Prof Darlene Smith Visits Ashkelon

Professor Darlene Brannigan Smith, Dean of the Merrick School of Business, University of Baltimore, and husband Rick Smith were in Ashkelon for meetings with  Professor Many and senior staff from the Business School at Ashkelon Academic College, to discuss future cooperation and connection.

Professor Darlene and Rick also met with Mayor Benny Vaknin and Deputy Mayor Shlomo Cohen, and Dr Alan Marcus,  who welcomed her to Ashkelon.

Volunteer Day with the Family Mission 30.12.2010

Beit Canada in Barnea Ashkelon, was a hive of activity on 30th December 2010 as participants in the Family Mission from Baltimore joined volunteers from Ashkelon to beautify the Absorption Center for new immigrants.

The night before, Family Mission was hosted by Ashkelon families, many renewed connections forged during previous Missions

More photos can be seen HERE and HERE

Shani Yamin (right) and her family hosted the Geller family

Carly Geller and Shani are Diller partners from last year

Einat (second from left above) and Shulamit (below)

renewed their Mom's Mission connection with Harriet Weiner and her family.

Vered and Dotan kept the Mission kids busy

SOME OF THE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS

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The outdoor living room (below) - BEFORE

The outdoor living room (below) - AFTER

Entry mural (below) - BEFORE

Entry mural (below) - AFTER (not yet complete)

The dove, with Ashkelon artist Hana Raviv BEFORE

The dove, in place, - AFTER

Shlomo Cohen accepted a gift...

The Diller teens arrived to lend a hand

more photos can be seen HERE and HERE

more photos can be seen HERE and HERE

Partnership Event 29th November

On 29th November 2010, everyone involved in the Partnership gathered together at the Gvanim hall at the Barnea community center for a social evening. This occasion was the kickoff to the start of a new era for the partnership now operating under the new Vision, formulated after many months of discussions with our partners in Baltimore. New members were introduced and activities of the partnership were highlighted: past activities, present, and future ... There was a full turnout, good food and good company! Maccabi arts participant Gal Bental opens the event with a virtuoso flute playing performance. Behind her, "Highlights of the Partnership" slideshow.

Social Services staff shared a table

Alan and Ilana Marcus

Meir contemplates the spread....

A Gift for everyone...

Einat, Vered and Ilana with their gift mugs

And a "soofganiya" from Sigal & Einat

Lizzy (Maccabi Arts Coordinator), Marcelo Burdman & Shlomo Cohen

Maia tells everyone about the upcoming Family Mission

Dafna and her A-Team!

Ashkelon Beach Cleanup

As part of international Beach Cleaning Week and Ashkelon's continued efforts to preserve our environment, about 300-400 Ronson high school students cleaned up beaches in Ashkelon this week.

Here they hold huge yellow garbage bags that say on them "Clean Beach"

Shlomo Cohen, Ashkelon Chair of the Ashkelon-Baltimore Partnership, worked with the kids to clean up the beach.

Deputy Mayor's Delegation to Baltimore - April 2010

Deputy Mayor Shlomo Cohen lead a delegation of Ashkelon committee chairs to Baltimore in April, for partnership meetings. David Wolfson, Meir Bouhnik, Einat Turgeman, and Marcelo Burdeman, joined Shlomo and me on this trip, Shlomo Cohen presented the Mayor of Baltimore Stephanie Rawlings, with a framed commemorative set of stamps

To see more photos from city hall - press HERE

During the visit, Ashkelon delegation members volunteered in the community.

Sigal & Einat met the Baltimore Moms at a Moms' Mission Reunion

Our Shinshinim, Natan and Hadar , are home for a 2 week visit . Shlomo Cohen , our chair and Ashkelon's Deputy Mayor , met with them to hear first hand their expiriences . Most of all they miss their moms' home cooking and their friends of course.

They had a chance to meet next year new Shinshinim that were just elected - Ronit Pinsky and Dor Treinin. They told me it's not fair that we are already the next generation while they still have 6 more month to go ...

Hadar and Natan, you are doing a great job in Baltimore!

Big Brother End of Year Ceremony

To mark the end of a productive year of volunteering, the Big Brother Program participants held a ceremony this week, to award certificates of appreciation to all the volunteers. Big Brother is a mentoring project operated by the Social services Dept of Ashkelon with the support of the Ashkelon-Baltimore Partnership.

The Big Brother volunteers each "adopted" a child of 6-12 years old. At weekly meetings, the Big Brother volunteers help their charges with homework, play with them, give them much-needed attention and inspiration, listen to their problems. The children receive personal attention, guidance, empowerment and life-skills.

Liat Levi is the coordinator for the program. The Big Brother volunteers receive professional guidance and support, and take part in group learning sessions with their fellow volunteers.

Shlomo Cohen, Deputy Mayor of Ashkelon and Israeli Chairman of the Ashkelon-Baltimore Partnership, said "I am pleased to see that there are so many dedicated volunteers in Ashkelon. Volunteerism in the city is continually expanding. It is clear that the Big Brother volunteers have made a lasting impression on the children they mentored and given them skills and grounding to help them cope with life's challenges "

Meir Bouhnik - Director of Ashkelon Foundation, Shulamit Maimon - Head of Social Services, and Mazal Levi - Head of Community Services also attended the ceremony together with representatives from this year's Big Brother program and last year's program.

Calanit & OTZMA wish you a Happy New Year

Mayor Benny Vaknin at Calanit Absorption Center spoke in English, Hebrew, French & Spanish, welcomed Otzma and the new immigrants in Calanit to Ashkelon, and wished everyone a very

HAPPY NEW YEAR

SHANA TOVA !

Benny Vaknin, Shlomo Cohen & Sofa Beilin

Mayor Benny Vaknin & Deputy Mayor Shlomo Cohen

Otzmanikim

Otzmanikim put on a show

Deputy Mayor Shlomo Cohen

Alizka Yarden, Director of Calanit & Sigal Ariely

SHANA TOVA from Otzma !

More photos of the "Haramat Kosit" at Calanit Absorption center can be seen at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/nikirose/Calanit16Sept09ShanaTova#

Shana Tova UMetuka

Wishing everyone

A HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Shana Tova

a year of peace, happiness and health

Below are some photos from the traditional toast to the holiday "Haramat Kosit" at the Beit Tzipora Center for study and enrichment.

Mayor Benny Vaknin wishes everyone a Happy New Year

Shlomo Cohen says a few words of wisdom