Newsletter Category

Club Israel's March Madness

Posted Wed, 04/08/2009 - 09:30 by Miriam Brosseau

On Sunday, March 29th, Shorashim's Club Israel gathered eight teams of American and Israeli teens and their many fans in the Chicagoland Jewish High School gym to play for a cause - Israel.

The day began with the teams shooting hoops and listening to Israeli dance music to warm up. Gabe Axler, Shorashim’s Director of High School Programs, then gathered the group on the bleachers and introduced the afternoon. “Kiryat Gat has had a tough year,” Gabe recalled. “It sits within firing range of the missiles from Gaza. And that’s what makes today so much more meaningful- we have a group of Israeli teens here from that city, we’ll play some basketball, and help make some positive change in Israel.” Four teens from Kiryat Gat - Lachish - Shafir, Chicago's Partnership 2000 Region, then stepped up and introduced themselves.

They were visiting the States as part of a JUF-sponsored program called Kolot, which also focuses on philanthropy and teens making a difference in Israel. They talked about what the program meant to them, and how amazing it was to be a part of the games that day.

Parent Reception to Highlight Shorashim

Posted Fri, 01/09/2009 - 14:54 by Gabe Axler

Shorashim will be holding its first parent reception to introduce new families to Shorashim and this life-changing experience. CCP/Shorashim 2008 Participants in Poland with Holocaust Survivor Ruth Usrad Alumni parents are encouraged to invite friends and relatives to share in this evening featuring a live acoustic performance of Israeli songs by musicians and Shorashim staff Udi Krauss and Miriam Brosseau. Other Israeli staff, including Shahar Gal, will also be in attendance!

At the home of Jerrold & Naomi Senser:

55 S. Deere Park Drive, Highland Park (map)

Tuesday, January 20th 7:30-9:00 p.m.

Light refreshments will be served.

RSVP to miriam@shorashim.org as soon as possible.

Please include expected number of guests. You may also use the link below to "Invite a friend" to the reception (be sure to include a personal note). Thank you for your continued support and dedication!

Thanks for Giving back

Posted Fri, 01/09/2009 - 14:50 by Adam Stewart

Thanks to all of our alumni who responded to Josh Cohen's ('88) call for support of Shorashim's program. As we continue through turbulent economic times, Alumni support will enable us to: provide more scholarships to Israeli and American families so that they can participate on a Shorashim program, continue Israeli cultural programming for high school students in Chicago, and a variety of special projects and programs aimed at making the lives of Israelis and Americans that much closer.

If you didn't have time to make a donation last month, we hope that you will consider one now so that we can meet our commitment to ensure that a Shorashim program is available to anyone who wants it. Thank you for all of your continued support.

 

 

Why I Give Back to Shorashim

Posted Tue, 12/09/2008 - 15:10 by Josh Cohen

Josh Cohen 88 and Anne Lanski at the Alumni Reunion It wasn’t long ago that I re-connected with Shorashim, almost 20 years after my “Shoresh” trip to Israel and Poland. I was amazed to learn of all the things that they were doing - from Taglit-Birthright Israel to Club Israel, and of course, the summer program. I couldn’t believe it: Anne and Yossi were still there and the program had sent thousands of kids to Israel. They had a high school program reaching out to thousands more, ran an Israeli-American summer camp, and had launched many other successful projects and programs.

I felt pretty guilty. After all this non-profit organization had given me, and was now doing for thousands of others, it had not once called upon me for help. I started wondering if other alumni felt the same way and were interested in getting involved and reconnected, so I helped put together the reunion last Spring. Many of us were so fortunate to experience Shorashim or CCP because we had parents who understood the impact this program would have, and also could afford to send us.