This was the 5th British Friends of  Boys Town Jerusalem Jewish Primary School Choral Festival, and a staggering £13,500 was raised which will enrich the lives of over 840 Jewish boys, predominately from disadvantaged backgrounds, who study, and in so many cases live at Boys Town Jerusalem, one of Israel’s leading and most dynamic, educational, residential developments.

Yoni Strimber, International Development Executive for Boys Town Jerusalem in Bayit Vegan was Guest of Honour and he had flown in from Israel especially to hear the children sing.

Schools taking part included Michael Sobell Sinai School, Naima Jewish Preparatory School, Mathilda Marks-Kennedy Jewish Primary School, Akiva School, Wolfson Hillel Primary School, Ilford Jewish Primary School and Hertsmere Jewish Primary School.

Chivers and Jennings shared stories and answered questions for nearly 3 hours in an event sponsored by Rostev Ltd,  BBO LLP and Laports Estate Agents.

An auction including a signed Pele brazilian football top and a signed Spurs pennant took place at the conclusion of the evening.

One member of the audience, said on leaving the hotel, ” I used to watch Chivers and Jennings over 30 years ago when they both played for Tottenham Hotspur.  They were my heroes, and it is such a thrill for me to have had the opportunity of meeting them close-up”.

The team which comprised Lee Reuben, Dan Miller, Mark Saunders, Andy Lassman, Trevor Gee and Laurence Stein beat off serious competition from nearly 20 other UK Jewish charities to win the prestigious trophy for the 3rd year in succession.

This is always a really enjoyable event, as it provides a forum for charity professionals to meet and chat.  However, the seriousness of the competition cannot be understated and Boys Town were delighted to again emerge victorious

In 2001 Boys Town launched the ‘Na’ale Zion’ programme in order to provide education and a home for French high school students who come to Israel without family and friends.  Now, a decade later, the ‘Na’ale Zion’ programme can be considered one of Boys Town Jerusalem’s most successful initiatives.  Virtually all of the French students who have graduated have remained in Israel, having served in the IDF.  Most have pursued higher education and many are now married and working in commerce or hi-tech.

At the recent class of 2011 graduation ceremony, Gilles Benhaim, Chief Rabbi of France proclaimed, “ Immigration to Israel is of utmost importance, and enabling youngsters to smoothly integrate within Israeli society is crucial. ‘Na’ale Zion’ gives these tools, while instilling a great love for our Jewish values and heritage.”

Enzo Ohayon, a french student at Boys Town said, “ The situation in France was becoming quite dangerous for Jews so I came to Israel.  At Boys Town, I have had the best academic experience of my life and made great friends.” His classmate Emmanuel Layani added, “At Boys Town, I’ve been able to study in French while mastering Hebrew slowly but surely.  Because of ‘Na’ale Zion’ I’ve gained confidence for my future in Israel.”

It costs a great deal to ensure the success of the ‘Na’ale Zion’ programme as the students are provided with a French-language curriculum, considerable personal attention, excellent dormitories and meals, fieldtrips, and top-level Jewish studies. As we celebrate Rosh Hashanah let us think about what life would be like for these French students if Boys Town Jerusalem had not become their haven, and let us offer them our support.

Please see our donations page on the website for ways in you can help disadvantaged students at Boys Town, including those on this ‘Na’ale Zion’ programme.

Thank you for your support.

Chag Sameach.

The rooftop solar field, which was installed at the end of June after three years of bureaucratic battles, generates about 40 kilowatts per hour, which is sold directly to the Israel Electric Corporation for a feed-in tariff, or a reduction on the school’s monthly electric bill, according to school electrician David Darshan.

The output from the solar panels, which encompass about 500 square meters of rooftop space, is equivalent to about a third of the school’s hourly energy consumption, Darshan told The Jerusalem Post during a visit on Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, a computerized monitoring system allows school officials to view the production of their panels on the Internet with a two-hour delay.

“We know exactly what we’re saving money-wise and carbon emissions-wise,” Yoni Strimber, international development executive of the school, told the Post during the same visit, pointing out a solar powered menorah adjacent to the panels.

The approximate financial savings to the school, according to CEO Natan Tal, is about NIS 12,000 monthly, or currently about 22 percent of the institution’s former electricity bill. More concrete figures will be determined after a year, when annual measurements are available, Strimber said.

Three years after taking their first steps into an Israeli high school, 14 young Ethiopian immigrants at Boys Town Jerusalem have passed the true acid test for entry to Israeli student life: Like nearly every 10^th grader in the country, they recently took the national, standardized bagrut matriculation exams. Yet unlike their Israeli counterparts, just three  years ago these students had no background whatsoever in the mathematics, English, technology and Jewish subjects covered on the exams—much less the ability to read  the Hebrew in which the questions were written.

“Taking the bagrut is a major milestone in their education and in the curriculum we’ve created for them,” explained instructor Ehud Chamo, who heads the BTJ Ethiopian program. “For the first two years, we concentrated on giving the students strong Hebrew-language skills, alongside painstaking efforts to build their self-confidence and their identity. They haven’t had an easy time in life, in Ethiopia or in Israel—many are from single-parent families, some are orphans, and all face economic woes. But we are giving them every tool to insure a productive future.”

For the first two years in Boys Town, the Ethiopians studied together, taught by top-level teachers who gave them a great deal of personal attention. This year the immigrant students were mainstreamed with the regular 10^th grade English classes to study with their Israeli classmates. Next year, says Ehud Chamo, the number of joint classes may rise. “Our students have always joined the Israelis for fieldtrips, sports events and other school-wide activities,” he stressed. “This year, when the Israelis went home for summer vacation, our students remained for several weeks of very intensive tutoring sessions, morning through night, for the bagrut. Like all ‘normal’ kids, they registered their complaints about the rigorous schedule, but the tutoring is what gave them a strong spurt at the finish line.”

Although it’s too early to have received all the bagrut results for the Ethiopian students, the first scores have just come in for the technological exams. “Every single student passed, which is a major triumph,” said veteran BTJ computer studies instructor Shlomo Seruk, who created a special curriculum for the young immigrants. “I’m extremely proud of them all, and I have great hopes for their future.” Adds Ehud Chamo, “I constantly tell the students how important it is to acquire the skills and knowledge that will let them guide their own futures. Considering the alarming rate of unemployment and delinquency among many Ethiopian immigrants, our students have the full potential to succeed in their careers and to build strong Jewish homes. I’m confident that they will make great contributions to Israeli society.”

Yosef was critically wounded in the first Lebanese War, where he lost both legs. “My mother married him after the injury,” explained Menashe, the oldest of their six children. Although their family life has been marked by a constant, often unsuccessful struggle to make ends meet, Menashe is quick to praise the love and respect that abounds.

Menashe enrolled in Boys Town’s seventh grade, where he began studying and living in the school’s dormitory for the next six years. “I’ll admit that I was a big troublemaker when I got here,” he smiled. “I sorely lacked academic knowledge, spiritual strength, and social skills.” Yet the Boys Town staff invested concerted, ongoing efforts in helping him grow, sparking a transformation that created the outstanding, serious and very successful young man Menashe has become today.

Beyond excelling in his intensive Comprehensive Interdisciplinary Technology (CIT) studies, Menashe and a classmate took over the annual management of the school concession stand during their senior year. Although the beginnings were rocky, they set about to improve their business acumen, ending the year with a very impressive profit in the widely-expanded business enterprise.

At the graduation ceremony, both Menashe and his father ascended the stage. Menachem was awarded one of the four Exemplary Graduate citations, and Yosef spoke as the representative of the parents of the senior class. “My thanks go to the extraordinary teachers and staff of Boys Town, whose personal example and selfless devotion to their students have given our sons the gift of a lifetime,” he said.

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Arieh was truly a remarkable man.  He founded B’nei Akiva, as well as Jewish Child’s Day and we were extremely honoured to have him as our vice-president.

Arieh made aliyah at the age of 90, along with his wife Henny.  She died in 2007, and after she passed away Arieh continued to live in his flat in Jerusalem, which is where I met him in 2008 in order to accompany him to Boys Town Jerusalem.  At Boys Town he addressed the boys with an enthusiasm and vigour which his belied his advancing years.  He told the boys just how Boys Town had changed the lives of so many of their predecessors and how their lives would also be changed by the incredible Boys Town experience.

The boys were mesmerised by Arieh’s presence, and speechless when he showed them his invitation to the meeting in 1948 when David Ben Gurion proclaimed Israel as an independent State.  Until he died, it is believe that Arieh was the only survivor from that historic meeting.

His words of wisdom will be sadly missed.

The Spurs team featured former Spurs greats including Garry Brooke, Mark Falco, Tony Galvin and Clive Wilson, and their vast experience showed as they trounced Boys Town Jerusalem 13-2 with Brooke helping himself to a fantastic hat-trick.

However, Boys Town Jerusalem were not disgraced as Ariel Weinstein scored arguably the goal of the match with a magnificent 25 yard lob.

When it came to yellow cards, Boys Town were victorious, as the only yellow card of the game went to Darren Rose of Boys Town for infringing at a free kick, from which Brooke subsequently scored.

All Boys Town Jerusalem players had raised sponsorship for the privilege of playing in this flagship event.

Even our two mascots, Ella Harman aged six and Arron Leslie, just two, had raised money so that they could lead the teams onto the pitch.

An auction was held following the game and items auctioned included a signed Pele shirt, which raised £250, a Spurs shirt signed by former Spurs stars of yesteryear including Martin Chivers, Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa, and dinner for two at Kaifeng kosher chinese restaurant.

Laurence Stein, Development Director of Boys Town Jerusalem said, following the game, “It was a great occasion, even though the weather was appalling!  We’ve raised lots of money, which will enrich the lives of disadvantaged Jewish boys from all over the globe who study at Boys Town Jerusalem.  I’m so appreciative to all those who represented the charity, who were all so happy to raise money in order to play.”

Hopefully they weren’t disappointed, everyone, as ever, really seemed to enjoy themselves and have a lot of fun, and we raised in excess of £3,800.

Earlier this year, Kate Reuben, wife of British Friends of Boys Town Jerusalem chairman, Lee Reuben, organised a Supper Quiz at Hampstead Garden Suburb Synagogue.  180 people attended and for many this was their first introduction to Boys Town Jerusalem. The atmosphere was amazing; Kate, along with her small band of helpers worked exceptionally hard to ensure the evening was a success and over £4,400 was raised.

So, two supper quizzes, held in two different parts of north west London, attracting two different audiences raised over £8,000 between them. A wonderful achievement!