Sheilah & Si Kalderon Visit

Coffee at Ashkelon Marina with Sigal and Nicole

Sheilah and Si Kalderon were in Ashkelon to check out some Baltimore Jewish Community funded projects and see the Michael Lapidus Park (Park Baltimore) and the Lyn Stacie Getz Playground.

As VP of the Women's Division at the Associated Sheilah and her husband Si, were particularly interested to hear about LEAP and see the new immigrants at Beit Canada Absorption Center.

Sheilah chooses LEAP work to take home with her With Oriana Hadad at Beit Canada

Above, Oriana explains that Ethiopian new immigrants can stay at the absorption center for up to two years. They live in self contained apartments while they learn Hebrew and adjust to the Israeli way of life.

No visit to Ashkelon is complete without a stroll round the Michael Lapidus Park (Park Baltimore )and the Lyn Stacie Getz Playground. The Park is rather dry now because of the drought related water restrictions. Nicole

The Baltimore Crab in the Lyn Stacie Getz Playground

More photos can be seen in the photo album.

Regatta in Ashkelon

Each year in late June, a regatta of about 80 yachts from 20 different countries arrives in Ashkelon from Turkey. For the past 17 years the regatta has been led by the same Turkish businessman named Hassan Kakmaz. The regatta started at the end of April in Istanbul. For a couple of days there's an atmosphere of festival at the Marina. Boats, flags, tourists and local sea lovers - all meet and celebrate together. The visitors take tours and go on hikes in Israel, they see Massada and Jerusalem.The City of Ashkelon honors them with a festive welcome reception. This morning the mall was full of sailors, all shopping after many days at sea.

From Ashkelon they continue their journey to Egypt, bringing with them a message of peace and brotherhood to all . Nicole