum- has started a nursing job has found a unique way to inspire its mem- Biblical mothers and the relevance to the NACOEJ embroideries were raffl ed off and mer, a sponsor of an Ethiopian student in in the prestigious Assaf bers about Ethiopian Jewry and enlist their NACOEJ high school program was a natural. proceeds from the event and raffl e more the NACOEJ/Vidal Sassoon Adopt-A-Stu- Harofeh Hospital! support. At the annual Sisterhood Women’s As Sheila noted, the seder community is than covered two student sponsorships for dent College Sponsorship Program learned Israela is proud of her Pre-Passover Seder, the theme of Exodus invested in this program because “we’re all the upcoming school year! Always a time that her student’s family was going accomplishments but stresses is expanded to include stories of women mothers!” Part of the celebration includes of hope, this Passover gave two more Ethi- through a diffi cult time. In a conversation that they are especially im- from throughout Jewish history who were reading stories of Ethiopian-Jewish life opian girls in Israel a reason to celebrate! with her student, Israela Wendam, spon- portant because part of an exodus, from ancient to modern from NACOEJ newsletters. The choice to sor Evelyn Axelrod learned that Israela’s father’s job in the Polgat plant had been “…it is also an eliminated when the plant closed, plac- example for my younger ing great fi nancial pressure on the family. siblings who want very The Wendam family at their home in Kiryat Gat. Sponsors Give and Israela, the oldest of eight, confi ded in much to follow me and Front left: Hadas, Front right: Nimrod. Ethiopian Students Give Back her sponsor her worries about two of her succeed in their own way. Especially because we Continued from page 1 May 26th, 2009 siblings in high school, Hadas and Nim- rod, who are talented students in good are Ethiopian and feel that “I wish to thank you for your gift; it Ortal Admassu, tutors younger students. The North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry academic high schools. Now they might education will open doors for us. helped me buy things for school like A number of the other Ethiopian girls not be able to stay in these schools be- For an Ethiopian student it is not books, notebooks and school shirts. volunteer in the soup kitchen, Latet Shalom, cause the family could no longer afford easy to concentrate on studies when I think I used it well.” [Lit: “to give”]. the school fees. he or she knows that the fi nancial High school sponsor Marion Seidemann I wish to thank you once again for the support you grant our situation at home is a problem, Nimrod, 9th grade Ms. Axelrod contacted the NACOEJ of- felt that it made a difference to see the students from the Ethiopian community. when parents can’t fi nancially Shalon High School fi ce in New York to ask if there was any program in action. She commented that support their children and have Your support encourages these students to focus on their studies way in which NACOEJ could help – and the students spoke a lot about choosing to lean on them.” and to apply themselves diligently to overcome the challenges that discovered that NACOEJ also offered to professions that would allow them to sponsorships for Ethiopian high school “I also like to take trips, especially give back to Israel and the Ethiopian they face in school. Evelyn Axelrod, a long-time NACOEJ students! NACOEJ-New York connected nature trips that the school has, community. Still in high school, supporter, feels that the NACOEJ/Edward Your donation makes it easier for the students to acquire the the Wendam family to the NACOEJ staff but also just simple trips. these teenagers are already G. Victor High School Sponsorship Pro- necessary study supplies and equipment. It also pays for the in Israel, and after a fruitful meeting with on this path! gram is important because it gives young By the way, next week we have school’s compulsory cultural program which includes educational Hadas and Nimrod, the students were ac- Ethiopians extra support at a time when a school trip and I will be able trips, professional activities and cultural enrichment, according cepted into the NACOEJ/Edward G. Victor it is crucial for them to do well so that to go, thanks to your help. to the needs of each student based on the program of study that High School Sponsorship Program. Ms. they can go on to pursue a higher educa- Without it, I could not have she has chosen. Your donation does not cover all their needs, but Axelrod immediately offered to sponsor tion and train for a profession. She has participated, thank you! both students. enables the school to complete anything that is missing for each special sympathy for the Ethiopian I also wanted to thank you for Following in her sister’s footsteps, one of these students. community which has faced so many what you do for Israela because she Hadas is already planning to attend challenges adapting to a new society. works very hard (and succeeds) and I hope that during your visit here you were exposed to at least university and has excelled in her Bagrut Ms. Axelrod will continue to sponsor I know you are a great help to her.” some of the dedication and fruitful activities in our school. (matriculation) examinations to date. The Hadas and Nimrod and is already think- importance of family role models in the ing about how to ensure that their other Hadas, 11th grade Ethiopian community, largely new to high- siblings get a good education! Gross High School, Kiryat Gat Sincerely, er education, is tremendous. Recent news Leah Finder, Vice Principal Ramla-Lod High School Be An Ambassador

* Translated from the Hebrew and edited for clarifi cation. e are happy to bring you the fourth issue of “Bridges”, written by Judy Dick, Coordinator of Educational Programs. WWhile you hear about the progress of your own students, we would like to let you know about the accomplish- ments of other students in the NACOEJ/Edward G. Victor High School Program. Let us know if you have news about your own students that you want to share! Please feel free to call us at 212-233-5200, ext. 230 or e-mail highschool@ A letter from Ramla-Lod High School’s vice nacoej.org. In addition, please pass on our information to friends and family who might be interested in supporting the principal expresses thanks for the sponsorships program. You are an ambassador for those wonderful boys and girls, and your endorsement will go a long way toward provided by the NACOEJ/Edward. G. Victor enabling more Ethiopian teens to get the education they need in Israel. High School Sponsorship Program.