LOOKING BACK ON ROTARY YEAR 2009/10

By Mark Zober, Club President RY 2009-10

Each year, usually in late June or early July more then 33,000 autonomous Rotary Clubs in more then 200 countries geographic areas divided into 532 Rotary International created districts celebrate the handing over responsibility to a new presiding club officer - a steward and leader for the coming year. Ideally, the new president works in the context of a continuing club strategic plan involving fellowship and service.

Each new Club President has his or her dreams, expectations, inspirations and plans tempered by the norms and accepted practices of club and board members.

This year the Jerusalem Rotary Club was blessed with exceptional servant/leader Rotarians who led the way from P/P David Seligman, PDG Irene Lewitt, P/P Werner Loval and P/P Don Edelstein my personal mentors, P/P Rafi Aldor who chaired our world Community Services Committee, Dr. Sophie Simons who conducted the Polio Eradication $1,000 USD fundraiser, Elly Kenner who did our Club PR for the Jerusalem Young Scholars Competition, Josie Lee and Bernice Beare Rosenberg who led the Herzog Hospital specialized wheelchair fundraiser, P/P Marilyn Farber who chaired the very successful Whiffenpoofs (Yale University a cappella singing group) concert last July and Fireside Program and so many more. Art Braunstein did a fantastic job making sure that we had a continuing stream of wonderful guest speakers each week. My key officers, Treasurer Roy Rissanen, who made sure we had sound financial stewardship and Secretary Nezar Tannous who kept me on schedule with Club activities. Helene Stuart was super in keeping our Kosher meals service together all year. Special recognition to Josie Lee, Art, Helene and Irene who simply carried out every task required when when needed and were truly my most valued lieutenants my "Club Rotarians of the Year."

We began the year with Club Assemblies designed to determine the direction of the Club for the year. We made the commitment to strive to achieve the Rotary International Presidential Citation Award criteria and we were successful.

Leadership development was a major emphasis of the year with Mark attending the District Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) and bringing the material learned back to the club in a number of presentations.

Our first huge Club fundraising success was the sold out Yale Whiffenpoof Singers Concert in the Jerusalem YMCA Auditorium. This raised nearly 14,000 NIS for our Club. Marilyn was aided by a wonderful Concert Committee and outstanding publicity.


This year marked the turning of thew tide in membership decline. We were able grow our membership form 37 to 42 members thanks to the effective membership development program lead by P/P Richard Fain.

The flagship, signature program of Rotary International has been and remains Polio Eradication. In 1985 Rotary declared the goal to eliminate this dreaded disease from the world - at time when polio was found in 125 countries. Today Rotary is found only in four countries (Nigeria, India, Afghanistan and Pakistan.)

Due to our club members' generosity our Club contributed to the polio fundraising challenge by donating $1,000 USD to Polio Eradiction. Led by Dr. Sophie Simons we lead the way and raised the money and sent to The Rotary Foundation. The monies where matched by the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Club supported a number of local and international service projects, some with an international partners. Herzog Wheelchair Project, Tisch Family Botanical Gardens Animal Assisted Therapy Project provision of psychiatric evaluations for selected Jerusalem preschoolers, funding for the Jerusalem Rape Crisis Center to writing and publish material for local high school students designed to reduce violence in schools.

Advancing the recognition and public image of Rotary in Jerusalem was another high priority. We promoted public image during our Anniversary Young Speakers Competition on February 23 with public service announcements and paid advertising in conjunction with the Jerusalem Municipality l ed by Rtn Elly Kenner

Other remarkable achievements this year:

Hosted Youth Study Exchange Summer Camp Participants - provided guided tours and dinner reception.

Club Retreat to Peniel YMCA Hotel in Tiberias with 17 Club members and friends participating in this fun filled fellowship experience led by P/P Ruth Harris and P/P David Seligman.

Our Club Foundation Scholarship Awards (May 5) program was held this year in conjunction with Jerusalem West, led by President Aryeh Singer and P/P Chezi and Beverly Wohlman, the Jerusalem Municipality. Fifty-three (53) scholarship awards were handed out to deserved high school high tech students at the Jerusalem Municipality.

Our Club earned the Presidential Citation for the first time in its history. We met all the success membership, publicity, fundraising and other criteria of Rotary International President John Kenny.

Club President Mark Zober awarded District Governor's Shield for Exemplary Service.

A delegation from our club participated in the historic Ramallah Rotary Club chartering May 30 in the presence of RI President John Kenny and RI Director Phil Silvers

Mark Zober and Marilyn Farber attended Rotary International Convention in Montreal June 17-24 where they have become The Rotary Foundation Major Donors supporting the Rotary Peace Centers.

What is ahead....Incoming Rotary Internatonal President Ray Klinginsmth is challenging all Rotarians worldwide to make our Clubs BIGGER, BOLDER, BETTER. This goes hand in hand with the Challenge of our RY 2010-11 District Governor Motti Bar-Dagan who is calling for an increase in membership from 1,300 to 1,500 reversing a recent decline n district membership. He also is stressing leadership training and development to increase Club capacity building and more effective publicity for the services we provide locally and internationally.

Mark, "I realize that many us have become comfortable with our relatively small number of members and emphasis on supporting small local social service projects. We have not been comfortable publicizing our achievements or soliciting funds from our friends for program support. If we are to become even more effective as Rotarians, we are truly to become bigger and better, we will need to become bolder in our approach -- establishing signature local and international service projects, growing our membership in quality and quantity and significantly increasing public awareness of Rotary in general our our Club in particular." I know that our incoming President Nikolaus Kircher will lead the way.