Kol Ami Kids Celebrate Israel's Birthday and UJA of Scarsdale Feeds the Hungry

Energy and enthusiasm were in the air at Congregation Kol Ami's Early Childhood Program on Tuesday April 16th when the children took a "virtual" trip to Israel to commemorate the 65th Birthday of the State of Israel. The celebration of Israel's birth, or Yom Ha'Azmaut, is the date Israel was established formally as a state and the Declaration of Independence which was signed in Tel Aviv.

The "Trip to Israel" was a multi-sensory experience and children moved from room to room at the congregation. The first stop was to have their "passports" stamped. Then they took an airplane ride complete with a brief in flight film about Israel followed by visits to a variety of booths all related to Israel. They had the chance to ride a camel, make stained glass, experience a mud bath or find artifacts in a simulated archeological dig. Several children spent time sitting on the beach under an umbrella as they would in the resort area of Eilat. They also explored pita making, orange juice squeezing or grape pressing.

"Our childhood educational experience is designed to give children the opportunity to learn that they are part of the larger world," said Director, Nan Blank, "Creating a sense of pride in ones identity is a cornerstone of our values."

Congregation Kol Ami is a reform synagogue located in White Plains, New York. The Early Childhood Program is fully licensed by the Office for Children and Family Services and head teachers hold master degrees in education and early childhood. Sharing and caring for others is a key principal that is interwoven into the curriculum, as well as celebrating Jewish Holidays and participating in Mitzvah projects.

For more information visit www.nykolami.org

UJA-Federation of Scarsdale Feed the Hungry

Twenty-five women and children from UJA-Federation of New York's Scarsdale Women's Philanthropy came together to make sandwiches for clients of the Bronx Jewish Community Council (BJCC), a UJA-Federation beneficiary agency.

In addition to sandwich making, the kids also decorated cookies in honor of Yom HaAtzma'ut, Israel's Independence Day. BJCC's food pantry, which serves anyone in need, is the third largest in the borough, distributing more than 2,400 food packages monthly, with demand increasing each year. More and more homebound, isolated residents look to the agency for social programs, community resources, and information on benefits and entitlement eligibility.

Last year, the financial support of the Scarsdale Women's Philanthropy provided a refrigeration system for the food pantry at BJCC's new facility on Cruger Avenue. The project will allow those who visit only once or twice a week to get fresh food, such as produce, meat, dairy, and eggs. This year, the Scarsdale Women's Philanthropy's Share a Mitzvah project has the goal of raising $50,000 to finish critical renovations in the new space.

"The money raised last year provided incentive to further expand the scope of what BJCC can offer, including a place for its older clients in the Bronx to socialize, receive a variety of support, and enjoy a hot meal," explains Stacey Weil of Scarsdale, who leads the project. "We're working to make sure that the most vulnerable receive the support they need to live a dignified, full life."