Circles Rosh Hashana 2015

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14 | Circles - Autumn 2015 | 15
Our Friends Around the World
c h a n g e i n a c t i o n
Together with Israeli Ambassador to the UK Daniel Taub, the UK Friends of Beit Issie
Shapiro brought together members of the Jewish community to hear from keynote speaker
Dr. Qanta Ahmed. Thank you to Investec Bank for their generous sponsorship of the event.
Ahmed defies most of the usual stereotypes. She’s a staunch defender of Israel, and also
a deeply committed Muslim. On her first ever trip to Israel in 2013, Ahmed addressed the
Beit Issie Shapiro community on the role of democracy in the protection of minorities.
Carol Bielski, Dr. Qanta Ahmed,
Angela Harding, Laura Weller, Ambassador Daniel
Taub, Zehava Taub, Jean Judes, Michael Hirsch
South Africa's Funniest Jew, in Israel
South African comedian Nik Rabinowitz flew into Israel for
24 hours to perform at a fundraiser for Beit Issie Shapiro,
bringing laughter into the lives of people with disabilities,
their families and other friends and supporters. Nik was a hit
with the audience and the evening was a great success.
I have been looking forward to doing something in
support of the children and families who benefit from
the extraordinary services Beit Issie Shapiro provides.
Comedy is most often about subverting the serious.
That’s the role comedy has to play in the inclusion of
people with disabilities.
Nik Rabinowitz
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At the Israeli Ambassador's Residence in London
Toronto Kicking for Kids
The 5th annual soccerthon, run by the
Canadian Friends of Beit Issie Shapiro, was
Toronto’s first inclusive community event
of its kind. Along with 16 adult teams in a
round-robin marathon, the event featured
an inclusive soccer activity for children
with and without disabilities. The unique
event involved a wide range of community
partners, including DANI, Camp Breakaway,
CAMP AIM and the Friendship Circles,
Maccabi Canada and the Jewish Agency
for Israel. Our thanks go to the main sponsor
CIBC Children’s Foundation, and to adult
tournament sponsor Crowe Soberman.
Israel’s Consul General to Toronto and
Western Canada DJ Schneeweiss – who
participated in Team Israel – said:
“On behalf of the government of Israel,
it is a great pleasure to be able to
endorse and value the work that Beit
Issie Shapiro does for the benefit of our
society. It is one of the jewels in our
national crown, an organization which
represents the absolute best of who we
are, what we stand for and why we have
a Jewish state.”
In the words of Gilad Epstein, CFOBIS Chair:
“I am proud and humbled by the amazing
show of community support. Beit Issie is
a center of excellence out of Israel that is
impacting lives of people with disabilities
worldwide. As one of the few Israeli
organization with a consultative status to the
United Nations, Beit Issie is a role model,
influencing policy and exporting knowledge
to many countries worldwide, including
Canada.”
Contact Us
Israel
Beit Issie Shapiro
Tel: 972-9-770 1222
E-mail:
Non-Profit: #58-007-185-0
American Friends
of Beit Issie Shapiro
National/New York Office
Greater NY Development
Director: Bill Edelstein
Tel: 1 (212) 586-2464
E-mail:
Registration: #13-3434-781
South East
Development Director: Sara Shames
c/o Michael-Ann Russell JCC
Tel: 1 (305) 933-0774
E-mail:
West Coast
Development Director: Laura Fuhrman
Tel: 1 (310) 462-7659
E-mail:
Canadian Friends
of Beit Issie Shapiro
National Administrator: Jocelyn Emdon
Tel: 1 (289) 597-0500
E-mail:
Registration: #89056-1848-RR0001
South African Friends
of Beit Issie Shapiro
c/o Ilan Ossin
Tel: 27 832837479
E-mail:
Swedish Friends
of Beit Issie Shapiro
c/o Fredslogen
Tel: 46 86507848
E-mail:
United Kingdom Friends
of Beit Issie Shapiro
Tel: 44 2079035017
E-mail:
Charity: #328303
Benjy Maor, Consul General
Schneeweiss, Gilad Epstein