The Jerusalem Rotary Club - Chartered March 11, 1929 - Committed to Service Above Self

District Governor (2490) Moshe Edlman at PR Seminar at Weizmann Institute Israel Friday August 5 2011

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Jerusalem Rotary Club Group Picture with Spouses April 27, 2011

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Past President and current Club Honorary Club Secretary Shlomo Khayat took this group picture of our Club members and their spouses April 27, 2011. This picture will be sent to our District 2490 officers to be included in the District Annual Report.

Jerusalem Rotary Club - Fighting Cancer in Children in Brasil

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FYI attached is the approved Matching Grant we co-sponsored with the Rotary Club of Sao Paulo East. The amount for the purchase of tumor detection equipment is $15,900 USD. The Jerusalem Rotary Club donated $1,900 USD, our District through District Designated funds contributed $1,500 USD. The remainder was contributed by the Rotary Club Sao Paulo East and District 4610. [Note that in RY 2009-10 the Rotary Foundation was not able to match the contribution due to a freeze on its matching grant funding.].

I plan to share information on our website and blog about the grant that supports the equipping of the laboratory immunology of Tumors in the Institute of Treatment for Infantile Cancer-ITACI, in the city of Sao Paulo, Brasil. I suggest that our members also hear this fantastic news in the Club bulletin.

According to the grant proposal "There is great demand and urgent need in approving the attendance and children's diagnosis and people with the most varied types of tumors. It will benefit the most in need infantile population and the community in general of the largest city in Brasil, Sao Paulo, with more then 11 million inhabitants. During 2008 there was a demand for 1,200 attendances a month and it was possible to assist 480 a month only...." It is estimated that it will take 6-9 months to implement the project.

Responsibility for implementing the project will be taken by the Institute of Biological Sciences ((ICB-USP), part of the health complex of the University of Sao Paulo Medical College and the government of the State of Sao Paulo. This partnership also includes the Foundation for Children- Solidarity Action Against Pediatric Cancer and the Foundation of Oncology of Sao Paulo.

You can read the full Matching Grant proposal at http://bit.ly/aCFFGt

Speakers

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Click "Speakers" to view upcoming Club programs

Speakers

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Speakers

You can see our upcoming Club programs by clicking in "Speakers" above.

LOOKING BACK ON ROTARY YEAR 2009/10

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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.

Our Club History - from the Rotarian Magazine October 1944

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"Jerusalem has a Rotary Club "

ROTARIAN MAGAZINE OCTOBER 1944

by Fred B. Barton, War Correspondent

pages 20-23

Every Wednesday a group of Jewish and British and Arabs and men of other nationalities breaks bread across the comfortable board of the YMCA hostel in Jerusalem. They assemble at 13:30 - 1:30 to me - and after 80 minutes they get up and go back to their shops and offices. They are the Rotary Club of Jerusalem. Luncheons are not spectacular - no more then Rotary meetings back home in Akron, Ohio, U.S.A.

I had heard about the Rotary in Jerusalem, but it was a minor, albeit pleasant, shock to find it here. Jerusalem, even for a newspaper correspondent, is a very foreign place. Here inside the Old City, the walled city, you find camels loaded with fire wood performing that marvel of cantilever action represented by kneeling - every move a grunt as if once down he'll never get up - then rising with his burden ready to be lifted off to someone's very door. You see the very photogenic Wailing Wall, the cuddly little donkeys, native women carrying crocks of water on their heads. You see workers toiling with primitive tools, carving souvenir camels from that ironlike wood of the olive trees.

Foreign but not strange...British, yet in the Palestine they drive on the right...telephone kiosks at the street corners...controlled food prices: meals are high but pretty good. As for the climate, the new irrigated orange groves around Tel-Aviv enjoy a weather so lyric that young men learning the business are, with fine logic, sent to California to serve their apprenticeships.

Jerusalem's 60 Rotarians cross-section the city's business and professional life. Here is an American heading an oil company, an Arab architect with an international reputation, a Jew merchant whose family has been active in Palestine for 400 years...They come from modern homes, these men, for the American Colony and other new sections are as impressive as the magnificent King David Hotel and the hardly less stupendous YMCA across the street.

Since it was started in 1929, the Rotary Club of Jerusalem has been meeting with amazing regularity. When street rioting between Arab and Jew was serious, a few years back, it met as usual. During recent disturbances, presumably inspired by paid Nazi troublemakers rather then caused by spontaneous outbursts of ill will, meetings likewise went on.

They start simply. There is no invocation, no God Save the King, no waving of the flag. The men just sit down and chat as they eat. Conversation quickly slips into the middle ground that Arab, Christian and Jew have in common. It is a time for comradeship.

Discussions are friendly rather than controversial. There is, really, so little to argue about, so many things held in common! For example, the fellowship with Rotarians at other Palestinian Rotary Clubs (Haifa and Jaffa-Tel-Aviv) or over at Damascus, Beirut, Cairo or Zagazig or any of the other dozen clubs in District 83. Well worth talking about is Jerusalem's magnificent water supply or the growing economic importance of this region.
Consider that Tel-Aviv, the modern Jewish city, is the diamond center of the world and a big producer of plastics, chemicals, metal parts, enamalled bathtubs, paints and canned goods. There is a dream being dreamed that the River Jordan's waters will some postwar day will baptize into fruitfulness 600,000 acres of now near-useless land. When it is done, the Dead Sea won't dry up; a 95 mile chain of canals and tunnels is planned to bring Mediterranean water down the 1,300 foot drop and in so doing annually create more then a billion kilowatt-hours of electric power!

Here's a month's sample of Jerusalem Rotary Club programs, which usually are in English: a Palestinian government official speaking on current problems; a Moslem Arab speaking on Suliman the Magnificent; a Jewish book-seller discussing rare books; an Arab architect discussing new trends in houses; an English food controller discussing Palestinian and British relations.

The makeup of Committees is beautifully international. At the time of my visit, the Membership Committee was headed by a Jew with two Arabs and one Britisher as colleagues. The Committee that invites speakers has an Englishman for Chairman two Arabs, one Pole, one Jew, three British as members. On the Community Service Committee were an Arab as Chairman, and four Jews, two British, one Swede and one American. An American Chairmanned the International Services Committee and on it were one English Jew and one Arab.

Secretary of the Club is enthusiastic W.H.L. Martin, the minister of Christ's Church and an energetic person. He chafes a bit at being restricted, for all but a few hours a day, to his couch because of phlebitis caused by wearing to-tight leggings in the last year.

I got a picture of what Rotary in Jerusalem is doing and what it is trying to do by climbing the stairs at the Palestinian Board of Education and talking with the Club's genial and forward-mined president W.H. Chinn, since succeeded by Malmond (sp?) Dajani. Rotarian Chinn is referred to almost to easily as the probation officer. He is the advisor on social welfare for the Palestinian Government. That takes in probation, reformatory schools as well as any necessary welfare work. Included also is the new feeding of destitute school children - a wartime development.

President Chinn told how Jerusalem Rotarians with earnestness yet without cant are working out implications of the Rotary ideal of service. Occasionally fellowship flowers into social affairs including ladies nights. It was all simple and natural, as he told it; men of different races and creeds willed that they would get along together, and they did.

It seemed to me as I listened, poetically fitting that in Jerusalem, where streets have been blooded so many times, practical men of affairs of the 20th Century should heed those words first heralded near here" "Peace on earth, good will to men!" Never has it been so important that thinking people realize how earning of their daily bread and the sitting down together with friends and business competitors and neighbors, they can help create a new world of understanding - the basis of any lasting livable peace.

If Jerusalem points the way through its Rotary Club, let us have more of it!

"Here is how it got started" - by Richard H. Wells

Whenever I say it is not hard to organize a Rotary Club, I think of the story that Clare Martin tells of his experience of organizing the Rotary Club of Jerusalem. Racial prejudices were so intense in the community that it was said that no Rotary Club could exist there. But Clare Martin did't believe that.

He went to Jerusalem and visited 15 men deliberating choosing men of different races, color and religion. He told each of them about Rotary, and each expressed the opinion that it would be highly desirable but equally impossible to have a club in Jerusalem. He then invited each of them individually to be his guests at dinner.

Each came thinking himself to be the only guest but found to his surprise that there were 15 assembled. They glared at each other and each wondered how the others happened to be there. Clare then excused himself telling them that he would be back shortly. His guests were more uncomfortable then ever. Finally there natural courtesy began to assert itself. An Arab crossed the room and shook hands with a Jew. Then each of them, feeling he could not be out-done in courtesy, tried to surpass the others in politeness.

At just the right moment, Clare Martin stepped back into the room and raising his hand announcing "gentlemen the Rotary Club of Jerusalem is now in session."

This happened in 1928 and the Rotary Club of Jerusalem exists. meeting regularly, and enjoys the same kind of fellowship Rotarians everywhere enjoy.

Our Club Visits Jerusalem Biblical Zoo - Thank you tour

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Tomorrow Wednesday April 21, 2010 our Jerusalem Rotary Club members and guests will visit the Tisch Family Jerusalem Zoological Gardens, commonly known as the "Biblical Zoo" hosted by Shai Doron, the Zoo executive director. The first item on the agenda at 10:30 AM will be the dedication our our Matching Grant Project - Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT)Project. This will be followed by a guided tour in English of the zoo. At 1 PM we will have a light kosher lunch.

Below is the thank you letter from Shai Doron:

Dear Mark,

I wish to thank you personally, and through you to all the Rotary Club members of Jerusalem as well as your colleagues around the world, for your generous donation towards the Animal Assisted Therapy Program for children with special needs at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo.

With your donation, the Zoo has acquired an Traktoron Vehicle that will be used to help with the animal husbandry work and is suitable for the nature of work with children with special needs.

The Animal Assisted Therapy Program for children with special needs has reached a new peak this year – with 63 groups of special needs children participating in activities at the Zoo on a weekly basis.

It is important to emphasize that these children come from all segments of the population in Jerusalem: Jews and Arabs, secular and religious.

The activities at the Zoo contribute greatly to the children. Beyond the therapeutic aspect, the weekly visit to the Zoo breaks the demanding daily routine of these children.

With your donation, you join many good people in Israel and around the world, who support and assist one of the most important programs for children with special needs in Jerusalem. You have once again demonstrated the special spirit of the Jerusalem community that supports those with special needs, with a will to integrate them in the general activities.

Thank you!

Yours sincerely,

Shai Doron
CEO
Jerusalem ZOO

ROGRAM for MAY-JUNE 2010 -- Prospective Speakers & Topics

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JERUSALEM ROTARY CLUB
PROGRAM for MAY-JUNE 2010 -- Prospective Speakers & Topics

Program Chair – Art Braunstein

as of April 19th

May 5 -- Steve Leibowitz, Editor-in-Chief, IBA English News

“IBA – A Window on the World”

NOTE: luncheon starts at 12:30pm instead of 1:00pm, followed by the Foundation Awards Ceremony at 2::00pm in the YMCA Auditorium.

May 12 -- Ambassador Jacob Rosen, recent ambassador to Jordan,

“Jerusalem – The International Perspective”

In commemoration of Jerusalem Day

May 19 – Shavuot/Pentecost [no meeting]

May 26 -- Prof. Max Stern, Professor of Music, Ariel University Center

“Biblical Music Brought to Life”

June 2 -- Dr. Reuven Gal, Founder and former Director,

The National Civic Service

“Civic Service in Israel – Adapt and Expand?”

Rotary- 105 Years of Extraordinary "Service Above Self"

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Rotary, the first and largest international service organization, founded in 1905, is the worldwide association of 33,000 Rotary clubs in 200 countries and territories united under the motto of "Service Above Self". The 1.25 million men and women known as Rotarians represent a cross-section of business, professional, and community leaders around the world. Rotary club members volunteer their expertise, time, and money to support local and international projects that help people in need and promote understanding and peace among cultures. The Rotary Foundation, Rotary’s philanthropic arm, awards approximately US$ 165 million each year in grants for Rotarian-sponsored humanitarian projects, scholarships, and vocational training teams.

Rotary has formed strategic partnerships with a variety of organizations, including nongovernmental organizations, foundations, corporations, and universities. Together they provide funding, technical expertise, and advocacy support to address global challenges in one or more of Rotaries six Core Areas of focus (Number of Rotary grants and funding over the past five years, 2004-2009):

• Peace and conflict prevention/resolution (434 fellowships awarded; $20,460,000)
• Disease prevention and treatment (2,718 grants awarded; $34,189,400 -not including
PolioPlus)
• Maternal and child health care (527 grants awarded; $7,172,184)
• Water and sanitation (2,436 grants awarded; $30,484,779)
• Basic education and literacy (2,664 grants awarded; $28,008,087)
• Economic and community development (1,625 grants awarded; $24,498,464)

Rotary is an exceptionally cost effective organization with very low overhead costs. Charity Navigator, an independent charity evaluator, has placed Rotary third in a list of "10 of the Best Charities Everyone's Heard Of" - 90.8% of every dollar raised goes directly into the vast array of Rotary sustainable humanitarian, educational, health, peace and conflict resolution, economic development, polio eradication and other programs.

Rotary has been named one of the top five NGOs for corporate partnerships by the Financial Times in 2007. Rotary was the recipient of the 2007 United Nations Association Humanitarian Award, in recognition of Rotary’s significant efforts to provide safe water and sanitation and its commitment to sustainable development worldwide. Rotary also received the 2008 U.S. Congress Open World National Grantee of Merit Award. The extraordinary contributions toward alleviating human suffering by Rotary over the past 105 years are legendary. A sampler of the tens of thousands of such projects are provided in six interrelated Core Areas- Rotary's program emphases.

CORE AREA: Peace and Conflict Prevention and Resolution. Rotary’s educational and cultural exchange programs have been promoting international understanding for decades. In addition, seven Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution operate in eight prestigious universities worldwide. This program offers graduate-level and professional development fellowships, where Rotary Peace Fellows study such topics as international relations, public administration, sustainable development, and conflict resolution.

Rotary Peace Fellows are leaders promoting national and international cooperation, peace, and the successful resolution of conflict throughout their lives, in their careers, and through service activities. Fellows can earn either a master’s degree in international relations, public administration, sustainable development, peace studies, conflict resolution, or a related field, or a professional development certificate in peace and conflict resolution. “Rotary Peace Fellows believe, and I believe, it is possible to have a world without war. It is possible to have a world without hunger.” Archbishop Emeritus and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu, stated in his keynote speech to 86 Rotary World Peace Fellows at the second Rotary World Peace Symposium in Birmingham (UK), in June 2009.

CORE AREA: Disease Prevention and Treatment.

“We face multiple crises. We can either cut back on health expenditures. and incur massive losses in lives and capacity for growth, or we can invest in health and spare both people and economies the high cost of inaction. The choice should be clear.”- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, speaking at the 2009 RI Convention.

Launched in 1985, Rotary’s corporate project, global polio eradication (PolioPlus), provides a model for successful public-private partnerships. Together with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Rotary is a spearheading partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. In addition to contributing an anticipated $1.2 billion for this effort, Rotary club members have provided an army of volunteers on the ground to promote and carry out mass polio immunization efforts. Rotary clubs also sponsor projects that target malaria, HIV/AIDS, and other preventable diseases.

“In polio circles, Rotary is famous for its steadfast commitment, its hard-nosed determination. Rotary brought the advantage of a unique business-model approach to the many problems that face any health initiative, and especially one of this scale.” — Dr. Margaret Chan, World Health Organization Director-General

To date, the PolioPlus program has contributed $600 million for the protection of 2.2 billion children in 122 countries. Today there are four countries are not certified polio free - Nigeria, India, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Rotary and its partners are making the final push to completely eradicate Polio. The funds raised by Rotarians around the world, in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, are providing the much needed polio vaccine, operational support, medical personnel, laboratory equipment, and educational materials for health workers and parents.

Since 1995, donor governments have contributed in excess of $2.6 billion to polio eradication, due in large part to Rotary’s advocacy efforts. This amount, combined with direct funds from Rotary, is more than half the money needed for the entire global polio eradication program. Countries including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, and United States of America are now major financial donors to this historic health initiative.

“In the world of global health, success builds on success, and Rotary, in its commitment to eliminate polio, is unique. Rotary has taken a very strong leadership role, and we knew, based on Rotary’s track record, that they would obviously be the key partner.” — Bill Gates, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation co-chair

Rotary has helped broker peace initiatives to enable immunization drives. In 2001 Rotary negotiated a cease-fire with the opposing parties in Burundi, known as the “Days of Tranquility” to enable National Immunization Days (NIDs) in that war torn nation. This campaign was a major step in the global effort to eradicate this crippling disease. These "Days of Tranquility" have been observed in many other conflict countries, particularly the immunization campaigns in several central African countries, including the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). President Joseph Kabil, of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was joined in Kinshasa by the Minister of Health and other senior representative of the Congo, with the Director- General of WHO, the UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, and the Past President of RI, Carlo Ravizza, at a special ceremony launching the NIDs. More than 15 million children under five were immunized in this region, including 3.6 million in Angola, over 600,000 in the Congo (Brazzaville), 11.5 million in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and over 200,000 in Gabon. Since that time, Rotary and its partners have carried out NIDs in other war zones, including the Afghanistan "Days of Tranquility."

CORE AREA: Maternal and Child Health Care. In addition to immunizing millions of children against polio, Rotary supports projects to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV and to provide health education and medical care to impoverished women and girls. Other projects focus on nutrition and prenatal care, along with the provision of vitamin A, insecticide-treated bed nets, and other relatively low-cost measures for promoting good health.

Reducing child mortality was the main focus of Past RI President Dong Kurn Lee’s emphases in 2008-9. More than 10 million children die every year from preventable causes, and 530,000 women die of pregnancy-related causes. Pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, and measles account for the majority of deaths of children under the age of five, but malnutrition is often in the background. "When I first asked Rotarians to focus on reducing the rate of child mortality, I was confident that we would be able to make a difference. The way Rotarians responded has exceeded even my own hopes. Our projects are saving lives, one at a time, with determination and with success" said President Lee.

Rotary has trained Nepalese women as midwives because in mountainous Nepal, infant mortality is most severe in remote Himalayan villages — areas that are also in short supply of family planning services and economic opportunities. Rotarians have created an extensive training program to bring much needed prenatal and postnatal services to 10 remote regions. The project, a collaboration between the Rotary clubs of Kathmandu Mid-Town and Darmstadt-Bergstrasse, Germany, is supported by a $283,725 Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Grant from The Rotary Foundation. The program is training 52 young women as professional auxiliary nurse midwives and includes on-the-job training at hospitals in Baeda and Kathmandu. Grants from the United Nations Population Fund and the World Bank’s Poverty Alleviation Fund are also helping with tuition expenses. After completing their training, the new midwives will be eligible for microcredit loans to start clinics in their hometowns where, in addition to providing care, they can educate women and girls in the community about the problems related to early marriages and pregnancies, and the benefits of child spacing. “This project is unique because it emphasizes the linkage between micro-credit, maternal health, and family planning,” says Hartmut Bauder, project coordinator and past president of the Kathmandu Mid-Town Rotary club.

CORE AREA: Water and Sanitation. The United Nations Association of New York honored Rotary with its 2007 Humanitarian Award in recognition of Rotary’s significant efforts to provide safe water and sanitation and its commitment to sustainable development worldwide.

"In the years since Rotary International has started focusing on water as one of its annual service emphases we have learned just how much can be accomplished with relatively little, how a single small water project, perhaps a pump or a filter, can change the life of a community," said Rotary Past President Wilfrid Wilkinson at the awards ceremony. "However, our work has also included participation in many other major water projects."

Providing greater access to clean water and sanitation facilities is a goal for many Rotary clubs. Their projects span a wide range -- from digging wells to building latrines to providing purifying filters to individual households. Rotary has joined with USAID in this area. “Through this important collaboration, the service ethic and commitment of hundreds of thousands of Rotarians around the world will be joined with the global development expertise and technical leadership of USAID to yield a significant, sustainable increase in water supply and sanitation coverage for the planet’s poorest and most vulnerable populations,” said USAID Chief Operating Officer Alonzo Fulgham. The $150 million dollars donated by Rotary to the alliance will develop its inaugural projects in Ghana, the Philippines, and the Dominican Republic, where Rotary districts and USAID missions have the demonstrated ability to carry out effective water and sanitation projects.

CORE AREA: Basic Education and Literacy. Rotary clubs have long been working to promote literacy and expand basic educational opportunities. Rotary’s flagship literacy project, concentrated language encounter (CLE), is a revolutionary teaching method developed by Rotary club members and implemented by clubs in many developing countries. Rotary clubs collect books for shipment to developing countries, distribute dictionaries to schoolchildren, and conduct tutoring programs in local schools.

“For those of us who have been lucky enough to learn to read and to write, for those of us who have benefited from an education and have had the opportunity to avoid a life in poverty: We can all be literacy champions” said David Fowler, Rotary International Literacy Resource Group Chairman. In 2006 country music star Dolly Parton and Rotary announced a cooperative relationship to begin a new chapter in promoting early childhood literacy and lifelong love of books. Under the agreement, Rotary clubs in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States are encouraged to support the Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library, which provides a book each month to children from birth until age five. Local Rotary club participation includes promoting the program within the community, helping to identify and register children, and paying for the books and mailings. More than 300 Rotary clubs participated in 2008-09. Today over 450,000 children receive books from the Imagination Library every month. Over 15 million books have been donated to the library since the program started.

Citing its impressive role in the polio eradication effort, Parton said she is proud to work with Rotary on the project. “This partnership is a marriage made in heaven,” Parton says. “Rotary does such good work around the world. This is a big deal for us. We feel proud and honored to be working with such a prestigious organization.” Parton’s impoverished childhood and her father’s illiteracy inspired the country singer to create a literacy program for preschool children in her native Sevier County, Tennessee. The Imagination Library now serves 47 states, along with parts of Canada and the United Kingdom, and has provided children with more than 15 million books. According to the Dollywood Foundation, preschoolers exposed to reading are more likely to look forward to starting school, do well in class, read at or above grade level, finish high school, and go on to college.

CORE AREA: Economic and Community Development. Helping people help themselves is a cornerstone of Rotary service. Among the club projects currently underway are vocational training programs in sewing, computers, carpentry, and other occupations. Many Rotary clubs sponsor Rotary Community Corps, which are groups of local residents working to improve their communities. “Currently, half the human population is living on less than $2 per day and that, my friends, is something we should be concerned about,” said Deepa Willingham, Rotarian and founder of PACE (Promise of Assurance to Children Everywhere) Universal, speaking at the 2009 Rotary Convention. The Rotary clubs of Muyenga, Uganda, and Genk-Noord, Belgium, launched a multi-year project in 2009 that aims to bring long-term economic stability to the Kasamu-Kyali parish in Uganda’s Mpigi District. Supported by a $250,000 Health, Hunger and Humanity (3-H) Grant from The Rotary Foundation, this project aims to improve the lives of 4,000 villagers by providing treated mosquito nets, water boreholes and pumps, agricultural supplies and livestock, vocational training and equipment, educational materials, and uniforms. [$30.2 million in 3-H and Matching Grants was awarded by The Rotary Foundation in 2008-09, to support international service projects organized and conducted by Rotarians around the world]. Rotary Clubs in Belgium, Luxembourg, France, India, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda are also supporting the project. Additional help is coming from a cadre of Rotary Community Corps (RCC) volunteers, who formed 10 subcommittees, each overseeing a different aspect of the project, including finance, livestock, and water distribution.

In conclusion, the contributions of Rotary over the past 105 years are legendary in alleviating human suffering. Rotary’s established record of achievement is well documented in countries around the world and at the United Nations. Rotary's innovation in program design has been cited by leaders and the international press and its organizational capacity and administrative efficiency is supported in the Annual Reports made available to its members and the public on the Internet and in hard copy. Rotary stands alone among international organizations with its sustainable programs and the long-term impact of its projects

Looking Back on Rotary Year 2009-10

2010-04-10T18:25:00.003+03:00

The Jerusalem Rotary Club summary activities for RY‭ ‬2009-10

The Rotary Year started on Wednesday July‭ ‬8,‭ ‬2009‭ ‬at the Changeover Dinner at Beit Shmuel in Jerusalem with‭ ‬60‭ ‬Rotarians and guests in attendance.

President Kern Wisman handed over the gavel to President Mark Zober

Mark Zober presents his incoming team‭ – ‬Treasurer Roy Rissanen,‭ ‬Secretary Nezar Tannous and Program Chair Art Braunstein.‭ ‬Zober declares launching a strategic planning process to determine the goals and objectives of the Club based the interest of board and general membership

The first major event was the Yale Whiffenpoof Concert held at the Jerusalem International YMCA chaired by P/P Marilyn Farber.‭ ‬The event was completely sold out with‭ ‬660‭ ‬in attendance.‭ ‬The profits were divided between the Whifenpoofs and the Club.

The strategic planning process was launched in July.‭ ‬The board and membership accepted the commitment to achieve the RI Presidential Criteria criteria for a successful year.‭ ‬This started with significantly increasing our Club membership.‭ ‬By December the Club had inducted‭ ‬3‭ ‬new members and in last Januaary added another‭ ‬3‭ ‬members thus achieving a‭ ‬20%‭ ‬increase in membership.‭ ‬This achievement is credited to P/P Richard Fan,‭ ‬membership chair.

The second Presidential Criterion was to raise‭ ‬$1,000‭ ‬USD.‭ ‬Rotarian Dr.‭ ‬Sophie Simons accepted responsibility for raising the money was raised by February‭ ‬2010‭ ‬and transferred to The Rotary Foundation.‭

The third criterion for the Presidential Citation was the funding and implementation of service projects.‭ ‬This effort was led by P/P Rafi Aldor and his outstanding Community Service Committee.‭

The first project was a matching in partnership with two Rotary Clubs in Dusseldorf,‭ ‬Germany and Sao Paulo,‭ ‬Brazil‭ – ‬an assisted animal therapy program at the Tisch Family Gardens and Zoo in Jerusalem.‭ ‬The item purchased was an All Terrain Vehicle‭ (‬ATV‭) – ‬total budget‭ ‬$21,000‭ ‬USD.

The second project was the purchasye of a special wheelchair for severely handicapped children at Herzog Hospital in Jerusalem.‭ ‬15,000‭ ‬NIS was raised in two weeks around our Hannukah Party/Fundraiser.‭ ‬Special recognition to the generosity of our club members and notably Josie Lee.

The third community service was to support the‭ ‬Jerusalem Rape Crisis Center‭ ‬-writing and distribution of educational material designed for teenagers.‭ ‬Special thanks to Past President Ruth Harris who brought this outstanding project to our attention.

An ad hoc Haiti Earthquake Relief was committee was established headed by Dr.‭ ‬Sophie Simon with‭ ‬Roy Rissanen and Art Braunstein‭ – ‬all with experience in international development.‭ ‬We are still searching for a sustainable relief project in Haiti.

The next Presidential Criterion was to conduct a public relations campaign.‭ ‬We did this in two
parts‭ – ‬for the Whiffenpoof concert‭ ‬-5,000‭ ‬NIS and for the Jerusalem Young Speakers‭ (‬district‭) ‬competition‭ ‬4,000‭ ‬NIS.

The Young Speakers Competition was another successful event-‭ ‬a partnership with Rotary
‭ ‬Club Jerusalem West and the Jerusalem Municipality for a full house at the municipality of over‭ ‬200‭ ‬participants.

The club held a retreat in Tiberias for three days in March-‭ ‬fun and community building with‭ ‬17
‭ ‬members and friends in attendance‭

We are also pleased to have nominated Yossi Eisenberg for the Peace and Understanding Shield‭ – ‬rejected.‭ ‬We made a special effort to attend every district and eshcol event possible.‭

It has been a very special Rotary Year in Jerusalem.‭ ‬On Wednesday July‭ ‬8,‭ ‬2010‭ ‬Nikolaus Kircher will be handed the gavel at a very special Changeover at August Victoria‭ – ‬The Kaiser Whelhelm Room.‭ ‬Another outstanding year ahead‭!

Spring in bloom in Jerusalem

2010-03-09T12:09:00.001+02:00

Fwd: העברה: Mudgee Sunrise Rotary Club - International Toast

2010-03-02T06:05:00.000+02:00

Mark Alan Zober

0545900223

Begin forwarded message:

From: "nezar " <nt_gpi@yahoo.com>
Date: March 2, 2010 2:21:02 GMT+02:00
To: rotarymark@gmail.com
Subject: העברה: Mudgee Sunrise Rotary Club - International Toast
Reply-To: nt_gpi@yahoo.com

Fyi
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone
From: "Imaginations Early Learning Centre" <gjblogg@bigpond.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 11:10:03 +1100
To: <nt_gpi@yahoo.com>
Subject: Mudgee Sunrise Rotary Club - International Toast

Hi   Nezar, Please see attached a toast from the Rotary Club of Mudgee Sunrise.

Each week we find an event or anniversary that we can associate with a Rotary Club outside Australia.

On Friday we celebrated the birthday of Ariel Sharon, born in what is now Israel, hence the toast to your club.

We have our own web log where we post information about Mudgee, our club and each week's international toast. To view go to http://mudgeesunriserotary.wordpress.com/

Kind regards,

Gary Blogg,

International Director, Rotary Club of Mudgee Sunrise

Friday 26^th February 2010

Who Am I? I was born on this day in 1926 in the British Mandate of Palestine, to a family of Lithuanian Jews

At age 14, I joined the Haganah, the underground paramilitary force and the Jewish military precursor to the Israel Defense Forces

I had a long and controversial career in the Israeli military, but also studied History, Oriental studies and later Law at the Universities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

I achieved the rank of Major General in the Israeli Defence Force. In the 1967 Six-Day War, I commanded the most powerful armored division on the Sinai front.

Due to my aggressive actions during the Yom Kippur war in 1973 I am widely viewed as a war hero who saved Israel from defeat in Sinai

I retired from the military and entered politics in 1973. I became Israeli Defence Minister in 1981 and Prime Minister in 2001.

In early 2006 I suffered a major stroke and have been in a vegetative coma ever since.

I am Ariel Sharon

So let's visit the Rotary Club of Jerusalem, Capitol of Israel

The club was chartered in 1929. Its 39 members meet Wednesdays for lunch at the Y.M.C.A. King David Street

Here's cheers to the Rotary Club of Jerusalem

Imaginations Early Learning Centre

13 Court St

MUDGEE NSW 2850

Ph:     02 6372 2040

Fax:   02 6372 2091

Email info@imaginationselc.com.au

Web   www.imaginationselc.com.au

Our Club has Achieved most of the Presidential Citation Goals

2010-02-09T20:27:00.004+02:00

In order for Rotary International to recognize a Rotary Club for the Presidential Citation, the Club first be recognized by the District Governor(DG)—in this case DG Uri Zeiger.

Goal Achieved: Membership Goal (required)

Achieved growth through a net increase of at least one member by 31 March 2010. (The club’s membership as of 31 March 2010 must be greater than its membership as of 1 July 2009.) Our Club had 37 members on July 1 2009 and today has 43 members and growing.

Goal Achieved: Eradicate polio—Through Rotary’s fundraising challenge, we can finish this crucial job and keep our promise to the world.
Made a club contribution to the polio fundraising challenge of at least $1,000.

Goal Achieved: Increase Rotary’s capacity to provide service
Rotary clubs are encouraged to continue their efforts to address water, health and hunger, and literacy issues by volunteering more time, talent, and enthusiasm along the four Avenues of Service.

Conduct a service project with an international partner, either as the project host or as the sponsor. Jerusalem Rotary Club has achieved this goal. Herzog Wheelchair Project, Tisch Family Botanical Gardens Animal Assisted Therapy Project.

Goal Achieved: Expand membership globally in both numbers and quality. Everything that Rotary hopes to accomplish depends on its members, and each of us is responsible for bringing in qualified new members.

Increased the diversity of your club’s membership by recruiting at least two new members who belong to a demographic group (profession, age, religion, ethnicity, etc.) that is underrepresented in the club.

Recruited at least two new members who have experience in community, vocational, or international service work, as part of the required net increase of at least one member by 31 March 2010.

Goal Achieved: Optimized leadership talents within Rotary.
Introducing Rotary Leadership Institute material to ALL CLUB MEMBERS after president participants in training.

Remains to be Achieved: Emphasize Rotary’s unique vocational service commitment. We are introducing Vocational Service Recognition Award this Rotary Year.

Remains to be Achieved: Advance the recognition and public image of Rotary We are striving to promote public image during RI 105 Anniversary Young Speakers Competition on February 23.

THE PRESIDENTIAL CITATION LETTER FROM RI PRESIDENT JOHN KENNY

2010-02-09T17:32:00.006+02:00

THE PRESIDENTIAL CITATION LETTER FROM RI PRESIDENT JOHN KENNY was the guide that President Mark Zober used this year as part of the Club's strategic planning process. Mark feels that, "if you do not know where you are going, any road will get you there." The Presidential Citation is our road map.

Below is an abbreviated copy of the Presidential Citation. As you will see, our Club is on the way to meriting the citation.

Dear club presidents,

As we embark together on our year as Rotary leaders, I ask for your support in making 2009-10 a very successful and fulfilling Rotary year. One of my main objectives is to remind Rotarians of their personal responsibility to Rotary and its ideals, as exemplified by our theme: The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

We have some ready resources to help us undertake this responsibility. Our road map to the future of Rotary is the Rotary International Strategic Plan 2007-10. The plan is made up of seven priorities that Rotarians worldwide determined to be the most important concerns for Rotary in the years ahead. This year, I am asking your club to put the plan into action and, by working together, to ensure that we achieve our goals.

This year’s Presidential Citation program provides a menu of challenging activities related to the first six priorities of the strategic plan. As you will see, these activities also offer opportunities to address each of the four Avenues of Service, as well as my emphases in the areas of health and hunger, literacy, and water. By focusing your efforts within the framework of RI’s strategic plan, your club will also help Rotary succeed in addressing the plan’s seventh and final priority — to fully implement the strategic planning process to ensure continuity as an organization

To qualify for a citation, your club should complete the membership goal and an activity from
three of the six categories as described in this brochure (three activities in total) between 1 July 2009 and 31 March 2010. The scope of the activities should be in proportion to the number of members in your club and their abilities, interests, and skills. Once your club has met this challenge, complete the certification form and submit it to your district governor by 31 March 2010. Governors must submit a list of all Rotary, Rotaract, and Interact clubs that qualify for the citation to RI World Headquarters by 15 April 2010.

I encourage you to use this citation program as your guide for 2009-10. Consider which projects your club will undertake, and work to address real needs in a cooperative, sustainable, and responsible manner. I am confident that by working together in 2009-10 through the strategic plan, we will strengthen our capacity to serve and prepare ourselves for the even greater challenges that lie ahead. The Future of
Rotary Is in Your Hands.

Yours very truly,
John Kenny
President, Rotary International, 2009-10

Membership Goal (required) Jerusalem Rotary Club has achieved this goal
Achieve growth through a net increase of at least one member by 31 March 2010. (The club’s membership as of 31 March 2010 must be greater than its membership as of 1 July 2009.)

Menu of Activities
The following six categories reflect the priorities of the RI Strategic Plan 2007-10. To qualify for the 2009-10 Presidential Citation, clubs must undertake and complete an activity from three of these categories (three activities in total) between 1 July 2009 and 31 March 2010.

Eradicate polio Jerusalem Rotary Club has achieved this goal
Through Rotary’s fundraising challenge, we can finish this crucial job and keep our promise to the
world.

• Organize a major fundraising initiative in your community to support polio eradication.
• Make a club contribution to the polio fundraising challenge of at least $1,000.

Advance the recognition and
public image of Rotary

To attract new members and cooperation from other organizations, we should promote our local
and global service activities to the media and to our communities.

• Undertake a significant public relations campaign in your community to share the story of what Rotary is and does.

• Place at least one Humanity in Motion public service announcement in a print publication,
on a radio or television program, or on a billboard.

• Gain media coverage of a club event or project in your community.

Increase Rotary’s capacity to provide service Jerusalem Rotary Club has achieved this goal

Rotary clubs are encouraged to continue their efforts to address water, health and hunger, and literacy issues by volunteering more time, talent, and enthusiasm along the four Avenues
of Service.

• Conduct a community needs assessment, and use it to establish a community service project that will involve at least 50 percent of the club’s members in active service.

• Conduct a service project with an international partner, either as the project host or as the sponsor. Jerusalem Rotary Club has achieved this goal.

Expand membership globally in both numbers and quality Jerusalem Rotary Club has achieved this goal

Everything that Rotary hopes to accomplish depends on its members, and each of us is responsible for bringing in qualified new members.

• Have at least 20 percent of club members each bring a potential candidate for membership as a guest to a club meeting.

• Increase the diversity of your club’s membership by recruiting at least two new members
who belong to a demographic group (profession, age, religion, ethnicity, etc.) that is underrepresented in the club.

• Recruit at least two new members who have experience in community, vocational, or international
service work, as part of the required net increase of at least one member by 31 March 2010.

Emphasize Rotary’s unique vocational service commitment Jerusalem Rotary Club work on this goal

By demonstrating our strong commitment to high ethical standards in our professional lives, we can provide a model for our colleagues, our employees, and our customers and distinguish Rotary from other service and humanitarian organizations.

• Start or support a youth mentorship program in your club, and have at least 10 percent of the club’s members personally mentor a young person in vocational skills and business ethics.

• Start or support a career counseling and development program in your club, and invite participants from the community to attend. Have at least 10 percent of the club’s members actively participate and help participants improve their vocational skills and compete in the job market.

Optimize leadership talents within RI Jerusalem Rotary Club has achieved this Goal

Strong leaders are essential to Rotary’s future, and each of us should strive to be better
eaders in our clubs, our professions, and our communities.

• Create a leadership development program that at least 5 percent of club members complete. The RI publication Leadership Development: Your Guide to Starting a Program (250) offers suggestions.

• Cultivate leadership opportunities for youth by having at least 5 percent of club members
sponsor a participant in a Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) event or sponsor or host a Youth Exchange student, Ambassadorial Scholar, or Rotary World Peace Fellow.

Rotary Jerusalem Club President Mark Zober appointed District Fellowships and Friendship Exchange Chair

2010-02-08T05:46:00.001+02:00

Rotary Jerusalem Club President Mark Zober appointed District Fellowships and Friendship Exchange Chair for Rotary Year 2010-11 - Seeks Fellowship Chairs and Clubs as partners. "I call on Fellowship Chairs to recruit members from our District and for Districts to encourage Friendship Exchanges with our District - a visit to Israel features tremendous historical sites (e.g. Masada, Sea of Galilee), visit to holy sites, tremendous health spas and resorts (Dead Sea and Eilat) and adventure tourism.

Zoo Director Thanks Club for Project Support

2010-02-04T08:03:00.002+02:00

Dear Mark,

I wish to thank you personally, and through you to all the Rotary Club members of Jerusalem as well as your colleagues around the world, for your generous donation towards the Animal Assisted Therapy Program for children with special needs at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo.

With your donation, the Zoo has acquired an Traktoron Vehicle that will be used to help with the animal husbandry work and is suitable for the nature of work with children with special needs.

The Animal Assisted Therapy Program for children with special needs has reached a new peak this year – with 63 groups of special needs children participating in activities at the Zoo on a weekly basis.

It is important to emphasize that these children come from all segments of the population in Jerusalem: Jews and Arabs, secular and religious.

The activities at the Zoo contribute greatly to the children. Beyond the therapeutic aspect, the weekly visit to the Zoo breaks the demanding daily routine of these children.

With your donation, you join many good people in Israel and around the world, who support and assist one of the most important programs for children with special needs in Jerusalem. You have once again demonstrated the special spirit of the Jerusalem community that supports those with special needs, with a will to integrate them in the general activities.

Thank you!
Yours sincerely,
Shai Doron

CEO

Jerusalem ZOO

Rotary Foundation Goals 2010-11 Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar

2010-02-02T13:16:00.003+02:00

I am here today to share with you our Foundation goals for the coming year.

Basically, there are four main areas we need to concentrate on in 2010-11. First and foremost, of course, is PolioPlus. Our second goal is implementing the Future Vision Plan pilot. Third is rebuilding ourAnnual Programs Fund through Every Rotarian, Every Year, and fourth is continuing to build our Permanent Fund, which will assure Rotarians that our programs will be secure in the future.

Polio eradication has been, is, and will remain our top priority until the job is done. It started as a 3-H national immunization program in the Philippines in the late 1970s. It became so successful that Rotary decided to approach the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, an annual gathering of health entities from all countries of the world. In 1988, immediately following the announcement of the success of our PolioPlus fundraising campaign, the 166 member states of the World Health Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution to stop the transmission of the
wild poliovirus — our Global Polio Eradication Initiative was launched.

We shall never forget that this is our program. It was our resolution, we still speak at the World Health Assembly every year, we are in the driver’s seat and will so remain until eradication is fulfilled. It is our program, even though we work in an alliance with the World Health Organization,UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the United Nations Foundation. We monitor the program through our International PolioPlus Committee and two polio eradication
advocacy task forces — one for the United States only and one for the rest of the world. The chairmen of both these task forces are also members of IPPC. The reason for the split into two task forces is that we work with the United States through the U.S. Congress, and as the United States is our largest contributor of funds to the program, it is important that this task force consists of U.S. Rotarians. The members of the worldwide task force have the regular international flavor, and it also has to its disposal 27 PolioPlus national advocacy advisers spread all over the world.

Rotary also has regional and national PolioPlus committees in the remaining polio-affected areas of the world. These committees are charged with ensuring active Rotary participation on the ground in support of polio eradication activities, collaboration with national and local officials, and coordination with our partners in this effort.

In a very broad sense, one can say that WHO is in charge of the infrastructure of the program, UNICEF ensures availability of the vaccine — it has a large depot in Copenhagen, Denmark — and Rotary raises the funds.

The control of the funding of the program is done through the Polio Advocacy Group, or PAG. This group consists of one representative from each of the members of the above mentioned alliance, backed up by staff. Lately, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has participated and complemented the work of this group. PAG’s mission is to see that funds are available when needed, for instance, for vaccine when National Immunization Days take place in any given country. PAG’s function is so important for the program that the group meets by phone every second Thursday all year around and face-to-face every three months when the hosting of the meeting circulates between the offices of the members of the alliance. For instance, the latest
meeting took place at the UN Foundation in Washington, D.C., and the next meeting will be at WHO in Geneva. So far, PAG has secured almost USD 5 billion for the program, mostly from public sector donors. Yet it’s interesting to note that PAG does not see one single penny. When funds are made available, they are transferred directly to the entity that is going to use them.

For instance, Japan’s contributions are often transferred to UNICEF for purchase of vaccine. When Sweden gave USD 30 million a few years back, the fund went straight to WHO. And the Gates Foundation contributions go straight to Rotary.

We are grateful that, so far, 39 governments have contributed to the program. The contributions of these governments represent the major portion of funding provided for this global effort, so we could not do without them. The largest contributor is the United States, but if you look at per capita contributions, Luxembourg is the largest contributor. Just a pity there are not many “capitas” in that country.

You will receive many more details on progress toward our top goal of global eradication efforts in just a few minutes.

The Future Vision Plan is off to a start in 2010-11 — your year. Why did we start a plan of this magnitude? Well, it has been done with great care and considerable background work. Two consulting firms, Grant Thornton and Jefferson Wells, examined The Rotary Foundation, and 10,000 Rotarians answered a comprehensive questionnaire.

Based on the results from the answers received, the Future Vision Committee and the Foundation Trustees have worked very hard to come forward with the Future Vision Plan.

The Rotary Foundation has been very successful over the years. Yet, as the world is changing, it was felt that our Foundation needed to change with it. Cooperation with other organizations is today the future for many entities, and The Rotary Foundation must not miss getting onboard that train; if we were to continue to work as before, there is a big risk that we would. We need to change our vision and our ambition.

Today, people don’t just join organizations — they join causes. We need to take advantage of what we have learned from our polio eradication program.
We need to think big. When we received the substantial contributions from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we could easily handle those size funds because over a period of 20 years we have built up an administration for it. But if we were to receive similar size funds, or more, for water, for instance, I am not so sure that clubs and districts would be prepared to effectively manage and utilize the
funding or that the Foundation’s administration, as it stands today, could handle such gifts. And there is a good possibility that we can get substantial contributions for other programs outside polio. That’s why we have another much smaller pilot on water together with USAID in three countries: Ghana, the Philippines, and the Dominican Republic. If this pilot becomes successful— and there is no reason to believe otherwise — it might open up for us substantial future contributions,
and we must be ready.

One hundred districts have been selected for the Future Vision pilot, and they have been specially trained here in San Diego for a couple of days. This does not mean that the other 431 districts shall lean back and just watch what the pilot districts are doing. It is extremely important that all districts, pilot or not, stay aware of the evolution of the Future Vision Plan and start looking for ways to align your projects and activities with its goals and the six areas of focus as soon as possible. The Future Vision Plan is here to stay. The pilot is intended to identify what may not work at all or what can be improved or what proves to be so successful that such section of the pilot should be expanded to improve the Future Vision Plan even further. We know a lot, but we just don’t know it all; corrections will be needed. Thus we need the pilot and the feedback from districts throughout the world.

The Future Vision Plan will move more responsibility, control, and flexibility to any given district or club to monitor its own funds. Please remember that The Rotary Foundation is your Foundation. By districts and clubs taking advantage of this, it opens up for staff at our headquarters to work with other issues that will enhance the future of The Rotary Foundation.

Fundraising is a vital part of the success of The Rotary Foundation. Every Rotarian, Every Year is a slogan we have used during the last few years. We want to see all Rotarians make a contribution every year. I know that USD 100 can be a lot for some, but at the same time many, many of us can give much, much more. Let’s all contribute according to our means and possibilities. Only 25 percent of Rotarians are giving to our Foundation — 75 percent are not. Think about what it could mean if we could alter those numbers or have 100 percent of Rotarians become donors.

We have several fundraising initiatives going on simultaneously. First and foremost is the contribution to our annual fund, the Every Rotarian, Every Year effort.

Traditionally, these contributions have been invested for three years; the earnings have paid for all our administration, and then the contributions were paid back to districts/clubs through our SHARE system. Our investment strategy has been tremendously successful, and during the late 1990s the strong investment returns enabled us to direct almost USD 100 million of earnings to programs such
as Children’s Opportunities Grants, PolioPlus, and Matching Grants. However, in September 2008, the markets worldwide fell like a rock into water, and our investments followed. Normally, if a market falls, it is a limited sector, but this time it cut like a knife across all sectors. No sector produced positive returns and, therefore, diversification of our investments did not help. While our Rotarians were very generous in their contributions to eradicate polio, contributions to the
Annual Programs Fund fell. Due to the decline in the assets, the Annual Programs Fund will not be able to finance our administration expenses from investment returns. It must be done from program contributions.

In light of this, the general secretary has taken several steps to cut costs, such as cutting down on committee meetings, reducing staff travel, and eliminating staff salary increases. A subcommittee to restore the Foundation’s operating reserve has been named and has met twice already. The Foundation Investment Advisory Committee is looking at a new investment policy to, suggest to the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. We have been forced to reduce the number of Matching Grants, to limit Group Study Exchange to every second year starting 2010-11, and to accelerate the Future Vision Plan’s phase out of six programs: Multi-Year Ambassadorial Scholarships,
Cultural Ambassadorial Scholarships, Rotary Grants for University Teachers, Volunteer
Service Grants, and Disaster Recovery Grants. 3-H grants are now limited to water projects in conjunction with USAID.

I have now focused on the annual fund, but we must not forget the Permanent Fund, which originally was designed to provide financial support to Annual Programs Fund programs, and our Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution, in my opinion what might become the flagship program for our Foundation.

Now, more than ever, we need your support in the form of contributions. I understand that this is a difficult sell — to ask for higher contributions at the same time we are giving less back. We are in a difficult situation, and we need your help. If we get that support from you, we can bridge over this difficult time, and The Rotary Foundation will remain sound and healthy.
Thank
you for your support.

Carl-Wilhelm Stenhammar
Rotary Foundation Trustee Chair-elect
International Assembly (San Diego) January 2010

Progress for the US$200 Million Challenge for polio eradication

2010-02-02T13:08:00.002+02:00

Progress for the US$200 Million Challenge for polio eradication

Rotary International News -- 29 January 2010

As of 31 December, Rotarians have raised approximately $107 million for the $200 Million Challenge. These contributions will help Rotary raise $200 million to match $355 million in challenge grants received from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The resulting $555 million will directly support immunization campaigns in developing countries, where polio continues to infect and paralyze children, robbing them of their futures and compounding the hardships faced by their families.
As long as polio threatens even one child anywhere in the world, children everywhere remain at risk. The stakes are that high.

Club President Mark Zober Responses to Hadera Rotary Club Support for Haiti Relief Initiative

2010-02-01T06:22:00.006+02:00

Past President Sid Pinkas, Chairman of the Community Services Committee of the Hadera Rotary Club expressed his Club's interest in support for Haiti Relief. Below is the Jerusalem Rotary Club President, Mark Zober, response to this inquiry and below that Sid's letter of January 31, 2010.

###################################

Response to Hadera Letter:

Sid Pinkas P.P., Chairman Communuty Service Committee, Hadera Rotary Club

Dear P/P Sid,

It is a tremendous honor to receive your kind and thoughtful note. Let me share with you the process we are using to decide how to provide assistance to Haiti:

Club ad hoc Haiti Relief Committee

1. We established an ad hoc Haiti Relief Committee chaired by Dr. Sophie Simons with Art Braunstein and Roy Rissanen. Each has many years of international humanitarian assistance experience. This committee will make a recommendation to our Club Board on what project(s) to support.

Club Commitment of Funds

2. Our Club Board has approved an allocation of upto 20,000 NIS for support for an appropriate, timely project(s)

Communication with RI and Rotarians Worldwide

3. We have been in communications with our District Leaders, Club Presidents, Rotary International and have monitored the works the Rotary Foundation to date. We have a Club Twitter account and have 120 Clubs worldwide following us on Haiti Relief. We follow all the major international relief associations working in Haiti.

Guidelines that involve Rotarians in "Sustainable Recovery"

4. We have a set of "guidelines" for selecting the best possible means of support: focus on "sustainable recovery" in Haiti; work directly with the effected Rotary District 7020 and Rotarian leaders in the five affected Haiti Rotary Clubs; partner with other Rotary Clubs in our District and around the world.

Based on Prior Success in Tsunami Relief - "Education on Wheels"
5. Our Club has successful experience in Tsunami Relief where we waiting until we could work with a local Rotary Club (in Tamil Nadu India in that case) along with other clubs in India around the world - the project "Education on Wheels" provided bicycles to girls to get to school. The project was a tremendous success. We want to use the same patient, Rotary guided model.

Reaching out to our District and Rotarians Worldwide

6. We are staying in touch with our DG Uri Zeiger and and hope the District and other Club leaders will take the lead to promote humanitarian assistance in Haiti. Meanwhile, we are seeking support in our District to make a commitment to allocation monies to a project we can all support.

Suggested Action:

Make a Pledge

I am most grateful that the Hadera Rotary Club is considering joining us. I suggest we keep in touch as we move forward. It would be wonderful if your club could make a commitment, a pledge, to an allocation for Haiti Humanitarian Assistance in partnership with our Cub. Of course, no monies would be transferred to used without first identifying the right project. Hopefully this will result in other Clubs joining with pledges.

Share the Hadera Rotary Club commitment with our District Leadership

I also suggest that you share your club's feelings about District 2490 support for Haiti Relief. It would be wonderful if all Clubs had an opportunity to work together to support one or more outstanding Rotarian guided sustainable recovery projects in that devastated country.

I will begin to copy you on information on Haiti Relief - we monitor the news daily.

With deepest appreciation,

Yours in Rotary Service,

Mark

Mark Alan Zober, Ph.D.
President, Jerusalem Rotary Club (District 2490)
Club Website: http://rotaryclubjerusalem.homestead.com/
Club Blog:http://rcjerusalem.blogspot.com/
Technical Advisor, Cadre of Technical Assistance Advisors the Rotary Foundation
972-2-673-3882 Home/Office Jerusalem
972-8-684-3401 Home/Office Ashkelon
972-54-590-0223

###############################################

LETTER FROM HADERA ROTARY CLUB (DISTRICT 2490)

31 January 2010

Mark Zober

President RC Jerusalem

Dear President Zober

Your letter to the District Rotary clubs about Rotary efforts aimed at Haiti Rescue, Relief and Reconstruction brought pride to the members of our club to see the initiative that your club has displayed.
Our club would like to hear the results of your inquiries and if at all possible we would like to know how we can be of assistance.

Yours truly,
Sid Pinkas P.P.

Chairman Communuty Service Committee

Hadera RC

2010/1/31 Pinkas Family

Club President Mark Zober and P/P Marilyn Farber visited cave #11 at Qumran

2010-01-31T15:31:00.001+02:00

Mark and Marilyn took a break from Rotary to take a course at the Bible Lands Museum on the subject of the Lunar Calendars in Antiquity. Today they visited Qumran by the Dead Sea where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Below is a picture of Cave #11 where the Isaiah Scroll and other scrolls were found.

Cave # 11

ShelterBoxes used in Haiti relief- Our Club looking for Ways to support Sustainable Recovery

2010-01-31T08:02:00.002+02:00

Many Rotary Clubs and districts supported Shelterboxes for immediate rescue and relief - watch the Video by clicking on the link below.

Our Club lead by our Relief Coordinator Dr. Sophie Simons Art Braunstein and Roy Rissanen are looking for the right "sustainable recovery" project to support in Haiti. We want to do this in conjunction with other Rotary Clubs and Districts via local guidance Haitian Rotarians in the affected areas.

ShelterBox (@ShelterBox)
1/30/10 17:02
ShelterBox USA's Veronica Brandon Miller talks to Fox Business about what goes into a ShelterBox - http://bit.ly/bOW6BS

Sent with Tweetie

Mark Alan Zober

0545900223

District Governor Uri Zeiger - Monthly Message - Rotary Awareness

2010-01-12T10:13:00.002+02:00

Dear fellow Rotarians,
January is the month of "Rotary awareness". This month is named after the Greek God Janus, the God of doors and gates. The two faced God: one facing the Past and the other facing the Future.
The Rotary year is divided into two parts. This month sums up the first semi-annum of activity and plans the second half and next year activities of the District.

Unlike the civil year, Rotary year doesn't end the activities of the District that will continue with the turning of the Rotary wheel, as says the closing prayer of Yom Kippur: "Open a gate for us at the time of closing a gate in the end of the day." (free interpretation into English – U.Z.)

This month DGE Motti Bar-Dagan is traveling to San Diego, USA, to attend the RI assembly.

There, he will learn with all the DGEs of RI the procedures of Rotary and leadership.

I wish Motti, on your behalf, success in building good contacts with the fellow governors to come and enjoy his studies that will benefit and contribute to our District.

We are facing, while writing these lines, the semi-annual convention in which we will be informed of the DG 2012-13. We will wish him success and we will bless the other one: "Your doing will praise you" – Carry on with your contribution to the glory of the organization.
These days, the secretaries of the Clubs have received RI forms for reporting the next officers in their Clubs.

Please hurry to pass them on so that they will be published in the RI Directory.

The Presidents of the Clubs have received invitations for the new officers 2010-11, to attend the PETS. Attending the PETS is obligatory to all the new officers even if they have attended them in the past. Each Club must pay the expenses.

I have already visited most Clubs as DG and I am short in words to describe the quality and willingness I have witnessed to act by the members of the various Clubs.

Bless you all.
The Club Presidents who joined my assistants in those visits enjoyed them and learned a lot by the exposure to Clubs activities and projects. I am sure that the results will be seen.

I invite you to keep joining in to these visits and add knowledge and efficiency to your own Clubs.

This month the Clubs will be informed of their semi-annual dues to RI and the District 2490.

The secretaries will have to send their semi-annual report of the Club activity to RI.

Please send your reports and dues instantly as demanded.

Dear friends,

No member in any organization equals your contribution and quality and model.

I am proud of you.
Remember each one of you,

The future of Rotary is in your hands.

Uri Zeiger,

District Governor 2009-10

District 2490 - Israel

January is Rotary Awareness Month - President's Message

2010-01-12T10:02:00.001+02:00

Presidents Message – Mark Zober

As we celebrate Rotary Awareness Month during the month of January, let me ask
you a question. “Why are you a Rotarian?”

As I think about that question myself, I would answer it with one simple answer.
“I am a Rotarian because Rotary has changed my life and the lives of people
throughout the world!”

We are part of the world’s first and one of the largest non-profit service
organizations, founded on February 23, 1905 in Chicago, Illinois.

We are part of a distinguished group comprised of 1.2 million professional and
business leaders in over 32,000 Rotary Clubs in 200 countries and geographic
areas. Our Rotary motto “Service Above Self” inspires each of us to provide
humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards and promote good will and
peace in the world.

Rotary funds projects and sponsors volunteers with community
expertise to provide medical supplies, health care, clean water, food production,
job training and education to millions in need, particularly in developing countries.

In 1985, we become part of an ambitious program we call Polio Plus to spearhead
efforts with the World Heath Organization, US Center for Disease Control and
Prevention, and UNICEF to immunize the children of the world against polio.
Because of our efforts, polio cases have dropped by 99 percent since 1988 and the
world stands on the threshold of eradication the disease.

We’ve provided more than 47,000 students from 110 countries the opportunity to
study abroad as Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars as part of the world’s largest
privately-funded source of international scholarships. We continue to promote
international understanding through these scholarships, exchange programs and
humanitarian grants.

Our Group Study Exchange program has helped more than 57,000 young
professionals explore their career fields in other countries; and over 7,000
secondary-school students each year experience life in another country through
Rotary’s Youth Exchange Program.

Rotary gives us extraordinary opportunities to change the lives of so many and at
the same time, change our life as well. This is why I am a Rotarian.

Two members inducted

2010-01-07T13:07:00.002+02:00

Wednesday January 6 Evelyn Grossberg and Arieh Yehuda Schoeff were inducted as members of our Club.

Arieh has been a member of the Breugels Rotary Club on Brussels, Belgium where he served as Club Secretary.

Evelyn has been serving as a volunteer for our Club and was sponsored for membership by P/P Don Edelstein.

As Arieh and Evelyn were being inducted by Ptesident Mark Zober, the members stood and applauded.

Welcome Arieh and Evelyn!

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Fireside Season Launched

2010-01-05T11:40:00.000+02:00

Chaired by P/P Marilyn Farber
and aided by Josie Lee - hosted fireside evenings kicked off at the Finnish Evangelical Lutheren Mission Compound hosted

by Club Treasurer Roy and Sirpa Rissanen.

The evening started with a piano concert by a young pianist from Ramallah. This was followed by a wonder dinner in the compound Guesthouseo

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President Mark Zober address to the Community Service/Allocations Committee

2009-12-30T06:48:00.003+02:00

President's Update on Community Service and Allocations

Dear Chairman P/P Rafi, Committee Members and Friends,

I want to commend you all on the outstanding work you are doing to exemplify the Service Objects of Rotary this year. It is such a joy to see that you are carefully examining the best possible service "investments" given our limited resources. This has involved visiting sites, meeting with the senior staffs of potential recipient organizations and thoughtful discussions.
Let us look at our accomplishments:

1. Tisch Family Zoological Gardens (Jerusalem) Animal Asisted Training Project - Allocation of 8,000 NIS - We have found the ways and means to support this $25,000 "Matching Grant Project" despite The Rotary Foundation (TRF) restrictions this year. Along with our Rotary Partners in Dusseldorf and Sao Paolo we will be purchasing an all terrain vehicle for this project.

2. Gan Rimonim (Jerusalem) - Allocation of 8,000 NIS for psychiatric services - following a careful examination, we are supporting needed psychiatric services in the Gan Rimonim preschool in Jerusalem.

3. Herzog Hospital (Jerusalem)l- following a remarkable Hannukah Party/Fundraising Campaign we have raised 15,000 NIS for a customized wheelchair for a child with serious respiratory challenges.
Where has our money come from?:

We carried over 6,500 NIS from a prior commitment with a Rotary Club in Istanbul, Turkey for a project in that country. We have considered freeing up this money for other projects.
We also carried over 8,000 NIS for the above Zoo Project - that money has been spent.
We raised 13,400 NIS from the Whiffenpoof Concert - uncommitted funds
We raised 15,000 NIS from our Hannukah Party/Fundraiser that has been committed and monies will be handed over today.

Total monies available for Community Service/Allocations this Rotary Year= 42,000 NIS

Total monies allocated to date = 31,000 NIS

Total monies remaining for Community Service/Allocations this Rotary Year= 11,900 NIS

At our January 20, 2009 Board Meeting we will look at a revised budget projection with what I hope will be some optimistic numbers for more available monies for additional Community Service/allocations projects this Rotary Year.

I am also anticipating another fundraiser designated for a specific project similar to the Hannukah Party/Fundraiser model. This depends on our Club being presented with a compelling project that will generate wide support.

I have received a revised request for funding from the Jerusalem Rape Crisis Center (JRCC) (see below). I received a call from Gal Sever of the JRCC and we have worked on two funding proposals.

Presidential Request:

I have a request of the Committee, Board and Club to consider funding an international water and Sanitation project during my presidency. This has been one of my most important service objectives since taking office. Dr. Sophie Simon and I are working on identifying such a project and anticipate cost at 15,000 NIS. We hope that these monies can be identified in the revised budget. We are calling on your support for this proposal.

Again, thank you for your commitment to community service.

Mark Alan Zober, Ph.D.
President
Jerusalem Rotary Club
December 30, 2009

#######################################################

מרכז סיוע לנפגעות אונס ותקיפה מינית ירושלים ע"ש לינדה פלדמן (ע"ר)
The Jerusalem Rape Crisis Center in Memory of Linda Feldman
P.O Box 2549 Jerusalem 91024 Tel: 02 623 2451 Fax: 02 624 1942 Email: jrcc@netvision.net.il

Jerusalem Rape Crisis Center in Memory of Linda Feldman - Proposals for The Rotary Club Jerusalem

1. Spreading the Message of Non- Violence: Educational Materials
The Jerusalem Rape Crisis Center (JRCC) relentlessly to create a meaningful social change through education. Every year, the JRCC conducts hundreds of workshops to varied audiences, and ed4ucates thousands of people about sexual violence, treatment and prevention. In order to facilitate our work, we need to produce printed materials, which we can then distribute to volunteers and participants. These materials would enable the knowledge gathered by the JRCC to be implemented in the optimal way, and would greatly assist JRCC volunteers in their vital work.
These materials will reach thousands of people in the greater Jerusalem area and nationally, and will spread the massage of non-violence and equality of the JRCC, and the generosity of the Rotary club of Jerusalem.
This project would be funded exclusively by the Rotary club, and would greatly improve our work and our ability to impact the target audience as well as the general population.
Therefore, we propose to produce three types of booklets, at a total cost of 8000 NIS. The booklets will be dedicated to the following subjects:
1. You are not Alone – general information on sexual violence in Jerusalem
2. Victims of Rape in the Health Care System – the aftermath of sexual violence
3. The Complete Volunteer Guide – a manual for volunteers
The cost of this project is 8000 NIS.

2. The Coexistence Project – Tolerance Training Program
This groundbreaking project brings Arab and Jewish university students together, connecting them in a joint mission of fighting violence against women and promoting human rights. The students undergo a training course on the subject of women’s rights and sexual violence conducted by SAWA- rape crisis center for Arab women, and it’s Jewish counterpart, the Jerusalem Rape Crisis Center (JRCC). The training course that the participants of the program undergo is conducted by two coordinators hired by the JRCC exclusively for this project only, and an external consultant. Each coordinator receives a one-time payment of 3000 NIS for the training course, and the external consultant receives a payment of 2000 NIS. The total cost of the course personnel is therefore 8000 NIS (two coordinators + one external consultant).
The JRCC will be more than happy to have a participant of the course come to the Rotary club once the course is complete and elaborate on the significance and impact of the project.

2009-12-29T16:06:00.001+02:00

Rotary Guest Speaker - Professor Moshe David Herr - Topic: "The Roman-Christian Solar Calendar"

2009-12-27T06:33:00.003+02:00

Dear Fellow Rotarians,

I am thrilled to inform you that we have another outstanding Rotary program for this Wednesday December 30th - celebrating the half way point in the Rotary Year.

Our Guest Speaker is Professor Emeritus Moshe David Herr of the Department of History of the Jewish People - The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

His Topic is most timely for this holiday season: "The Roman-Christian Solar Calendar"

Professor Herr was born in Tel-Aviv. He studies Jewish History and Talmud at Hebrew University. He has taught at the Hebrew University since 1961 - retiring and serving as Professor Emeritus since 2004. He has been a visiting professor at the Sorbonne, University College London, University of Michigan, University of Chicago, Oxford and Cambridge. He served on the Ministry of Education Committee on Education in Talmud from 1993-2000. He is extensively published with over 200 articles and has edited a number of books on Jewish history and the Talmud.

At our meeting we will also have guests from Herzog Hospital for our Check Handover ceremony culminating our fundraising drive for the purchase of the customized wheelchair - Stephen Schwartz and Rena Gal will be part of the festivities.

This Wednesday is a wonderful opportunity for you to invite family, friends and potential Rotary members for what promises to be a very upbeat meeting.

Other pleasant surprises are expected as well.

Let us end the first half of our Rotary Year on a high note with outstanding fellowship, everyone in attendance and a great program.

Yours in Rotary,

Mark

PS There is a Club Community Services/Allocations Committee meeting at 12 Noon this Wednesday at the YMCA - all meetings are open and those who are interested are invited to attend.

Mark Alan Zober, Ph.D.
President, Jerusalem Rotary Club (District 2490)
Club Website: http://rotaryclubjerusalem.homestead.com/
Club Blog:http://rcjerusalem.blogspot.com/
Past Chair, International Fellowship of Rotarian Editors and Publishers RY 2007-08
Co-founder and Past Co-Chair (with PDG Ran Linn) Rotary Leadership Institute (Israel Division)
972-2-673-3882 Home/Office Jerusalem
972-8-684-3401 Home/Office Ashkelon
972-54-590-0223

Firresides have started

2009-12-25T15:12:00.000+02:00

The Club Fireside Committee has launched our program fór this test. We now have ten hosts with our first eveny scheduled for Monday January 4th hosted by Treasurer Roy and Sirpa Rissanen at the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission - 25 Shivtei Israel St. This will be followed be Firesides at the homes of P/P Ruth Harris and P/P Werner and Pamela Loval.

We look forward to mamy womderful Firesides this test.

Thanks goes out to our gracious hosts and hostesses and our super organizing committee - P/P Marilyn Farber, Josie Lee and Dr. Sophie Simons.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

2009-12-25T07:07:00.000+02:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Club Celebrates Chrstmas Spirit

2009-12-24T14:14:00.001+02:00

December 23 Club members enjoyed a special occasion with our Christian members. Canon Bill Broughton gave the Passuk - reading a portion of the Magnificant

Santa's helper - Adena Levine - passed out chocolate santa's while Lea from the Finnish Evangelical Luthern Mission led Chrstmas carols while playing the piano.

Our special guest speaker was the Reverand Dr. Petra Heldt who celebrated her birthday with us.

A variety of fine Israeli wines were served and the Three Arches restaurant of the YMCA led by Basson Chef and Michal the manager presented/served an outstnding meal featuring rolled chicken and grilled fish.

Wish our Christian members and the Jerusalem Christan community Merry Christmas!

Petra cutting the birthday cake assisted by her husband Malcolm.

Canon Bill Broughton giving the Passuk/Invocation

Santa's Helper, director of Gan Shalom Kindergarten, passes out chocolate Santas.

Club Secretary Nezar Tannous and his wife Nuha celebrated Christmas at Rotary.

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INDUCTION OF TWO NEW MEMBERS

2009-12-05T12:45:00.006+02:00

One of the great joys in Rotary is the induction of new members. On December 2nd the Jerusalem Rotary Club inducted Elly Kenner and James Laing as our newest members. President Mark Zober immediately assigned them tasks to help them get oriented.

Below Left Elly Kenner, Middle President Mark Zober and Right James Laing.

Elly's Short Bio
a short Bio.

Born 1948 to Ziporah (also born in Jerusalem) and Zvi Moshe

Raised in Jerusalem, graduate of Gimnasia Rehavia highscool

BA in Psychology, Hebrew University Jerusalem 1972

MS in Film, Boston University USA 1975

Film Editor, then Director, Hollywood California 1976 – 1984

Major works – Editor of "American Life Style" a TV series starring Cliff Robertson

Director of "The Black Room" a feature film starring Cassandra Caviolle

Producer, Director, Editor of many film and tv projects, Jerusalem 1984 – 1997

Major works – Director of "Mabat Sheni" Isr. TV Ch 1 1989

Producer of "The 6th Dimension" TV series Ch 2 about mysticism and Alternative Medicine 1992

Producer of "Espterica Jerusalem" International TV series about mysticism 1993

PROGRAM for SEPT-OCT 2009

2009-08-18T19:01:00.001+03:00

JERUSALEM ROTARY CLUB
PROGRAM for SEPT-OCT 2009 -- Tentative Topics

Sept 2 -- Club Assembly

Sept 9 -- Dr. Shalom Schwartz, Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Israel Prize Laureate 2007

“Topic to be Decided”

Sept 16 – Dr. Emanuel Tov, J.L. Magnes Professor of Bible, Israel Prize Laureate 2009 and former director of Dead Sea Scrolls Publication

“Biblical Texts – Then and Now”

Sept 23 -- Open -- Hoping to get former MK Rabbi Melchior for an inspirational talk for the High Holidays

Sept 30 – Yaron Amitai, Rotarian

“Not Only Carnivals -- Trinidad & Tobago and The Jewish Question”

Oct 7 -- Succot – No meeting

2009-08-11T19:05:00.001+03:00

The Jerusalem Rotary Club: 80 Years of Service in Jerusalem, the region and around the world

View more presentations from mzober.

Distirct School Bag Project Fundraiser Monday August 17 at Islamic Museum in Jerusalem

2009-08-10T08:04:00.008+03:00

Dear Fellow Rotarian,

The Jerusalem West Rotary Club is holding a most creative/education fundraiser on Monday August 17 at the Islam Museum at #2 HaPalmach Street in Jerusalem at 18:30 - A private showing of the very famous Clock Exhibition "The Mysteries of Time".

Proceeds are going to the District School Bag Project with needy first grade children in Jerusalem given 100 NIS vouchers to purchase school supplies as they head to their first day of school.

The cost to attend is 70 NIS. All proceeds go directly to the project.

Let me know that I can count on your participation in this worthwhile and interesting Jerusalem West Rotary Club fundraising event by REPLY to this note.

Thanks you,

Mark

Distirct School Bag pro

2009-08-10T08:04:00.003+03:00

Distirct School Bag pro

2009-08-10T08:04:00.001+03:00

First District 2490 Conference for Rotary Year 2009-10 Frudat September 4 2009 in Giyatiyyim

2009-08-10T08:03:00.003+03:00

SAVE THE DATE

Invitation to the first District Conference of Rotary Year 2009-10

Theme: Sustaining and Strengthening the Rotary Movement in our District

Date: Friday September 4, 2009 Time: 8:00 – 13:00

Location: The Givatiyyim Auditorium, at the corner of Derech Shalom and Yitzhak Rabin (Remez St. #40)

Topics:

Vocational Services

District Membership

Membership Retention

Public Relations

All sessions will be held in the main auditorium. There will not be breakout sessions.

Cost: 50 NIS

Parking at the Pelephone Parking Lot next to the theatre.

The Givatiyyim Rotary Club will be in charge of registration.

Contact informnation: efi-1@zahav.net.il 052-244-1894

Let me know you are interested in attending the District Conference.

Thanks,

Mark

PROJECT CARD Recommended for Use by Club Allocations Committee

2009-08-10T07:59:00.001+03:00

JERUSALEM ROTARY CLUB

PROJECT CARD FORM [draft August 10, 2009]

[Note: Please fill in form responses using MS Word]

Name of the Project:__________________________

Name of the Beneficiary Agency:_________________

Name and Contact persons information of Beneficiary Agency: Name:_________

Mobile Phone:___________ Office Telephone:______________ Email:____________

Website:_________________

Location (address):____________________________________

Who Recommended: Request from Agency: ___ Recommendation of member:________

Date first presented to Allocation Committee Members:________

Type of Project: (e.g. Health/hunger, water/sanitation, literacy, other):

Local (Jerusalem)/District/International Project:_______________________

Project Description:

Objective(s):_______________________________

Who will benefit:_______________________: How many will benefit:____________

Specify how proposed allocation money will be used:________________________________________________________

Detailed Project Budget (specify where Allocation will be used):___________________________

Potential as Matching Grant: Yes:______ No:_________

Date first presented to Allocation Committee:____________________

Action of Committee: Recommended__________ Recommended conditionally (Explain) :_________________________Rejected:_____________________

Date Allocation Committee Recommendation presented to Club President:_____________

Date Presented to Board of Directors:________________________

Action of Board of Directors:

Approved for Allocation:_____________ Approved pending available funding:_____________ Requires further investigation:______________________

Rejected:________________________

Explain reason for decision:

Appendices

Please attach where available:

Beneficiary agency letter of request for funding

Detailed Project Description written by the agency:

Detailed Project Budget written by the agency, and

Other relevant supportive material.

Club to submit fully funded Matching Grant Proposal - the Tisch Zoo Animal Assisted Therapy Project

2009-08-07T18:41:00.012+03:00

I have just received the wonderful news from our outstanding Allocations Committee Chair, P/P Rafi Aldor that we have a fully funded Matching Grant ready to submit- the Tisch Zoo (Jerusalem) Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) Project. This is an outstanding project that should sail smoothly through the Rotary application process.

Sources of funding: Sao Paulo West club/Brazilian = $ 7,000, Duesseldorf South Club/Germany = $ 2,500 and we are giving $ 2,000 plus $300 from the Middletown Rotary Club/Connecticut, USA,

Congratulations to P/P Rafi and his committee on another project that reflects the true spirit of Rotary.

"I am happy to report that the financing of the AAT (Zoo) MG project has been completed. Our foreign partners are the Sao Paulo West club and its district, the Duesseldorf South Club and its district. The Sao Paulo club agreed to increase their original commitment and now we can count on the whole financing (US$ 21,450). To our US$ 2,000 contribution I added, of course, the US$ 300 we received from the Middletown Club.

The three participating clubs are now preparing their respective parts in the TRF application form and I hope to send the whole package to TRF within a week or so. I need your signature and plan to bring the forms with me on Wednesday for you to sign.

Shabat Shalom!

Rafi"

Club seeking Matching Grant Partners for Animal Assisted Therapy Program at the Jerusalem Tisch family Biblical Zooogical Garden

2009-08-02T19:51:00.003+03:00

ANIMAL ASSISTED THERAPY (aat)
for Children with Special Needs
The Jerusalem Tisch Family Biblical Zoological Garden

The Jerusalem Tisch Family Biblical Zoological Garden’s educational program has developed a therapy program using animals from its collection to assist children with special needs. The children have been diagnosed with autism, deafness, learning disabilities and other developmental challenges due to mental, behavioral or emotional problems. This is a cross ethnic project where Arab and Jewish children from secular and religious homes can participate.

The Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) program has several goals. One of the most important being relationship building that is achieved by working in small groups, led by a trusted person, a Zoo guide, who works consistently with a child. The children feel happy and secure knowing that the animals are waiting for them every week at the Zoo. Each child develops a sense of responsibility by taking care of the animal’s needs by feeding, petting and cleaning. This is the first time that the children are able to perform caring tasks for another being. The consistency of the activities helps build confidence in these insecure children. In forming a connection with an animal, the child’s concentration and self-discipline improves and helps to control many negative and potentially violent behaviors.

The Zoo activities provide experiences that are different from those occurring in the children’s everyday life. The children develop new skills that help support real world interactions that include non-threatening physical contact that may not always be expressed by their family. They also learn to care for others and this in turn builds self-confidence and even promotes the development of motor skills. The sessions with the animals provide the impetus for discussions about important life issues such as relationships, reproduction and caring for others. The fact that the children’s care can make a difference to the well being of the animals has a long lasting therapeutic effect. Over 50 groups participate in the program that provides emotional, physical and cognitive help to over 500 children annually.

The children are integrated into the general caretaking work that requires professional therapy staff to ensure the creation of a safe and friendly work environment. The work with the animals requires an agricultural type vehicle – for feeding, cleaning, transport and loading. The zoo intends to purchase a vehicle that is appropriate to the program, that is not "threatening" because of size and noise, is easy to operate and is child friendly. A specially modified small tractor is envisaged.

Budget
It is expensive to run the AAT program. The cost of the activity for each group is US$4000-$6000 annually. The framework requires working with small groups of 4-8 children conducted by professional therapists who are supported by keepers from the children's zoo who are all part of the regular Zoo staff. The financial contribution from each participant is kept low, as the children usually come from poorer socio-economic backgrounds. In some cases the Zoo even provides transportation.

The program costs are covered by the Zoo education budget supplemented by annual contributions from private donors. Because the program is recognized as successful in its objectives and beneficial to the children, there is a growing demand for participation.

The Jerusalem Zoo would like to raise the funds to buy a small modified tractor that meets the needs of the program, that the children could operate safely under supervision and that would be genuinely useful in the work of caring for the animals..

Total purchase price for this vehicle is currently estimated at US$20,000.

Jerusalem Rotary Club Bylaws

2009-08-01T09:00:00.004+03:00

JERUSALEM ROTARY CLUB
BY-LAWS

AS APPROVED BY THE CLUB ON MAY 9, 2007
Preamble

Below are the approved by-laws of the Jerusalem Rotary Club. These bylaws
are the result of 75 years of accumulated experience and the
development of various Club customs and are to be understood as guidelines
only and subject to change as the Club may at any time decide.
________________________________________
Article I Definitions
1. Board: The Board of Directors of this Club. 2. Director: A member of this
Club's Board of Directors. 3. Member: A member, other than an honorary
member, of this Club. 4. RI: Rotary International. 5. Year: The twelvemonth
period that begins on 1 July.

Article 2 Board

The governing body of this Club shall be the Board consisting of eleven(11)
members of this Club, namely the president, nine(9) directors elected in
accordance with article 3 of these bylaws, and the immediate past president
as ex-officio.

Article 3 Election of Directors, the President and Officers

Section 1 – The Board of Directors shall determine a date in the month of
December for the election of the nine (9) directors of the Board of Directors.
Ballots shall be distributed to all Club members (not including hononary
members) three (3) Club meetings prior to the election date so that for
example if the elections are to be set for Wed., the 21st of the month, the
ballots are to be distributed on Wed., the 7th assuming there will be a
meeting on the following Wednesday.

Section 2 – The ballots shall list all the members of the Club in one of two
categories – past-presidents or members. Each member shall vote for four(4)
from the past-presidents’ list and five(5) from the members’ list. A pastpresident
or member may ask to have his name deleted from the list for good
reason. The names of these members requesting to have their names deleted
from the list of candidates shall be noted on the ballot-sheet. In the event
that during the year a board member shall for any reason cease to serve on
the board, the member with the next highest number of votes in the same
category shall take the place of the resigning board member.

Section 3 – The four past-presidents and the five members with the highest
number of votes shall become members of the Board of Directors for the
following Rotary Year beginning in July.

Section 4 - The nine directors so chosen, together with the current President,
will then choose the President-Elect for the following Rotary Year.

Section 5 – The incoming President shall appoint the Treasurer and
Secretary for the coming Rotary year of the newly elected Board of
Directors. If the Treasurer or Secretary were not elected as Board members,
they shall have no vote but they should attend all the Board meetings.

Article 4 Duties of Officers

Section 1 – President. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at
meetings of the Club and the Board and to perform other duties as ordinarily
pertain to the office of President.

Section 2– Secretary. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep
membership records; ; send out notices of Club, Board and committee
meetings; record and preserve the minutes of such meetings; report as
required to RI, including the semiannual reports of membership on 1
January and 1 July of each year, of each active member who has been
elected to membership in the Club since the start of the July or January
semiannual reporting period, and perform other duties as usually pertain
to the office of Secretary.

Section 3– Treasurer. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to have custody of
all funds, accounting for it to the Board no less than quarterly and at any
other time upon demand by the Board, and to perform other duties as
pertain to the office of Treasurer. Upon retirement from office, the
Treasurer shall turn over to the incoming Treasurer or President all funds,
books of accounts, and any other club property.

Article 5 Meetings

Section 1– The regular weekly meetings of this Club shall be held on
Wednesdays at 1:00 PM.

Due notice of any changes in or canceling of the regular meeting shall be
given to all members of the Club.

Meetings may be cancelled only due to force majeure or Holidays.
Section 2– One-half of the membership shall constitute a quorum for voting
purposes at a business meeting of this Club.

Section 3– Six (6) members of the Board shall constitute a quorum of the
Board.

Article 6 Fees and Dues

Section 1 – The amount of annual membership dues shall be determined
annually by the Board with approval by the Club membership. Each
member can decide to subscribe to and pay for the RI official magazine at
their own expense, but new members are obligated to subscribe for one
year.

Article 7 Method of Voting

The business of this club shall be transacted by open voice vote except the
election of officers and directors, which shall be by ballot. The Board may
determine that a specific resolution be considered by ballot rather than by
voice vote.

Article 8 Four Avenues of Service

The four Avenues of Service are the philosophical and practical framework
for the work of this Rotary club. They are Club Service, Vocational Service,
Community Service and International Service. This club will be active in
each of the four Avenues of Service.

Article 9 Committees

The President shall in consultation with the Board of Directors appoint the
following standing committees:

1. Club Service (Administrative coordination)
2. Community Service Committee
3. International Service Committee
4. Membership Committee
5. Program Committee
6. Vocational Committee

1. The Club Service will coordinate the Club activities.
2. The Community Service Committee shall plan and carry out projects
proposed by the Board for the good of the greater community in Jerusalem
and other projects the Board may decide upon.
3. The International Service Committee shall be responsible concerning
contacts with other Rotary Clubs and Rotarians outside of Israel, for contacts
with visiting Rotarians in Israel and Youth Exchange, Group Study and
visiting Scholars.
4. The Membership Committee shall interview all prospective Candidates
for membership and report to the Board on those Candidates recommended
for membership.
5 The Program Committee shall be responsible for the weekly Lecturers at
the Rotary meetings, Special Events including outings.
6. The Vocational Committee shall promote activities for the youth.
The President may also appoint ad hoc committees in consultation with the
Board and he/she shall be an ex-officio member on all committees.
Article 10 Leave of Absence
Upon written application to the Board, setting forth good and sufficient
cause, leave of absence may be granted by the Board excusing a member
from attending the meetings of the Club for a specified length of time within
the current year. This is on the condition that the member’s dues are paid in
full.

Article 11 Finances

Section 1 – Prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, the incoming
President shall prepare a budget of estimated income and expenditures for
the year to be approved by his/her Board.

Section 2 – The treasurer shall deposit all Club funds in a bank account. The
bank account shall have three (3) authorized signatories who shall be
Board members, one of them being the Treasurer.

Section 3 – All bills shall be paid by checks drawn on the Club bank
account with at least two (2) signatures of the authorized signatories.
Section 4 – A thorough review of all financial transactions by a qualified
person shall be made once each year.

Article 12 Procedure for Accepting New Members

Section 1 – The name of a prospective member shall be submitted to the
chairperson of the Membership Committee. The Membership Committee
shall meet the prospective candidate without his/her sponsor and decide to
recommend or not to recommend for membership the candidate to the
Board.

Section 2 – Discussions of the possible membership of any candidate shall
be held at the Board without a written protocol and shall be only open to
Board members. Special consideration shall be given to any objection made
by a member to a candidate in the same general classification.

Section 3 – Following the Board's approval it shall circulate the candidate's
name to the members of the Club and request their response within
fourteen(14) days. If there is no objection the new member's admission shall
be announced to the Club. If there is objection it shall be referred back to the
Membership Committee and to the Board.

Section 4 – Once the decision of the Board and Club is favorable to the
candidacy of a member the sponsor shall be notified and a date set for the
candidate's induction.

Section 5 – Simultaneously with induction the new member shall pay the
appropriate membership dues in addition to a $25 contribution to the
Jerusalem Rotary Foundation and a one year subscription of the Rotary
Journal.

Article 13 Resolutions

The Club shall not consider any resolution or motion to commit the Club on
any matter until the Board has considered and approved it. Any new motion,
proposed at a Club meeting shall be referred to the Board for final decision.

Article 14 Amendments

These bylaws may be amended following Board approval at any specially
called business meeting, a quorum of two thirds of the active members being
present, by a two-thirds vote of all members present, provided that notice of
such proposed amendment shall have been mailed or sent by fax or e-mail to
each member at least twenty (20) days before such meeting. No amendment
or addition to these bylaws can be made which is not in harmony with the
standard Rotary club constitution and with the constitution and bylaws of RI.

Our Club Board - Elected December 2008

2009-08-01T08:44:00.002+03:00

JERUSALEM ROTARY CLUB

ELECTION RESULTS TO THE BOARD 2009-10

1. President Elect Zober, Mark Elected by 2008-09 Board
2. Past President Fain, Richard
3. Past President Harris, Ruth
4. Past President Seligman, David
5. Past President Wisman, Kern
6. Rotarian Beare Rosenberg, Bernice
7. Rotarian Kircher, Nikolaus
8. Rotarian Rissanen, Roy
9. Rotarian Stuart, Heléne
10. Rotarian Tannous, Nezar Nominated Secretary
11. P/Dist. Governor Lewitt, Iréne Ex-officio

Reserves: Past Presidents
12. Past President Khayat, Shlomo
13. Past President Farber, Marilyn

Reserves: Rotarian Members
14. Rotarian Braunstein, Art
15. Rotarian Zwebner, David
16. Rotarian Lee, Josie

Election Monitors
P/P David Seligman
P/P Kern Wisman
R/ Yossi Eisenberg

Our Club's Closeout Report to the Rotary Foundation

2009-07-30T12:08:00.008+03:00

SPECIAL NOTE: Past President Rafi Aldor was the principal leader putting the outstanding Deaf School Project in Jerusalem together. He was instrumental in PROJECT DESIGN and IMPLEMENATION in conjunction with the administration of the Deaf School Administration. He is the author of the Report below. His exemplar "Service Above Self" in the true spirit of Rotary. For a full report see the link at the bottom of this report. Special Thanks to the Rotary Foundation, The Beare Foundation and the Rotary Clubs of Sao Paulo West (District 4430) and Istanbul-Karakoy Rotary Club (District 2420)

Matching Grant Number: 65704 Project Country: Israel

Our International Partnership:

Host Partner Rotary Club: Jerusalem Rotary Club (District 2490)

International Partner Rotary Club: Sao Paulo-West (District 4430)

Rotary Club Istanbul-Karakoy RC (2420)

Project Narrative

1. Briefly describe the project.

What were your original objectives?

1. To improve the facilities in the music room for hearing impaired children

2. To improve the quality of music therapy in the treatment of the affected children from all communities.

When and where did the project take place, and who were the beneficiaries?

1.The project was carried out at the Alliance Israelite Universelle School for the Deaf in Jerusalem’s Kiryat Hayovel neighbourhood. The project started in October 2008 and was completed in March 2009. The Music Room was formally dedicated on 27 April 2009.

2. The beneficiaries are the 90 students who have hearing problems that range from medium to severe. Many of the children suffer from additional problems such as learning difficulties, retardation, cerebral palsy and communication disorders. The pupils are aged six to twenty-one and come from all sectors of the Jewish and Arab population. The facilities are also available for affected children who have been absorbed into the regular school system but who require specialist support such as the Music Room.

Rotarian Involvement and Oversight

3. How did Rotarians manage and oversee the project?

Members of the Jerusalem Rotary Club were in constant communication with the school, especially with the Principal, Dr. Gilla Tatar, and participated in the planning stage.

There was oversight of the purchase of equipment to ensure quality control and the need to remain within agreed parameters.

4. How many Rotarians from the host partner club participated in the project?

5. In what way did the host Rotarians participate in the project? Please list all non-financial involvement.

Visits to the school during the formulation of the project and contributing technical and planning expertise (architect) available in the Jerusalem Rotary Club.
Ensuring that the equipment and instruments were all utilized for their intended specific purpose. (Music specialist)

Observing Music Room classes and music therapy sessions..
Maintaining contact with the school to ensure continuity and sustainability of the project.

7. In what way did the international Rotarians participate in the project? Please list all non-financial involvement.

The international partner was kept informed of the development of the project and the utilization of the Music Room once it was operational.
Participation in the dedication ceremony.

Community Impact

8. How many people benefited from the project? 90+ children immediately

9. What was the impact of the project on the beneficiaries?

Based on information from the Principal and the Music Therapist
Observable therapeutic improvement in the children.
Improved social behavior due to the ensemble activity.
Immediate access to a new world – music.

10. What are the expected long-term community impacts of the project?
By improving hearing and communication skills better educational prospects for the children.

Improved social absorption into the family, friends and community.

Financial Statement
Currency Used: New Israel Shekels (NIS)
Exchange Rate: NIS 4.05 = 1 USD

11. Income Sources of Income
Currency Amount

1. TRF Matching Grant Award and Contributions
US$ 27,700

2. Other Income (identify):
The Aaron Beare Foundation, Durban, S. Africa
US $2,074
Total Income:
US$ 29,774

12. Expenses

Musical instruments: $23,649

Amplification sound system, vibrating system for stage, light-sound system, microphones, plasma screen: $5,832
US$ 29,774

For Detailed Report See

http://rotaryclubjerusalem.homestead.com/Rotary_Deaf_School_Matching_Grant_Matching_Grants_Report_Form_23.07.09.pdf

The Rotary International Official Directory now available for download on our club website

2009-07-27T04:37:00.003+03:00

Dear Fellow Rotarians,

One of the joys of Rotary membership is that you will be welcomed and you are assured of tremendous fellowship when you visit Rotary Clubs while you are traveling.

One problem is to be able to locate Clubs and to get the necessary contact information, times and locations for meetings.

Well, that search is over.

President Mark Zober has posted the Rotary International Directory for RY 2009-10 on the Jerusalem Rotary Club website at: http://rotaryclubjerusalem.homestead.com/Rotary_International_Official_Directory_2009.pdf

Take advantage the opportunity to meet Rotarians while you are traveling. Remember that visiting another Rotary Club serves as a make up toward your attendance in your home Club.

Enjoy

THAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF JOINING ROTARY?

2009-07-22T05:30:00.002+03:00

WHEN RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS - REMEMBER

Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world. Since our founding in 1929, The Jerusalem Rotary Club has been dedicated to doing good in our city, the region and around the world. As Jerusalem’s premier service organization, The Jerusalem Rotary Club is comprised of some of the city’s most prominent community leaders – men and women with diverse backgrounds in business, professions, religions, civic and non-profit organizations. Our members actively strengthen the Jerusalem community through our service, fellowship and by example.

We gather at weekly meetings and other functions to fulfill our commitment to the Rotarian ideals of friendship, fellowship, and service to others.

If this sounds like you, Rotary is the right place for you.

PRESIDENT'S CORNER: After the first full week…..

2009-07-18T16:56:00.006+03:00

After the first full week…..

Well we have passed a milestone – surviving the first full weeks of my presidency. I feel we have had a wonderful start and face some significant challenges.

The beginning of the Rotary year means time for members to pay their club dues and for our Club to pay our District and Rotary International dues. All members have received invoices and 8 of our 37 members are already paid up. We should have everyone paid up by the end of the month. [Note: You can give post dated checks up to September 15.]

Our Polio Eradication Campaign is also doing well. We have raised nearly 1,000 NIS toward of goal of 4,000 NIS. We have a ways to go and Sophie Simons, our Campaign Chair, will help us achieve our object through your generosity. I have spoken with a number of you about polio and have found a member who had polio and many who had a family member who contracted the disease. Let us play our part to END POLIO NOW.

We have a couple of significant challenges. The first is the downward trend in our Club membership. When I joined the Club in 2000 we had 49 members. Today we number 37. Did you know that in 1979 we had 80 members! I look forward to working with each of you to develop lists of potential members – remember both in quality and quantity – and to help you get your family, friends and contacts to consider joining – after all we are “selling” a great “product” – fellowship and service in the framework of sound Rotary objectives and values.

The other challenge is membership attendance at club meetings and its impact on our budget. We have two types of meals in our Club: kosher and YMCA buffet. Helene Stuart is doing a wonderful job of bringing kosher meals every week and we usually have three meals and at least three paying members – we do not lose money on these. Our YMCA buffet has a guarantee of 20 meals a week that we must pay for regardless of how many attend. The trend is that less than 20 of our 34 members who eat at the buffet attend each week. The Club must pay for the 20 meals. Last week is a good example. 16 members paid for the YMCA buffet and the Club lost 200 NIS. We need to encourage higher attendance – we seem to dip below 50% on most occasions -and thus boost our membership participation and stop losing money on meals.

Remember: THE FUTURE OF ROTARY IS IN YOUR HANDS

Jerusalem Rotary Club Weekly Program Outline and Checklist

2009-07-12T17:06:00.004+03:00

Jerusalem Rotary Club
Weekly Meeting Program

Set Up Front Desk 12:15

Club beginning time: 13:00

Start Club Formalities at 13:40
Meeting Number _______ Date:___________________

13:40 - Ring the Bell to formally open the Club Meeting

PRESIDENTIAL WELCOME:

RECOGNITION:
- Visiting Rotarians:
- Guests:
- Returning Rotarians:
- Bon Voyage Rotarians:

LAUNCH RAFFLE

INTRODUCE THE SPEAKER:
Speaker’s name:________________________
Topic:_______________________

PASSUK (INVOCATION): (Josie Lee):
or Given by:_____________________________

INTERNATIONAL TOAST: (Ismail Abdl Qedr)
or Given by_____________________________________

FOUNDATION GREETINGS: (Bob Engelsman)

Rotary/Medical Minute (Alternative Weeks):

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
______________________________________________________________
DISTRICT 2490 ANNOUNCEMENTS:
_______________________________________________________________
SHEPHELAH ESHCOL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
_________________________________________________________________

CLUB ANNOUNCEMENTS:
1. _________________________________
2. ________________________________
3. _________________________________
4. ________________________________
RAFFLE DRAWING: (Sandy Darmon, alternate Josie Lee)
13:55 – INTRODUCTION OF GUEST SPEAKER:
Given by: ________________
14:00 GUEST SPEAKER PRESENTATION
14:20 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
14:25 VOTE OF THANKS
Given by: ____________________
PRESENT PAUL HARRIS FOREST TREE CERTIFICATE:

14:30 pm RING THE BELL TO CLOSE THE MEETING (Promptly)

Jerusaulem Rotary Club Guest Speakers July August 2009

2009-07-10T15:57:00.003+03:00

JERUSALEM ROTARY CLUB
PROGRAM for JULY-AUGUST 2009 -- Tentative Topics
PRESENTED BY PROGRAM CHAIR, ART BRAUNSTEIN and the Program Committe - P/P Werner Loval and Yaron Amitai.

July 8 -- Changeover Dinner, Joseph Harrosh, Engr., Vice Pres. for Asia-Africa, TAHAL Engineering,

“Water, Water Everywhere ….”

July 15 -- Dr. Rivka Gonen, Senior Curator (ret.),

“The Ten Lost Tribes – Fact and Fiction”

July 22 –- David Zwebner, Rotarian,

“Investing into Down Markets”

July 29 -- Dr. Eldad Pardo, Truman Institute,

“Quo Vadis Iran?”

August 5 – Dr. Shlomo Mor-Yosef, Dir-Gen, Hadassah, Ein Karem,

“The New Ein Karem Complex”

August 12 -- The Wiffenpoofs - NO LUNCH TIME MEETING

August 19 -- Jonathan Loval, Archetect & Urbanist,

“The Master Plan for Jerusalem”

August 26 -- Eitan Parnass, Esq, Chairman, Renewable Energy Industry Assoc. of Israel,

“Renewable Energy – The Israeli Challenge”

Incoming President Zober: "The Future is in Your Hands"

2009-07-09T17:38:00.012+03:00

Mark Zober Speech July 8, 2009 Changeover Dinner

WELCOME

Past District Governors Yoram and Dvorah Cohen, David and Leah Neumann and Irene Lewitt, Assistant District Governor Shaul Cohen, Presidents Aryeh and Fiona Singer and Baruch Nunu, Past Presidents of our Club and fellow Rotarians and guests - it is a great honor and I am humbled you have come this evening to our Changeover Dinner.

Special thanks to our Guest Speaker and fellow Rotarian Yossi Harrosh, our Artists Maureen Fain, Bernice Beare Rosenberg, P/P Ruth Harris and Helene Stuart, Art Braunstein, P/P Sandi Darmon, Yaron Amitai, P/P Marilyn all who brought raffle prizes and those who make contributions tonight. And for our 3 wonderful presidents this year- David, Kern and Ruth.

“I regard it as a special honor to have been elected by my colleagues to the Presidency of the Jerusalem Rotary Club, the first Club of Israel.” - PDG Lucien Harris z”l- July 10th 1968. This certainly is how I feel tonight as I stand before you.

ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS- our PAST PRESIDENTS

You will see in the back of this evening’s program that our outstanding troika of Presidents – Kern, Ruth and David and many before them – 77 in all – have led the way for this Club since 1929. I am standing, albeit wobbly, on their strong, broad shoulders and I sense the awesome responsibility.

Special Recognition to Past Presidents Werner Loval and Moshe Raz for 40 years of exemplary Service to our Club. Let us give them a heartfelt round of applause.

YOUR SERVANT

Like 33,641 incoming Club presidents in over 170 countries around the world, I have been chosen and humbly accepted the responsibility to preside over our Club as your servant for the next year. I am a custodian for you to make sure that our Club functions as it should and that we promote FELLOWSHIP and SERVICE in the framework of ROTARY VALUES and OBJECTIVES over the next year.

Zober refers to his Leadership Team starting with his "right hand man" incoming Honorary Secretary Nezar Tannous. I ask for help for chairs for Vocational Service, Fund Raising and Fireside and Fellowship where we still do not have the needed Club leadership.

MY VOICE:

My leadership style is to focus on PRODUCTIVITY – striving to pursue worthwhile and achievable objectives while we HAVE LOTS OF FUN DOING IT.

With - GREAT WEEKLY MEETINGS -

WONDERFUL GUEST SPEAKERS- thanks goes to Art Braunstein and his team

GREAT MEALS and did a say - FUN.

MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT – With P/P Dick Fain – “Each One Bring One”

We are now under 40 members for the first time in decades – this sends us a warning signal. Each of us needs to do all we can to focus on QUALITY AND QUANTITY in membership growth to bring in worthy new members.

FELLOWSHIP – And the Family of Rotary – Getting our Families involved – “The Joy of Association”

I would like to extend the circle of fellowship to the Jerusalem West Rotary Club and to the other Clubs in our Eshcol: Be’er Yaacov, Lod, Modi’in and Ramle

I will be dedicating this year to the memory of Shirley Seligman – a tremendous loss to the family of Rotary in Jerusalem.

Specific Objectives:
RI GOALS FOR THE YEAR- Presidenti8al Citation Criteria of RIP John Kenny

1.Eradicate Polio – Raise 4000 NIS for Polio Plus. Lead by Dr. Sophie Simons

2.Membership Growth – Quantity and Quality – Net Gain of 10 New Members this year. With the assistance of our Membership Chair P/P Dick Fain

3.Promote the Image of Rotary in Jerusalem – with our PR Chair P/P Werner Loval – Gain media coverage of our Club activities.

4.Revive our Vocational Services Objectives – Recognition of outstanding community professional of the year and restart mentorship program

5.Strengthen our Club Leadership - Develop Long Term Strategic Plan and promote participation in our district Rotary Leadership Institute.

6.Promote Service Projects with P/P Rafi Aldor… Successfully fund and implement our current projects and initiate and support on significant international project in Water and Sanitation and another in Health and Hunger or Literacy.

We will achieve these goals over the year with your help and earn the Presidential Citation Award for RY 2009-10.

It is great to have one of our past leaders in the household – thanks go out to P/P Marilyn as she accepts the reins of Club Services Chair.

THE FUTURE OF ROTARY, THE FUTURE OF OUR CLUB, IS IN YOUR HANDS.

LET’S HAVE A GREAT YEAR!!!!

THANK YOU ALL.

Rotary International Strategic Plan for RYs 2007-10

2009-07-04T09:59:00.002+03:00

My Fellow Rotarians:

Rotary is a unique organization, witha unique mission and structure. Our long history gives us a strong tradition, while our system of annual leadership changes requires us to take active steps to maintain continuity. With every Rotary year comes new opportunities — and it is our responsibility to rise to meet them.

Over the last 104 years, Rotary has grown from one club with four members to a worldwide organization of nearly 33,000 clubs. To maximize our effectiveness, strengthen our public image, and ensure a strong second century, it is essential that Rotary recognize and address its new and ongoing challenges. This is why we have asked Rotarians for their input in three essential questions: Where are we now? Where are we going? And how do we get there?

As a result of this process, your Board of Directors, chosen by Rotarians around the world, has approved our Strategic Plan. The plan establishes our mission, vision, priorities, and goals, and identifies the five corevalues that represent our identity as an organization. It is a road map for our future and a tool that will help us to achieve our long-term goals across many generations of Rotary leaders.

The RI Strategic Plan is based on the input and recommendations of Rotarians and the needs and goals of more than 1.2 million members. I ask you, as Rotary leaders, to educate the Rotarians in your clubs and districts about the plan. Encourage them to focus their efforts toward our common goals and use the plan as a tool to make their clubs more effective. A complete copy
of the RI Strategic Plan can be found at www.rotary.org.

With your help and the active involvement of all Rotarians, we will be able to maximize our effectiveness.

(Signed )John Kenney, RI President RY 2009-10

Priorities and Goals

The plan includes seven priorities, each supported by a set of goals. To determine these priorities, RI surveyed grassroots Rotarians and senior leaders from many parts of the world, asking them what issues would be most important to Rotary in the coming years. The priorities and goals are summarized here
(see the complete plan at www.rotary.org):

Eradicate polio

• Support the International PolioPlus Committee
• Promote participation in PolioPlus Partners
• Focus our collaborative partners on polio
Eradication

Advance the recognition and public image of RI

• Conduct public information campaigns to deepen awareness

• Tell the world about Rotary commitments and outcomes

Increase Rotary’s capacity to provide service

• Emphasize the four Avenues of Service
• Supporting the improvement of clubs that need assistance
• Refine current training
• Expand strategic cooperative relationships at all levels
• Improve RI’s efficiency and effectiveness

Expand membership globally in both numbers and quality

• Develop and implement a comprehensive plan to strengthen responsibility at the club level
• Extend Rotary to all qualified localities
• Increase the number of young members
and those in emerging occupations
• Enhance and emphasize the family of Rotary

Emphasize Rotary’s unique vocational service commitment

• Influence ethical decision-making by encouraging Rotarians to join and take leadership roles in business and vocational associations
• Find new ways to develop vocational skills of others, especially people without jobs
• Develop more vocational forums for learning and information exchange

Optimize leadership talents within RI

• Expand leadership development opportunities
• Cultivate leadership opportunities for young people
• Periodically assess governance procedures

Fully implement the strategic planning process to ensure continuity

• Evaluate and update the RI Strategic Plan every three years
• Ensure that the Future Vision Plan and the Secretariat’s operating plan align with the RI Strategic Plan
• Disseminate the plan throughout the organization, including districts and clubs
• Develop and implement a planning model for Rotary clubs and districts

President Mark Zober to Focus Club Activities on Presidenial Citation Criteria for RY 2009-10

2009-07-04T09:26:00.003+03:00

PRESIDENTIAL CITATION CRITERIA FOR ROTARY YEAR 2009-10 SET BY ROTARY INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT JOHN KENNY

Dear club presidents,

As we, embark together on our year as Rotary leaders, I ask for your support in making 2009-10 a very successful and fulfilling Rotary year. One of my main objectives is to remind Rotarians of their personal responsibility to Rotary and its ideals, as exemplified by our theme: The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

We have some ready resources to help us undertake this responsibility. Our roadmap to the future of Rotary is the Rotary International Strategic Plan 2007-10. The plan is made up of seven priorities that Rotarians worldwide determined to be the most important concerns for Rotary in the years ahead. This year, I am asking your club to put the plan into action and, by working together, to ensure that we achieve our goals.

This year’s Presidential Citation program provides a menu of challenging activities related to the first six priorities of the strategic plan. As you will see, these activities also offer opportunities to address each of the four Avenues of Service, as well as my emphases in the areas of health and hunger, literacy, and water. By focusing your efforts within the framework of RI’s strategic plan, your club will also help Rotary succeed in addressing the plan’s seventh and final priority — to fully implement the strategic planning process to ensure continuity as an organization.

(signed) RI President John Kenny

Menu of Activities

The following six categories reflect the priorities of the RI Strategic Plan 2007-10. To qualify for the 2009-10 Presidential Citation, clubs must under- take and complete an activity from three of these categories (three activities in total) between 1 July 2009 and 31 March 2010.

Eradicate polio

Through Rotary’s fundraising challenge, we can finish this crucial job and keep our promise to the world.

• Organize a major fundraising initiative in your community to support polio eradication.

• Make a club contribution to the polio fundraising challenge of at least $1,000.

Advance the recognition and public image of Rotary

To attract new members and cooperation from other organizations, we should promote our local and global service activities to the media and to our communities.

• Undertake a significant public relations campaign in your community to share the story of what Rotary is and does.

• Place at least one Humanity in Motion public service announcement in a print publication, on a radio or television program, or on a billboard.

• Gain media coverage of a club event or project in your community.

Increase Rotary’s capacity to provide service

Rotary clubs are encouraged to continue their efforts to address water, health and hunger, and literacy issues by volunteering more time, talent, and enthusiasm along the four Avenues of Service.

• Conduct a community needs assessment, and use it to establish a community service project that will involve at least 50 percent of the club’s members in active service.

• Sponsor a Rotary Community Corps of non-Rotarians, and complete a joint project with the RCC members.

• Conduct a service project with an international partner, either as the project host or as the sponsor. (Clubs may use Rotary’s ProjectLINK database to find a partner.)

• Carry out a service project recommended by one of the RI resource groups for health and hunger, literacy, and water, or cooperate on a project with a reputable organization that specializes in one of these areas of service.

Expand membership globally in both numbers and quality

Everything that Rotary hopes to accomplish depends on its members, and each of us is responsible for bringing in qualified new members.

• Have at least 20 percent of club members each bring a potential candidate for membership as a guest to a club meeting.

• Recruit at least one RI or Rotary Foundation program alumnus/alumna age 35 or younger into membership. (Rotary Foundation and RI\ program alumni include former Ambassadorial Scholars, Group Study Exchange team members, Rotary World Peace Fellows, and former Youth Exchange students, Rotaractors, and Interactors.)

• Increase the diversity of your club’s membership by recruiting at least two new members who belong to a demographic group (profession, age, religion, ethnicity, etc.) that is underrepresented in the club.

• Recruit at least two new members who have experience in community, vocational, or international service work, as part of the required net increase of at least one member by 31 March 2010.

Emphasize Rotary’s unique vocational service commitment

By demonstrating our strong commitment to high ethical standards in our professional lives, we can provide a model for our colleagues, our employees, and our customers and distinguish Rotary from other service and humanitarian organizations.

• Start or support a youth mentorship program in your club, and have at least 10 percent of the club’s members personally mentor a young person in vocational skills and business ethics.

• Start or support a career counseling and development program in your club, and invite participants from the community to attend. Have at least 10 percent of the club’s members actively participate and help participants improve their vocational skills and compete in the job market.

• Have at least one club member register as a Rotary Volunteer and use Rotary’s ProjectLINK database to locate an appropriate project.

Optimize leadership talents within RI

Strong leaders are essential to Rotary’s future, and each of us should strive to be better leaders in our clubs, our professions, and our communities.

• Create a leadership development program that at least 5 percent of club members complete. The RI publication Leadership Development: Your Guide to Starting a Program (250) offers suggestions.

• Cultivate leadership opportunities for youth by having at least 5 percent of club members sponsor a participant in a Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) event or sponsor or host a Youth Exchange student, Ambassadorial Scholar, or Rotary World Peace Fellow.

MARK AND MARILYN AT THE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION IN BIRMINGHAM, UK JUNE 21-24, 2009

2009-07-01T07:35:00.004+03:00

1. INSPIRATIONAL AND MOTIVATING EXPERIENCE: We feel compelled to share the enthusiasm, inspiration, personal involvement and commitment that you derive from an RI Convention – we will try give you a sense of what this is all about. Irene, Werner (Nice) and Don Shrensky (Chicago) have also attended. This was our SIXTH - Barcelona, Brisbane, Copenhagen/Malmo, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Birmingham

2. PLAN TO ATTEND -Your chance will come next year in Montreal Canada from June 20-23 and in 2011 in New Orleans, 2012 Bangkok, 2013 Lisbon, 2014 Sydney, 2015 (TBD, Latin America or Western USA), 2016 Seoul ….It is worth the investment.

3. WHAT PLANNING? - It is important to plan well in advance. You can save about $100 USD by registering by December 31 on line. Hotels can be expensive. Many fellowships arrange for cheaper accommodations. There are also on line hotel reservation systems like Hotwire and Lastminute.com. It is great to stay at a hotel with other Rotarians.

4. ARRIVING IN BIRMINGHAM - We found 8 Rotarians on our National Express Coach from Heathrow to Birmingham. We shared a cab to our hotel with fellow Rotarian from Nigeria. Our hotel – Portland Hotel – was filled with Rotarians.

5. GOING TO THE NEC – When we got to the New Street Station we met Rotarians who assisted us on our way to the NEC – free train passes and even an invite to a Club Host Party for Monday night – Neil Young of Birmingham Morning Club.

6. ARRIVING AT NEC – We arrived at the convention center and the first Rotarians we met were from Mongolia – Enktuya from the Khurgee Club of Ulaanbaatar is the sister of Rtn. Ganbold a very close friend….

7. REGISTERING/ORGANIZING: and buying Host Community tickets – Concert by Katherine Jenkins, and other events – President Elect Luncheon, Bequest Society Cocktail. Get your Ribbons: Presidential, years of attendance, delegate pin

8. KICKOFF SATURDAY – The Rotary World Choir and the Interfaith Service….meeting with old friends, Steve Werner and PDG Dave Buck

9. ISRAELIS IN THE MARCH OF FLAGS – DG Yael and Micha Lazarus led a group of 18 Israelis (including Marilyn and Mark) with the largest group from our District we have seen – Avner and Adi Fuchs, ADG Shaul and Bella Cohen, Leah and Shimon from RC Modi’in -

10. FOUR PLENARY SESSIONS - UN Director General Ban Ki Moon, Mia Farrow (Polio Plus and Darfur), Jane Goodall (Environment), presentation of current and incoming RI and TRF Boards, Voting – the Delegates – 3,800 Clubs in attendance. Closing British Theatre Review – My Fair Lady, Mama Mia, Me and My Gal, Phantom of the Opera.

11. THE HOUSE OF FRIENDSHIP - 200 plus booths – featuring water and sanitation, literacy, rescue and relief (Shelter Box), Rotary Action Groups and Fellowships – from Stamp Collection, Yachting to Singles. Musical bandstand, Subway Sandwiches, lounges to sit and relax. SHOPPING – Pins, Theme Banners, caps, shirts, ties, etc.

12. THE PRESIDENT ELECT LUNCHEON – Sat at the table of RID/Treasurer Bernard and Regine Rosen from Belgium. Incoming RI President John Kenny inspirational speech.

13. BEQUEST SOCIETY COCKTAIL: - TRF Chair PRIP Jonathan and Ayo Mujeagbi , Jane Goodall

14. MEETING ROTARIANS: The Lebanese, the Ugandans, PDG Rekah and Jai Shetty – our Education on Wheels Partners, The Mongolians, Enkthuya, Tseren and Almaa. AND SO MANY MORE…now it is time to send follow up emails.

15. POST CONVENTION TOURING: Day One – Stonehenge and Bath; Day Two: Oxford and Windsor….

16. COMING HOME TO SHARE THE EXPERIENCE

MARK AND MARILYN AT THE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION IN BIRMINGHAM, UK JUNE 21-24, 2009

2009-07-01T07:35:00.003+03:00

Jerusalem Rotary Club Summer List of Guest Speakers

2009-06-29T11:08:00.004+03:00

Our outstanding RY 2009-10 Program Chair, Art Braunstein, has put together a wonder group of programs over the summer...We look forward to large turnouts of Club members, family, friends and potential new members.

JERUSALEM ROTARY CLUB

PROGRAM for JULY-AUGUST 2009 -- Tentative Topics

July 8 -- Changeover Dinner, Joseph Harrosh, Engr., Vice Pres. for Asia-Africa, TAHAL Engineering,

“Water, Water Everywhere ….”

July 15 -- Dr. Rivka Gonen, Senior Curator (ret.),

“The Ten Lost Tribes – Fact and Fiction”

July 22 –- David Zwebner, Rotarian,

“Investing into Down Markets”

July 29 -- Dr. Eldad Pardo, Truman Institute,

“Quo Vadis Iran?”

August 5 – Dr. Shlomo Mor-Yosef, Dir-Gen, Hadassah, Ein Karem,

“The New Ein Karem Complex”

August 12 -- The Wiffenpoofs

August 19 -- Jonathan Loval, Archetect & Urbanist,

“The Master Plan for Jerusalem”

August 26 -- Eitan Parnass, Esq, Chairman, Renewable Energy Industry Assoc. of Israel,

The Shafelah Eshcol Leadership for Rotary Year 2009-10

2009-06-13T18:29:00.010+03:00

Ok, so what is an Eshcol in our Rotary District 2490?

Rotary district 2490 is divided into a number of sub-districts. We are in the Shafelah (lowlands) sub-district (Eshcol in Hebrew)

Our District Representative is Assistant District Governor (ADG) Shaul Cohen. He has held this position for a number of years. His wife's name is Billah.

Below are the Clubs and their leadership and contact information for RY 2009-10

DISTRICT 2490 RY 2009-10 SHAFELAH ESHCOL PRESIDENTS AND SECRETARIES

District Governor: District Govenor Uri Zeiger (engineer) (Spouse: Ruthie) 11/a Ha’Iris St., P.O. Box 1547, IL-21530 Maalot, Res. (04)997-9918;email: zeiger@012.net.il.

Shafelah Eshcol Assistant District Governor Shaul Cohen sahoul11@zahav.net.il

Be’er Ya’acov founded in 1990 (19 members) meets Sundays at 20:30 Beit Gil HazZahav, Hazon Ish 12, the President is Ziva Cohen mailing address: Ha’Yarkon 38, [IL-70300], Email: goziva@walla.com Secretary Shmuel Dotan 25 Hasnunith St., IL-
70300 Beer Yacov, dotan_s1@015.net.il (08)924-6244

Jerusalem founded in 1929 (with 44 members)and meets on Wednesdays at 13:00 Y.M.C.A., King David St., President Mark Alan Zober email rotarymark@gmail.com Secretary Nezar hovove zion 21 jerusalem 92225. his mobile is 0502618818 tel fax 025834068. Email nt_gpi@yahoo.com or tannous.n@gmail.com

Jerusalem West founded in 1965 (with 14 members) and meets on Mondays at 19:30 at the Dan Panorama Hotel on Keren HaYasod, President Aryeh Singer email lfsinger@bezeqint.net Secretary Hezi Vollman Hail Aavir 56, IL-97535 Jerusalem, cheskea@vms.huji.ac.il (02)678-5321

Lod founded in 1982 (27 members) meets Sundays at 20:00 at Rotary House., 11 Arlozorov St., President Emile El Asmar 11 Arlozorov St., emile@el-asmar.com Secretary Zion Chazoom 3/1 Hamazviilm St., [IL-71411], email chazoom@zahav.net.il_972-8-925-2193

Modi’in founded in 1998 (14 members)meets on Mondays at 20:30 Multi-Disciplinary Center, President Baruch Nunu nunu220@walla.com Secretary Leah Parsi 077-300-5290 052-292-8033 and Treasurer Yechiel Turbiner Migdal Oz 20, [IL-71700], turbiner@netvision.net.il
(08)971-4342

Ramlah founded in 1989 (21 members) meets Wednesdays at 20:00 at the Community Center, 1 Mivtza Kadesh St., President Yitzhak Cohen 21/5 Mivtza Yonatan St., IL-72504 Ramla, izak.cohen1@gmail.com Secretary Rahel Harel address: Ben Josef Haron 9, IL-72201 Ramela, rahela56@walla.com (08)923-0195

Club Calendar for May June 2009

2009-05-18T19:25:00.004+03:00

Club Calendar for May June 2009 (Tentative)

THIS WEEK

Wednesday May 20: COMMITTEE MEETING

12.00 Noon

Allocations & Projects Committee

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Wednesday May 20:

CLUB ASSEMBLY

If there are any club related issues you wish to raise this is your opportunity to do so.

Wednesday May 27

Michal Berns, President Hillel at Pennsylvania State University

Topic: "Jewish student life in the U.S.A.

Thursday to Saturday June 4-6

49th District 2490 Convention

Regency Hotel, Jerusalem

See the Brochure and register.

Wednesday June 3

Ms. Rajaa Natour, Rotary World Peace Scholar

Wednesday June 10

Julian Beare, CEO the Beare Foundation

Topic: "South Africa and The Aaron Beare Foundation"

Wednesday June 17

Dave Figuette
Topic: “The Door of Hope”

Centre for street prostitutes in Tel Aviv

Wednesday June 24

Wednesday

BBQ at Schmidt School and End of Year Party

Wednesday July 1

Incoming President Mark Zober and P/P Marilyn Farber

Topic: An Inside Look at the Rotary International Convention in Birmingham

02.07.09

Thursday District Governor Changeover

Details to follow

Wednesday July 8

7 p.m. (19.00)

Jerusalem Rotary Club

Presidential Changeover Dinner

Beit Shmuel

Jerusalem Rotary Club Project List

2009-05-17T08:47:00.003+03:00

Community Services and Allocations Committee

Over the past decade the Community Services and Allocations Committee has been an active component of the JRC. The projects in which it has been involved cover a wide range and some of its allocations have gone to institutions with clearly identified needs and where the contribution can make a difference. While the committee focuses to a large extent on activities in the Jerusalem area it has not lost sight of deserving needs in other parts of Israel and more distant regions of the world.

The club is grateful to other Rotary clubs that have joined it in Matching Grants partnerships that together with additional funds from the Rotary International Foundation have enabled it to undertake a number of worthwhile projects. Where possible the club seeks projects that promote understanding and tolerance between different groups and that in its own way takes peace between peoples in the region further forward. These projects include:

1. Nursery Project -Gan Harmony. A nursery school that takes children from all sectors of society and trains nursery school teachers to create similar institutions in the Arab sector communities. Matching Grant with a club in the USA.

2. St. Vincent's Home for Severely Handicapped Children. This home on the outskirts of Jerusalem in the village of Ein Karem takes care of children who are so severely handicapped that their families are no longer able to care for them. The home has a small residential staff and depends on volunteer helpers from all over the world. The project helped improve the living conditions of the volunteers who often stay for extended periods. Matching Grant with a club in the USA.

3. Gan Shalom at the YMCA. The Peace Nursery School based at the Jerusalem International YMCA. The children are drawn from Jewish and Arab Muslim and Christian homes. There are both Arab and Jewish Israeli teachers and classes are conducted both in Hebrew and Arabic. Besides a large Matching Grant project that helped equip a specialized playground with safety flooring, The JRC is the channel for many donations from other Rotarians to help ensure the long term viability and stability of the nursery school. Matching Grant with a club in the USA.

4. Pediatric Ward Project: Equipping a classroom at Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus. The Pediatric Department of the Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus constantly has a number of children who require long term hospitalisation. This project assisted the hospital to equip and refurbish a classroom where children can continue with their school studies while being treated. Matching Grant with a club in France.

5.Centinnial Project - Playground in a Seam Neighborhood. The area of Musrara sits on what was the Jerusalem seam where poor Jewish and Arab neighborhoods of East and West Jerusalem abut. The area needed a safe paying area for children of both communities. Matching Grant with a club in the USA. This was our Club's contribution to the city of Jerusalem on the occasion of Rotary International's 100th Anniversary. Both of the Jerusalem Rotary Clubs participated in this project.

6. The Video Conferencing Unit at the Herzog Hospital. The Herzog Hospital, the third largest in Jerusalem, has earned a worldwide reputation for the quality of the work it does. Amongst others it is recognized for its advances in acute geriatric care, the treatment of psycho-trauma, long term respiratory support for infants to adults, physical rehabilitation, complex and skilled nursing, research in behavioral genetics and training programs for health paraprofessionals. The project helped establish a video conferencing centre that enables the hospital to share its experience with other hospitals anywhere in the world and to gain from the experience of others. It allows doctors to consult with their specialist colleagues in other countries and to participate in case conferences on a mutual support basis. Since its establishment the video conferencing unit has been extensively utilised. Matching Grant with a club in the USA.

The activities of the committee are ongoing and it is planning future projects that are at different stages of development. These include:

1. The music room for the Jerusalem School for the Deaf. This school provides an essential service to hearing impaired children from all communities. There is a requirement for a specialist music room and instruments that will enable these children who come from all sectors of the community to participate in music activities that encourage participation and rehabilitation. The project has been approved by RI. The Matching Grant partners are from Brazil and Turkey.

2. The Jerusalem Tisch Family Zoo. The Jerusalem Tisch Family Zoological Garden's educational program has developed a therapy program using animals from its collection to assist children with special needs. The children have been diagnosed with autism, deafness, learning disabilities and other developmental challenges due to mental, behavioral or emotional problems. This is a cross ethnic project where children from Arab and Jewish homes can participate. To help with the children care for the animals a small agricultural type vehicle is required for feeding and cleaning the animals. To help purchase this vehicle, the Rotary Club in Turks and Caicos Islands, a British territory in the West Indies, has expressed interest in joining the JRC in a Matching Grant.

3. Water project for a village in Turkey. This initiative of a Turkish Rotary Club will provide a source of clean water to a village in Turkey. The JRC will be an international partner in this Matching Grant.

4. Talitha Kumi School in Bethlehem. A German Rotary Club has been helping support this school for some years. It is now proposing to assist the school further and it requires the JRC to help monitor the implementation of the project. Given the international nature of the JRC it is possible for it to undertake this task and to overcome the political and security problems on the ground.

5. Telemedicine Training in Developing Countries. The Video Conferencing Unit of the Herzog Hospital in conjunction with its various specialist departments is developing a series of training packages for health para-professionals. It has already piloted a course for Ethiopian Women Nursing Aides and Caregivers that has proved to be successful. It proposes to develop this course, and potentially others, using a combination of distance education and local support packages. The proposal has aroused considerable interest and there have been tentative approaches for partnerships and suggestions for project sites in Ghana and South Africa. The complexity of this project will require participation of several clubs in the Matching Grant and monitoring on the Jerusalem and local project site. Discussions for this project are ongoing.

The larger projects that require Matching Grants are only one part of this committee's brief. The other is the allocation of funds that require urgent disbursement and smaller amounts that will be of immediate assistance to an institution or community group that has a perceived need. Several of these contributions include:

1. Tsunami Relief Project of 2005. After the devastation of the tsunami in 2005 the JRC joined clubs in India and the UK to buy bicycles for school girls from fishing villages where everything had been destroyed or lost. The combined effort enabled almost 900 bicycles to be distributed.

2. St. John's Ophthalmic Hospital Jerusalem. Together with a contribution from a club in the USA we were able to help the hospital purchase a bed for specialist eye operations.

3. The Shleymut Project: restoring sufferers of post traumatic stress to health. This organization provides therapy through horse riding. The JRC channeled a donation from a Swiss donor to the project.

4. Helping the North. After the Second Lebanon War there was a need to support the towns on the northern periphery of Israel to overcome the damage of the rocket barrages that they suffered. Money from an American donor was the basis for the JRC contribution.

5. The Full Schoolbag Project. The club contributed to this district project to ensure that every child going to school had all the requirements to start the school year.

6. YMCA Youth Leadership. Every year the club makes a donation to this project that brings young Arab and Jewish youth together on a non-denominational youth leadership training programme.

7. Argentine Book Project. The Eshkol book project for needy students in the Argentine received books from a number of the members of the club.

8. The Trudi Birger Dental Clinic. This dental clinic provides dental services to poorer Jerusalem families across the ethnic spectrum. International Rotary Dental Volunteers come and work at the clinic for varying periods of time. Their stay in Jerusalem is sponsored by the JRC on behalf of Rotary International.

The Jerusalem Rotary Club Foundation. This amutah (non-profit NGO) was established in the 1960s to provide scholarships for students in technical high schools studying high- tech subjects. It is totally separate from the Community Services and Allocations Committee. Each year for the past 40+ years it has awarded around 60 scholarships to the selected students. The relevant Jerusalem schools nominate about 500 students for the awards and a selection committee reduces the number according various criteria, both academic and social, and to the funds available to the Foundation. To date more than 2,500 scholarships have been awarded.

Club Congratulated Cairo Rotary Club on 80th Anniversary

2009-04-19T17:17:00.002+03:00

Club President David Seligman and the Club Board send all Clubs worldwide that were chartered in 1929 congratulatory letters on all of our 80th Anniversaries. Below is the letter send to our sponsor Club - the Rotary Club of Cairo.

13 March 2009

To the President and Rotarians of the Rotary Club of Cairo

On this, our 80th Anniversary, we, the Rotary Club of Jerusalem, send greetings of friendship and fellowship to the Rotary Club of Cairo who in 1929 was the sponsor for our Charter and with whom we share this joyous occasion.

The Rotary Club of Jerusalem has remained active, without interruption, since its establishment. Its membership has always been open to all members of the Jerusalem community irrespective of race or creed. It has had many members from the diplomatic, religious and aid organizations based in the city and has welcomed visiting Rotarians from all over the world to its meetings.

The Rotary Club of Jerusalem has partnered in many Matching Grants and other projects that all benefit the wider community. These include the Peace Kindergarten of the Jerusalem International YMCA, the Tsunami Appeal that provided bicycles to Indian schoolgirls, the music room of the Jerusalem School for Hearing Impaired Children from all ethnic groups, the St. Vincent Home for severely handicapped children and the Herzog Hospital’s Video-conferencing Unit that allows medical professionals worldwide to communicate, share vital medical information and to provide specialist consultation. The club has participated in a water project in Turkey and is currently exploring the possibility of a joint health project in Africa.

The Jerusalem Rotary Club Foundation is a source of particular pride as it has provided over 2,500 scholarships over a period of forty years to students studying at high tech schools in Jerusalem. There is an annual award ceremony where sixty scholarships are distributed.

We extend our good wishes to the Rotary Club of Cairo who not only sponsored us but also donated the fine bell that we use at all our meetings and ceremonies to this very day. We extend our hand in true Rotarian friendship and look forward to future contact, collaboration and fellowship.

With warm regards and best wishes in the inclusive spirit of our Rotarian family.

David Seligman

President

Jerusalem Rotary Club

Rotarian Dr. Arun Bari of Maharastra State India serves at Trudi Birger Dental Clinic

2009-04-11T10:50:00.005+03:00

Three Club Past Presidents have been YMCA Directors

2009-04-03T14:19:00.007+03:00

Rizek Abushaar TOP; Willam Macafee MIDDLE and Alvah Miller BOTTOM

P/P ( 1931/32) Dr. H.J. Orr-Ewing, Head of the British Mission Hospital

2009-03-30T15:12:00.005+03:00

Past President Dr. H.J. Orr-Ewing

Learning about our past presidents provides us with a window on the events that occurred before and during their service in Rotary. In the case of Dr. Orr-Ewing we learn about the British introduction of health care during late Ottoman Palestine. Dr. Or-Ewing was the head of the British Mission Hospital established by the London Society for the dual purposes of providing quality health care to and the conversion to Christianity of the Jews in Jerusalem- part of the Anglican Restorationist movement.

In the year 1919, Dr. Or-Ewing took over administration of the British Mission Hospital in Jerusalem following the many years of service of Dr. Charles Edward d’Erf Wheeler.

Dr. Orr-Ewing wrote a report following the retirement of Dr. Wheeler when he took charge of the British Mission Hospital:

Dr. Wheeler reopened the [British] Hospital in a small way on October 1, 1919, so that we have now reached the end of our second milestone under the new conditions [British administration in Palestine], and, as in all such times, we incline to cast a retrospective glance back over the year’s work…

Now he [Dr. Wheeler] is gone and the reputation he possessed amongst the Jews – a reputation acquired thirty-six years ago and endorsed by his years of self sacrificing work among his people he loved so well [Jews targeted for conversion] will no longer act as the attracting force drawing crowds to the Hospital.

[A note on the British Mission Hospital - It was established in 1883 by the London Society for Promoting Christianity Among the Jews to provide health care to Jewish in Jerusalem with expressed missionary interest to convert them to Christianity.]

Source: Thanks goes to Professor Yaron Perry of Haifa University who provided the picture and copy for the above narrative from his book Modern Medicine in the Holy Land, Pioneering British Medical Services in Late Ottoman Palestine

Club to Dedicate renovated music room at School for the Deaf

2009-03-28T19:17:00.005+03:00

Rotary Music Room Dedication Ceremony April 27

On Monday April 27 our Club will be participating in the dedication ceremony of the Rotary Music Room in the Jerusalem School for the Deaf, located on Borochov St. in Kiryat Hayovel.

The Music Room was fully equipped, including an acoustic floor, by a Matching Grant project which included the participation of The Rotary International Foundation, the Sao Paulo West and the Istanbul Karakoy Rotary Clubs, as well as the Aaron Beare Foundation, located in Durban, South Africa. Our Club was the initiator of the project and also contributed its share to the $33,000 total investment.

The School for the Deaf caters to some 100 hearing impaired children, many of them with additional disabilities. Its population, both students and staff, is multi-ethnic, comprising both Jews and Arabs.

The implementation of the project has just been completed and the dedication ceremony will be attended by representatives of the Brazilian Club, our own District Governor, Yael Lazarus, and Jerusalem Mayor, Nir Barkatt (still to be confirmed).

Club Past President Archeologist and Curator John Henry Illife

2009-03-26T09:41:00.001+02:00

First Curator of the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem—

Archeologist John Henry Illife, Club President 1942-43
John H. Illife, a British Archeologist, was our Club’s President in Rotary Year 1942-43.. As the Rockefeller museum's first curator, John established the museum's permanent display, which presents objects from the Stone Age (some two million years ago) until 1700 CE in chronological order.
The museum, which opened in 1938 and called the Palestine Archaeological Museum, , was funded by $2 million pledged by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., to match an endowment fund. The building, designed by Austen St. Barbe Harrison, stands on ten acres facing the Old City walls.
Among Illife’s archeological contributions was in 1934 he surveyed the town on the Spice/Incense Route in the Negev where he found Nabatean and early Roman potsherds. Another area of his expertise and discover dealt with burial practices in the ancient Holy Land.
P/P Illife followed the footsteps of our founding Club President, the renowned British Archeologist John W. Crowfoot.

Yale Whiffenpoofs and The Jerusalem Rotary Club Present...

2009-03-24T13:16:00.008+02:00

SAVE THE DATE

WEDNESDAY EVENING AUGUST 12

The Rotary Club of Jerusalem is holding a fundraiser concert presenting the

YALE WHIFFENPOOFS

This is one of the major fundraisers of the coming year. We will need the cooperation of all members to sell tickets, work on publicity and other arrangements.

Our portion of the proceeds, we share the net with the Yale Whiffenpoofs, will go to Club and Foundation services.

More details and a Youtube sample of the Whiffs can be found on our Club website at See the Whiffs

Looking Back to Rotary Year 1976/77 with Past President Werner Loval

2009-03-22T22:21:00.023+02:00

An Historical Perspective – Rotary Year 1976/77
[This article is part of our 80th Anniversary celebration of service in Jerusalem, Israel and around the world – thanks to P/P Werner Loval who served as president that year.]

In 1976 women were not yet members of Rotary and the Ladies Night for the Club was held on July 4, 1976- a backdrop for the IDF daring rescue operation at Entebbe, Uganda and the bi-centennial of the USA. That year Ronald Reagan won the US elections. 1977 marked the election of Menachem Begin as Israeli Prime Minister – the first time the Mapai Party had lost a national election.

There was a significant supportive response by Rotarians worldwide to the Entebbe affair demonstrated by messages of sympathy and a 9,000 Shekel contribution by the Rotary Club of Luneburg, West Germany, that our Club directed to Magen David Adom. During the Israeli election campaign we had the opportunity to invite as guest speakers some of the candidates including Ezer Weizmann, Arik Sharon and Yigal Yadin.

The Club a wonderful year of membership growth. The goal of the Board was to bring in new, younger members who would be active on committees and broaden the variety of professions and classifications represented in the Club.

The first new member inducted was James Rhoades. The Club aimed to induct at least one new member per month. Thanks to the cooperation of all members, the Club inducted 14 members bringing the total membership to 80.

The Club mourned the lost of P/P Emanuel Propper. He was a co-founder of the Club, Past President and Past District Administrative Adviser.

In January 1977, the President of Rotary International, Robert Manchester, visited our District. During his stay in Jerusalem the arranged a dinner for him at the Knesset and a meeting with the President, Ephraim Katzir.

Our Club was represented at the 68th Annual Rotary International Convention in San Francisco by P/P Mordechai Maron and Joachim Meisler.

Our own PDG Lucien Harris was appointed by the incoming President of RI, Jack Davis, to serve on the Advisory Group of the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa Region.

Our Rotary Foundation, founded by P/P Ernest Siedner in 1963, celebrated its bar Mitzvah year with a balance of 250,000 Shekels in the bank. Special recognition for the financial health of the fund went to P/P Siedner, P/P Moron, President Elect Emanuel Glassman and P/P Moshe Raz. The Foundation awarded 60 scholarships to students from 16 schools in Jerusalem in addition to a special scholarship award on the 10 anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem at Beit HaNassi and a grant to the YMCA summer camp. The Foundation was recognized for helping Jerusalem youngsters of all religions and nationalities in pursuit of their secondary and vocational education. The municipality of Jerusalem has recognized this by matching our contributions with an allocation from the city’s budget.

One of the fellowship pillars of our Club are Fireside social gatherings. Dr. Alexander Broido and Hiram Danin chaired 25 firesides during the winter thus enabling members to get to know one another a bit better and to meet new members.

During our summer of 1976 the Youth Exchange program hosted visiting boys and girls from Europe. Honorary Secretary Dick Fain, P/P Eleasar Weissbrot , Yitzhak Rogow, Abraham Taubenhouse, simcha Pratt and Dr. Broido led the way. Yossi Cassuto organized the recruitment and sending of Israeli youth of youth exchanges in Europe.

Our Community Services Committee Chair, Shalom Daron organized a special summer camp (kaitana) and Shavuot camp for underprivileged children. Other activities included parties for senior citizens in old age homes in Jerusalem. Thanks to the initiative of Barney Kaplan, our club sent two handicapped youngsters from the Alyn Orthopedic Hospital to a Rotary Summer Camp in Norway along with to healthy youngsters.

P/P Shabtai Petrushka continued his work with Ilan and the “March of Prutot” Campaign.

During the Werner Loval administration, our Club had a tremendous record of support to Rotary International. Thanks to the excellent budgeting of our Honorary Treasurer, David Vardi, the Club achieved the “500% Level” where the amount allocated was greater then $50/member. This was only achieved by the Rotary Club of Haifa and the three Clubs in Tel Aviv.

At the Changeover Dinner , outgoing President Loval gave special recognition of P/P Nathan Fischer the very productive Membership Chair and P/P Douglas Young and his wife Georgie, for hosting a special get together for all new members at their lovely home.

President Loval placed special emphasis on the importance on interesting and informative Club meetings. The outstanding chairs of the Program Committee were Murrel Kohn and David Efrima who throughout the year helped to provide interesting speakers on topical subjects.

Loval: “The importance of good programs cannot be over-emphasized, for although our service activities are really what counts, the interest of the members could not be maintained for long without stimulating and informative luncheon meetings every Wednesday. I might add here that our programs are, to a considerable extent, responsible for attracting new members.”

Others who made significant contributions during the year included Bulletin Editor Max Wittman and assistant editors Jack Waltuch, Irvin Schermeer and Julian Melzer; Public Relations and Publicity Committee Co-sChair Yitzhak Rogow and Alex Zvielli; Attendance Committee Chair Joe Cohen; and Rotary Information, Dan Nastoff and P/P shabtai Petrushka.

The roster of members by the end of the Rotary Year included: Abraham Angel, Shimon Bein, Dr. Raphael Ben-Dor, Dr. Heinz Chaim Berendt, Dr. Charles Boasson, Dr. Alexander Broido, Dr. Yehuda Brott, Yossi cassuto, Professor Guidobaldi Cevidalli, Anshel Citron, Aron Cogan, Dr. Joseph Cohen, Benjamin Cohen-Harounoff, Hiram Danin, Dr. Wilfred De Pauw, Jacoy Daron, Shalom Daron, David Efrima, Oded Eliashar, Hermann Ellern, Simantov Eskenazi, Richard Fain, Dr. Paul Farkas, Nathan Fischer, Heinz Freudenthal, Jarvis Friedman, Lajos Yehuda Friedman, Professor Shalev Friedman, Emanuel Glassman, Dr. Samuel Goldfeld, Erich Gottfetreu, PDG Lucien Harris, Richard Hellman, Dr. Jacob Ilany (Feigenbaum), Dr. Barney Jacob Kaplan, Dr. Moshe Kelman, Professor Aviezer Kertes, Peter Kirchner, Ephraim Fredrick Kittner, Michael Jack Klein, Murrel Leo Kohn, Franklyn Landes, Werner Loval, Mordechai Maron, Dr. Amram Miller, Joachim Meisler, Julian Meltzer, dr. Bertold Moch, Dan Nastoff, Alexander Pell, Shabtai Petrushka, Emil MIchel Pikovsky, Simcha Pratt, Moshe Hugo Ranon, Moshe Raz, James L. Rhoades, Yitzhak Rogow, Bernhard Rosenblum, Michael Rosner, Shimon T. Samuels, Irwin Edward Schermer, Abraham Shabtay, Joshua N. Shai, Dr. Miron Sheskin, Dr. Zvi Shwarz, Ernest H. Siedner, Dr. Moshe siskin, Dr. Ernst Steinitz, Abraham Taubenhouse, David Vardi, Moshe Vardi, Jack Waltuch, Arieh Warshavsky, Eleasar L. Weissbrot, Max Wittman, Dr. David Yarom, Dr. G. Douglas Young, Moshe Ziegel and Alexander Zvielli.

[Source: "The Jerusalem Rotary Club in 1976/77, The President's Report", presented to the club membership at the end of year Ladies Night - Jerusalem Hilton Hotel, June 29, 1977]

Thursday March 26 Joint Dinner with RC Haifa

2009-03-22T11:37:00.008+02:00

JERUSALEM ROTARY CLUB JOINT DINNER WITH THE HAIFA ROTARY CLUB

Cost NIS120

Thursday 26 March 2009 at 7 p.m. (19.00)

At the Moriah Classic Hotel (formerly Novotel)

6 St. George Street (near the American Colony Hotel)

Telephone: 532 0000

The Haifa Rotary Club are celebrating their 75th Anniversary as we and the District celebrate our 80th. Some 50 members and spouses from the Haifa RC, accompanied by Haifa’s Mayor, will spend the weekend in Jerusalem and have invited us to join with them in a celebratory dinner. Nir Barkat, the Jerusalem Mayor, had agreed to attend but had to withdraw as he will be out of the country. He will be represented by Yair Segev who is responsible for East Jerusalem affairs at the municipality.

So far 16 members and spouses have indicated that they are attending. If you have not already done so please indicate on the list below your participation as we need to inform the hotel of numbers. I urge you to join us on Thursday as the Haifa club are here as our guests and we should be there in respectable numbers. This will be our weekly meeting.

R.S.V.P. to me no later than Tuesday 24 March.

N.B. There will be no meeting on Wednesday 25 March 2009.

President David Seligman

Our Club focuses on Service at home and abroad

2009-03-21T17:46:00.010+02:00

Rotary’s commitment to peace and understanding in our own communities and around the world is nowhere more important than in countries suffering from deep-rooted and seemingly intractable conflicts. In this Report sent to our Member Sir Sigmund Sternberg, President Kern E. Wisman of the Rotary Club of Jerusalem reports on his Club’s programme, including the active part it plays in promoting dialogue and understanding.

The activities of our Club this past year included the continuation of our premier project, that of providing scholarships to secondary school youth. This was our 43rd
year to allocate money to students to assist them in defraying the expenses associated with their respective choices in continuing their educations. Close to US$8,000 was distributed among 69 students in varying amounts.

In December, one of our number, P.P. Rizek Abusharr, was given an honour by the District 490 when he became one of eight Rotarian recipients in the District to receive the ‘Shield of Tolerance’ award for his efforts in coexistence and intercultural cooperation.

In January our Club responded to the devastating Tsunami disaster by contacting Rotarians in Chennai in Madras State [Tamil Nadu], with whom we were acquainted. Initially we sent money to be used to repair the fishermen’s boats that
were damaged in the Tsunami, but after the governmentstepped in to repair them, P.D.G. Rehka Shetty of District 3230 identified another need, and so the US$2,700 were used to replace bicycles for the children of the area, in order that they could again get to school.

In cooperation with Clubs in the United States, the Jerusalem Rotary Club cosponsored a ‘Young Entrepreneurs’ programme with the San Marino Club from
California, encouraging teams of youths to conceive of a product, produce, and market it. In a Matching Grant project with the Skokie Valley and Jerusalem West Clubs, our Club assisted in the building of a playground in the Musrara seam community in Jerusalem, where children from the bordering Jewish and Arab cultures could play together.

The Club organized two major fundraising projects to raise money for its Centennial Matching Grant project to benefit the Gan Shalom (Peace Kindergarten) of the Jerusalem International YMCA (a programme for preschool children taught in Hebrew and Arabic to equal numbers of Christian and Muslim Arabs and Jews where they learn about each other’s cultures and traditions while cooperating and discovering that there is much more that is similar about them than is different). The first project was to co-sponsor a play, ‘The Two Charlottes’, with the Hadassah group and the second was our annual Treasures Sale, a much anticipated and well attended sale of like new and still useable ‘treasures’.
Kern E. Wisman

[This letter is reprinted from the London Rotarian, Autumn 2005, Vol. 90 No. 1]

Jerusalem Post story on 80th Annivesary by Greer Fay Cashman

2009-03-21T17:23:00.002+02:00

Greer Fay Cashman Jerusalem Post March 10, 2009
WHILE MANY Jerusalemites will be sitting down to a Purim meal today, members of the Jerusalem Rotary Club, which meets on Wednesdays at the YMCA, will be celebrating their 80th anniversary. The founding meeting of the Jerusalem Rotary Club took place on January 22, 1929 at the St. John's hotel in the Old City with 21 charter members, most of whom were British. The first president was J.W. Crowfoot, a British archaeologist, and the secretary was Vladimir Wolfson, the manager of Shell Oil. The Jerusalem Rotary Club was founded three weeks minus one day after the founding of the Cairo Rotary Club. Both clubs were chartered on March 11, 1929, and each was the first in its country. Early members included Jews, Christians and Muslims. Religious, ethnic and national frictions did not intrude on meetings, and the spirit of goodwill and understanding among nations that prompted the founding of Rotary in Chicago in 1905 continues in Jerusalem, with members of different faiths and backgrounds coming together in mutual respect to work for the common good. The Jerusalem Rotary Club and the Haifa Rotary Club will get together in Jerusalem on March 26 to celebrate the Haifa Club's 75th anniversary, and in June the District Convention of Rotary will celebrate the 80th anniversary of Rotary in Israel, and this event will also be held in Jerusalem.

Our Club Celebrates 80 years of Service in Jerusalem, Israel and Around the World

2009-03-13T14:17:00.020+02:00

Greer Fay Cashman and past member of our club cartoonist Ephraim Kishon at the 80th Anniversary Luncheon at the Jerusalem YMCA

President David Seligman and PDG Irene Lewitt at the Luncheon

Shabtai Petrushka Rotary Club President 1965/66

2009-03-12T23:50:00.003+02:00

Shabtai Petrushka Rotary Club President 1965/66

Born 1903 Leipzig, Germany - died 1997, Jerusalem

The composer and conductor Shabtai Petrushka was born Siegmund Leo Petrushka. He grew up in an orthodox family and even before he started school he could read and write. From his early youth Petrushka was involved with music and even served as a young cantor at the daily prayers in his school. In Leipzig he studied piano, violoncello as well as theory. He was a member of the Blau-Weiss youth organization and between 1919 and 1922 sang in the Gewandhaus choir in Leipzig under the direction of Arthur Nikisch.
In 1923 he moved to Berlin intending to study mechanical engineering at the Technical College in Charlottenburg. He financed his studies by playing with the jazz ensemble "Sid Kay’s Fellows" which he founded together with a fellow student. He gave up the idea of becoming an engineer and devoted all his energy to the ensemble which, under his baton, accompanied various theatrical performances and earned recognition in its own right when it performed in Vienna, Budapest, Frankfurt, Barcelona and Munich. In 1933, the ensemble was disbanded and Petrushka, while playing with The Orchestra of the Jewish Cultural Society composed music for various plays (among them also for the Shalom Aleichem play ‘Amcha’. Using pseudonyms to disguise his being a Jew, he worked as music arranger for the Deutsche Gramophone Gesellschaft and for UFA films, Berlin.
In 1938, when he immigrated to Eretz-Israel (Palestine), Petrushka joined the Palestine Broadcasting Corp. Orchestra. From 1942 he served as conductor and arranger of the orchestra. He became active member of the Haganah in 1946. In the first decade of the independent State of Israel, Shabtai Petrushka served as Deputy director of the Music Programs Dept of Kol Israel and in 1958 was appointed Director of Music Section and held this post until his retirement. In the years 1969-1981, Petrushka was senior lecturer for orchestration and composition at the Rubin Academy of Music and Dance, Jerusalem.
His compositions were published in Germany and Israel and they are clear indication of his attachment to the treasures of the music of the Jewish communities in the Diaspora - both in the East and in the West.

80th Anniversary Presidential Profiles - Reverend Dr. G. Douglas Young 69/70

2009-03-10T12:07:00.015+02:00

The President of RC Jerusalem 1969/70 Reverend Dr. G. Douglas Young

An evangelical Christian theologian and scholar, a graduate of the McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, who was the founding president of the Holy Land Bible Institute on Mout Zion. He was also one of the founders of the Rainbow Group and a leading spirit on the Israel Interfaith Committee.
His biographer, Calvin Hanson called him “a gentile with the heart of a Jew.” Young received his doctorate degree at Dropsie College of Hebrew and Cognate Learning (now CAJS). Together with his wife, Georgina, he settled in Jerusalem.
The institute he founded did not admit Jewish students, lest it be accused of harboring missionary intentions. His love for the Jewish people and his Christian Zionism were rooted in a profound biblical faith. He made frequent visits to the United States where he addressed Christian and Jewish audiences and countered anti-Israel propaganda.
Back home in Jerusalem he was a volunteer ambulance driver during the 6 Day War and relived Jewish friends of Civil Guard duty on Friday evenings so they could attend synagogue and enjoy a restful Shabbat with their families.
After his retirement as president of the Holy Land Institute, Dr. Young devote much of his time to “Bridges for Peace,” informing Christians of theological errors concerning the Jewish People and adducing biblical evidence for he need to support Medinat Yisrael. The title of Yakir Yerushalayim was confirmed on him in 1978.

His funeral service was held at St. Andrews Scottish Church in Jerusalem and he is buried on Mt. Zion. He was considered by those who knew him to be a saint.

The Rotary Club of Jerusalem Presidents

2009-03-05T22:41:00.084+02:00

The Rotary Club of Jerusalem Presidents

(Source: Rotary Bell)

John Winter (J.W.) Crowfoot (1873-1959) 29/30 (Archeologist)He first excavated at Phylakopi and later became director of the British School of Archaeology at Jerusalem (1927-35). His Daughter,Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin was the third woman to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Lieut-Colonel Dr. J.C. Strathearn, O.B.E 30/31 (British Ophthalmologist,Warden of St John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem,)
Dr. H.J Orr-Ewing 31/32 (Head of the British Mission Hospital in Jerusalem)
Herbert Danby 32/33 Anglican Reverend, author and translator of the Mishna and Tosefta into English
D.G. Salameh 33/34 Vice Mayor of Jerusalem
Professor Leon Roth (Philosophy, Hebrew University) 34/35
Ely Eliot Palmer 35/36 (U.S. Counsel General in Jerusalem, Ambassador to Afghanistan)
Bernard Chaikin 36/37 (English Architect, worked with Patrick Geddes on Hebrew Univesity Campus)
Edward Thomas Cosgrove, Esq. 37/39
PDG Lars E. Lind 39/40 (Photographer, American Colony, elected first District Governor from Palestine in 1944)
N.A. Stewart 40/41
Alvah L. Miller 41/42 (YMCA General Secretary)
John Henry Iliffe 42/43 (British Archeologist, Curator, Rockefeller Museum)
W.H. Chinn 43/44
M. Dajani 44/45
I.B. George 45/46
Elie Eliachar 46/47(Author, Jewish Palestinian relations)
H.W. Barratt 47/48
Mark Jaffee 48/49 (Banker, Chair, Palestine Corporation- later the Union Bank)
Professor Leon Roth 49/50
Dr. Emanuel Propper 50/51
A. Scott Morrison 51/52
A. Suss 52/53
G. Ilan 53/54
Ronny M. Silver 54/55 (captain and conductor of the Police Band)
S. Kelly 55/56
Zoltan S. Harmat 56/57
Dr. Charles Boasson 57/58 (lawyer, peace research)
Ted Lurie 58/59 (Editor, Jerusalem Post)
Anshel Citron 59/60 (Auditor)
Herbert Minard 60/61 (YMCA Director General)
M. Haft 61/62
Dr. L. Basow 62/63
L.A. Bar Gur 63/64
Ernest H Siedner 64/65
Shabtai A. Petrushka 65/66
Jacob Daron 66/67 (Ambassador, Foreign Service, formerly Rudberg)
Mordechai Maron (administrative manager, Hadassah- University Hospital) 67/68
PDG Lucien Harris 68/69
Reverend Dr. G.Douglas Young 69/70 (Founder and President, Holy Land Bible Institute)
Dr. David Yarom 70/71
Nathan Fischer 71/72
Eleasar L. Weissbrot 72/73
Oded Eliashar 73/74
Joshua Shai 74/75
Moshe Raz 75/76 (Banker)
Werner Loval 76/77 (Real Estate, Founder Anglo Saxon)
Emanuel Glassman 77/78
Max Wittman 78/79 (Married to Dola Ben-Yehuda, daughter of Eliezer Ben Yehuda; Jewish Agency)
Shimon T. Samuels 79/80
Dr. Moshe Kelman 80/81 (Health, Dental Service, Ethicist)
Richard Fain 81/82 (Lawyer)
Franklyn Ephraim Landes 82/83
Bill Macafee 83/84 (YMCA Director General)
Yehuda Haber 84/85
Cyril Swiel 85/86
Paul Brown 86/87
Rizek Abusharr 87/88 (YMCA Director General)
Yitzhak M. Rogow 88/89
Yossi Cassuto 89/90 (Insurance)
Shalom Doron 90/91 (Finance, Chair, Bnai Brith)
Ronald Bates 91/92 (Bahá'í Representative)
Avraham Cohen 92/93
Avraham Taubenhouse 93/94
Don Edelstein 94/95 (Education)
Benad Avital 95/96 (Ambassador, Foreign Service)
Ruth G. Harris 96/97 (Health-Occupational Therapist)
Alex Falcon 97/98
PDG Irène Lewitt 98/99
Alexandra Darmon 99/00 (Banking)
Dr. Amram Miller 00/01 (Health-Dentistry)
Professor Felix Jaffe 01/02 (Geologist)
David Seligman 02/03 (International Educational Consultant)
Don Shrensky 03/04 (Accountant)
Rafi Aldor 04/05
Kern Wisman 05/06 (Bahá'í Representative)
Marilyn Farber 06/07 (Health-Ocular Epidemiologist)
Shlomo Khayat 07/08 (Architect)
Shared Presidency:(Kern Wisman, Ruth Harris, David Seligman) 08/09
Mark Alan Zober, Ph.D. 09/10
Nikolaus Kircher 10/11

Jerusalem Rotary Club – Founders and Presidents by Past President Benad Avital

2009-03-05T21:43:00.002+02:00

Jerusalem Rotary Club – Founders and Presidents

Historical notes by P/P Benad Avital (Source: Jerusalem Rotary Club Bulletin April 9, 2008 from talk given at the April 2, 2008 Club meeting.)

President Shlomo, Fellow Rotarians;

Nine months from now, we shall begin to celebrate a birthday, a very special
birthday. It is our collective 80th anniversary as a special club; the Rotary Club
of Jerusalem. We are a special club because we are the first; the first Rotary
club established in Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel; the first club in what we
now call District 2490; and may I say, with a little poetic license, that we are the
Mother of All Clubs – in our District, of course.

Our President believes, and I agree with him, that we should know more about
those who came before us; before we became Members of this club; before
some of us were even born.

Accordingly, I agreed to take up 2 or 3 minutes occasionally, to tell you just a
little about some of the Past Presidents; about who they were, so that we might
better understand the threads that held this club together. And I shall start us
off right now, by going right back to January 1929, to the first official meeting
of the 21 men who signed up as Charter Members of the Rotary Club of Jerusalem.
The Rotary Club of Jerusalem was founded on January 22nd 1929, with 21 Charter
Members; and was accepted by Rotary International on March 11th.

Among the Jewish charter members were Hugo Bergman and Norman
Bentwich. Hugo Bergman was born in Germany and was Chief Librarian of the
Hebrew University/National Library and subsequently the University’s first Rector.
Norman de Mattos Bentwich was born in England, in 1883. His father, Herbert,
was a lawyer; the editor of Law Journal; and also the leader of Hovevei Zion and
the Zionist movement in Britain, before settling in Palestine in 1929. Norman
Bentwich was the first Attorney-General in Mandated Palestine, serving in that
capacity from 1920-31. For the next 20 years he was Professor of International
Relations at Hebrew University and, from 1933-36, Director of the League of Nations
Commission for Jewish Refugees from Germany. His wife, Helen, was
chairman of L.C.C. (London County Council) in the mid-1950s. Their daughter
Thelma, a prominent cellist, married David Yellin’s son, Eliezer. Norman’s
brother, Joseph, was Principal of Reali High School in Haifa, from 1948-55.
With Charter Members like Norman Bentwich and Hugo Bergman, the Jerusalem
Rotary Club was off to a good start!

The first four presidents were British; the fifth a distinguished Arab from a
prominent family, D.G. Salameh. The member’s choice for the 6th President was
Leon Roth, 38 years old; a British-born philosophy Professor at Hebrew University.
Leon Roth was the sixth President of the Jerusalem Rotary Club; and the first
Jew to be so honoured. Professor Leon Roth served as club president again in
1949-50: the 20th President of the Rotary Club of Jerusalem. Leon Roth had a
younger brother, Professor Cecil Roth, a most distinguished Historian, specializing
in Jewish History, who was Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopaedia Judaica.

The Jerusalem Rotary Club Rotary Year 2009-10 Board Meeting Wednesday March 4, 2009

2009-03-05T19:51:00.003+02:00

The Jerusalem Rotary Club Rotary Year 2009-10 Board Meeting
Wednesday March 4, 2009

In Attendance: P/E Mark Zober (Chair), P/P Ruth Harris, P/P David Seligman, P/P Kern Wisman, Bernice Beare Rosenberg, Nikolaus Kirchner, Helene Stuart, PDG Irene Lewitt (ex officio)

Apologies: P/P Richard Fain, Secretary Elect Nezar Tannous, Treasurer Elect Roy Rissenan.

The meeting held in the conference room of the Jerusalem International YMCA started at 2:40 PM

Election of President Nominee for Rotary Year 2010-11
Only one item was on the agenda for this the first official board meeting of the incoming the Jerusalem Rotary Club: The election of the President Nominee for Rotary Year 2010-11.

P/E Mark Zober had appointed P/P and current Club Acting President David Seligman to conduct the nomination process for our Club President for Rotary Year 2010-11. David reported that he had surveyed the eligible candidates and after taking into consideration their thoughts and recommendations and the election results for the Club Board for RY 2009-10 the recommended candidate is Nikolaus Kircher.

After expressing his appreciation for the nomination and mentioned the other professional challenges and family obligations he faces, Nikolaus accepted the nomination. All members of the current and incoming Club Boards congratulated Nikolaus and pledged their support during his presidency.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:05 PM.

Minutes submitted by P/E Mark Zober in the absence of Secretary Elect Nezar Tannous

The Jerusalem Rotary Club Historical Background - Our first President J.W. Crowfoot

2009-03-05T19:48:00.005+02:00

Historical Background: The Jerusalem Rotary Club

In 1928 James W. (Jim) Davidson, General Commissioner of Rotary International, a past president of the Calgary, Alberta, Rotary Club, answered a call from Rotary International to carry the Rotary ideal to Asia, to the Near East, to southern Asia and to the Far East. The journey took three years and started in Istanbul. Jim's wife and daughter accompanied him on his long odyssey, which covered 12,000 miles and took them to the shores of the Pacific.

The second stop was Athens and from there the Davidson's continued to Cairo where on January 2nd 1929, the Cairo club was founded with 22 charter members, and Clare Martin, manager of Shell Oil, as President.

Jim Davidson then proceeded to Jerusalem by train to join Dr. Edward Wicher, a Rotarian from San Anselmo, California, who, helped by three or four Jerusalem residents, had prepared the ground for a club in the Holy City. The founding meeting of the Jerusalem Rotary Club took place on January 22nd 1929 at the St. John's Hotel in the Old City. The first President was J.W. Crowfoot, a British archaeologist; the Secretary was Vladamir Wolfson, manger of Shell Oil. There were 21 charter members, most of them British officials; in those tense times the club could not have been founded at all without strong British support.

Indeed, it was a remarkable achievement and a credit to Rotary, that there were both Arab and Jewish members as well. However, the inclusion of such outstanding scholars as Norman Bentwich, Canon Danby and Hugo Bergman among the charter members ensured rapid admission to Rotary International on March 11th, less then seven weeks after the formal organizational meeting.

The Cairo Rotary Club, founded just 20 days earlier, sponsored the Jerusalem club and presented it with the Rotary Bell which has served the club every since.

The Jerusalem Rotary Club began life at a time of sharpened political tensions, shortly before the Hebron program that left many Jewish residents dead. The general situation did not improve. Indeed the five years from 1936 to 1940 where worse still.

Nevertheless, the Rotary spirit protected relations within the Jerusalem Rotary Club, and British, Arab and Jewish Rotarians continued their weekly meetings, providing a haven for harmony and free discussion. A second club was established in 1933 in Haifa as a result of Clare Martin's preparatory work.

It was the Jerusalem Club that takes credit for establishing the third club in Tel Aviv-Yaffo through the efforts of two of its members, the architect Chaikin and Halabi.

(Source: http://www.rotaryfirst100.org/global/countries/israel/index.htm )
#####################################################################
John Winter (J.W.) Crowfoot
The First President of the Jerusalem Rotary Club
(1873-1959)
John Winter (J.W.) Crowfoot (1873-1959) was the son of J.H. Crowfoot, Chancellor of Lincoln Cathedral. He was educated at Marlborough College and Brasenose College, Oxford. He had an early interest in archaeology and in 1897 spent a year traveling in Anatolia and Greece as a student of the British School of Archaeology in Athens. From 1899-1900 he was Lecturer in Classics in Birmingham University. In 1901 he joined the Egyptian Civil Service as Assistant Master of Education and in 1903 became Deputy Principal of Gordon College, Khartoum. In 1909, he returned briefly to Egypt as an Inspector in the Ministry of Education. In 1914 he became Director of Education and Principal of Gordon College, a post he held until his retirement from the Sudan Civil Service in 1926. At the same time, he became Director of the Department of Antiquities of the Sudan.
Following his 'retirement', he succeeded Professor John Garstang as Director of the British School of Archaeology (BSAJ) in Jerusalem from 1927-35. Under Garstang, the BSAJ and the Department of Antiquities of Palestine had been jointly run and the BSAJ had received a Treasury grant. In 1926 the two were separated and the School lost its grant, as well as its headquarters building. Crowfoot overcame these difficulties by establishing a close collaboration with the American School of Oriental Research, which had just built its own new headquarters. There, the library of the BSAJ was housed and the Crowfoots and the students of the BSAJ found a hospitable welcome.
Thereafter, Crowfoot began to carried out a major programme of excavations, beginning with the PEF excavations on the Hill of Ophel in Jerusalem in 1927. This was followed by the Joint BSAJ Yale University Excavations at Jerash/Gerasa in 1928-1930, and the Joint BSAJ, Harvard University, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Palestine Exploration Fund excavations at Samaria-Sebaste from 1931-1935. During the first of these excavations, on 11 July 1927, while work was being carried out at a depth of 15.24 m, an extremely powerful earthquake shook the sides of the trench, but only dislodged a few pebbles on to the excavators.
Crowfoot’s work in this period was of the greatest importance for Levantine archaeology, with major contributions to the understanding of the Iron Age ceramic sequence, the eastern terra sigillata, and pioneering work on early churches. There is a collection of his lectures: Early Churches in Palestine (Schweich Lectures of the British Academy. 1937.)

Crowfoot and Fitzgerald continued the work of the Palestine Exploration Fund in 1927-1928 in the City of David. The most impressive find from their excavation was a section of a fortress within which was a large opening. Despite the fact that these were dated to the times of the Bible and then later identified with Sha’ar HaGay, it can be said that it is still inconclusive. This issue needs to be re-clarified and perhaps the nearby excavations at the Givati Parking Lot will help provide further information.

JERUSALEM ROTARY CLUB 80th ANNIVERSARY EVENT- A FLOWER WALK IN THE JERUSALEM HILLS

2009-02-28T23:27:00.002+02:00

JERUSALEM ROTARY CLUB 80th ANNIVERSARY EVENT

A FLOWER WALK IN THE JERUSALEM HILLS

followed by BRUNCH AT THE BELMONT RESTAURANT, KIBBUTZ TZUBA on

Friday, 6 March 2009

Start at the Botanical Gardens at 8.45 a.m. Meeting point to be announced.
Brunch at 12.30

Total cost per person: NIS100

A guided easy walk starting at the Botanical Gardens and moving on to the area round Sataf to see the wild tulips and orchids as well as the many other beautiful flowers. We will have brunch at the Belmont Restaurant with its views across to the ruins of the Crusader fortress and get back to Jerusalem before Shabbat.

So far twelve members have registered for the event. If you plan to join us please contact David immediately as we need to confirm numbers with the restaurant. Family and friends are welcome. If the numbers warrant it we will hire a mini bus otherwise we will travel in a convoy of cars.

David – 671 6159 or davidsel@netvision.net.il

Club Calendar for February/March

2009-02-26T17:08:00.008+02:00

JERUSALEM ROTARY CLUB

CLUB CALENDAR & DISTRICT EVENTS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009

February 25 Wednesday

Murad Alyan and Khaldoon Iraqi

The new Magen David Adom East Jerusalem Team

February 26 and 27 Thursday and Friday Ulpan 2009/10 for incoming President, Secretary & Treasurer

March 4 Wednesday TBA

March 6 Friday

Flower walk and brunch in the Judean Hills. Easy walking.
Enjoy the wild orchids and tulips followed by a delightful brunch at Belmont, the restaurant at Kibbutz Tzuba.

March 11 Wednesday

Club Assembly- Let’s celebrate our 80th Birthday

March 13 Friday The Paul Harris Forest Safed (Tsfat)The District 80th Anniversary celebration

March 18 Yonathan Mizrachi - “Silwan/Ir David: Archaeology in the Israel-Palestine conflict”

March 25 Wednesday
Iris Weiner
Hazzanut and its place in the Synagogue of today

June 4-6 Thursday to Saturday 49th District Convention
Regency Hotel, Jerusalem
See the Brochure and register.

Symphony at Rotary - Demetrios & FriendsMozart Oboe Quartet Wednesday February 11 - Meeting Starts 12:45 Concert at 1 PM:

2009-02-09T08:26:00.008+02:00

DEMETRIOS & FRIENDS Of THE JERUSALEM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Will perform movements from the MOZART OBOE QUARTET

* At our meeting this Wednesday due to their schedule commitments the musicians have asked to start playing at 1 p.m. (13.00)

* Rotary business will start at 12.45 p.m.

* We will of course oblige them and reverse our normal order of procedure. Members are asked to start lunch at 1.30 p.m. and so avoid adding a percussion obligato of clattering plates, knives and forks to the Mozart Oboe Quartet. I am sure that our rumbling tummies will survive the short lunch delay as we feed on the glories of the music.

* Please make every effort to be on time.

Demetrios, his Friends, Mozart and I thank you for your cooperation.

President David Seligman

RI President Dong Kurn Lee: - February is Rotary World Understanding Month

2009-01-31T07:31:00.004+02:00

RI Presidential Messages

February 2009

Dear fellow Rotarians,

I grew up in a small village, the same village where my family had lived for many generations. I lived close to many members of my extended family, and our family traditions were very strong. In those days, few Koreans ever traveled abroad, and there was very little Western influence. My home, my language, and my culture were all I knew.

When I was in my 20s, I made a decision that would shape the rest of my life. With my father’s encouragement, I traveled to the United States to work and to study. I chose San Francisco as my destination and spent nearly two years there, taking classes and learning English. I made my way working at several entry-level jobs.

It is difficult even today to describe what an impact that experience had on me. Everything, and everyone, was different. I was used to seeing only Korean faces; in San Francisco, I saw people from all over the world. I worked hard on my English and in my job. I learned what it was like to be the person who did not understand, who cleaned up after others, who took orders but never gave them. I learned how large the world outside my village really was. And those experiences sent me back to Korea changed.

When I returned to join my father’s business in Seoul, I knew what it was like to be a worker at the bottom of an organizational hierarchy – and that affected how I treated my employees. I knew what it was like to do physical labor all day – and that gave me increased respect for those who worked in every kind of job. Perhaps most important, I knew how much of the world lay beyond my own experience. I knew that there were so many different countries and cultures, so many different people in the world. I knew that as much as we are all different, we are all essentially the same. And I knew that everyone, everywhere, sometimes needs help from others.

In Rotary, February is World Understanding Month – a time to focus on the importance of goodwill and understanding for peace. It is a time for all of us to pause and consider how we are pursuing Rotary’s fourth Avenue of Service – International Service – because it is our international service, and our international fellowship, that will do the most to help us all build a more peaceful tomorrow.

Dong Kurn (D.K.) Lee
President, Rotary International

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Donates additional $255 Million to Eradicate Polio

2009-01-23T07:44:00.013+02:00

Bill Gates announces a new US$255 million grant for ending polio at the 2009 International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA. Photo by Rotary Images/Monika Lozinska-Lee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH1vPTVGHOk

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded US$255 million to Rotary International in the global effort to eradicate polio, bringing the total committed by Rotary and the Gates Foundation to $555 million.

Shortly after meeting with incoming district governors from the four countries where the wild poliovirus is endemic -- Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan -- Bill Gates announced the new grant on Wednesday morning at the International Assembly in San Diego, California, USA.

“Rotarians, government leaders, and health professionals have made a phenomenal commitment to get us to a point at which polio afflicts only a small number of the world’s children,” Gates said. “However, complete elimination of the poliovirus is difficult and will continue to be difficult for a number of years. Rotary in particular has inspired my own personal commitment to get deeply involved in achieving eradication.”

"We are going to end polio now," affirmed Robert S. Scott, chair of RI's International PolioPlus Committee.

In response to the new $255 million Gates Foundation grant, Rotary will raise $100 million in matching funds. In November 2007, RI received a $100 million Gates Foundation grant, which Rotary committed to match by raising $100 million.

The two Gates Foundation challenge grants now total $355 million. Rotary International’s matching effort in response is called Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge, which must be completed by 30 June 2012.

The $255 million grant is one of the largest challenge grants ever given by the Gates Foundation and the largest received by Rotary in its 104-year history. Rotary will spend the grant in direct support of immunization activities carried out by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which is spearheaded by RI and its partners , the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and UNICEF. Rotary will distribute the funds through grants to WHO and UNICEF.

The participation of Rotary clubs and individual Rotarians in Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge remains crucial to its success. Rotary has raised nearly $73 million toward this amount: $62 million in contributions and $11 million in commitments. Each club is being challenged to organize a public fundraiser annually for the next three years. In October, The Rotary Foundation Trustees approved special Paul Harris Fellow Recognition, which begins 1 July, featuring a certificate with the End Polio Now logo.

Polio eradication has been Rotary’s top priority since 1985, with more than $1.2 billion contributed to the effort. Gates praised Rotary for providing the volunteers, advocates, and donors who have helped bring about a 99 percent decline in the number of polio cases. “The world would not be where it is without Rotary, and it won’t get where it needs to go without Rotary,” he said.

The final hurdle still is ahead, said RI President-elect John Kenny. This grant shows that the Gates Foundation is just as committed as Rotary to ridding the world of this disease, he said.

Gates also shared with the incoming district governors and Rotary leaders a story from his trip to India in November, when he held a nine-month-old girl afflicted with polio in his arms in a slum in East Delhi.

“She obviously didn’t understand why people were poking her legs and looking so serious. But she’ll never be able to kick a ball around, never be able to play hide-and-seek with her friends, because she has polio,” Gates said. “As I held Hashmin, I thought, We can end this.”

“We don’t know exactly when the last child will be affected. But we do have the vaccines to wipe it out,” he said. “Countries do have the will to deploy all the tools at their disposal. If we all have the fortitude to see this effort through to the end, then we will eradicate polio.”

In addition, the governments of the United Kingdom and Germany announced they have respectively committed $150 million and $130 million to eradicate polio, which will not count toward Rotary’s challenge.

Government support is key to polio eradication efforts, said Scott.

Our Club Foundation Chair P/P Yossi Cassuto calls for increased personal contributions

2009-01-22T17:42:00.010+02:00

At the January Rotary Club Foundation Board Meeting chaired by P/P Yossi Cassuto, there was a call to increase awareness of our Club Foundation by all of our Club members and to encourage their continuing and increased personal financial contributions.

Yossi pointed out some of the major achievements of our Foundation to date:

1. FOUNDATION IN STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION: Our Club Foundation has 660,000 NIS in the bank. (this includes to special named funds that support scholarships in the names of PDG Lucian Harris and P/P Amram Miller of our Club.)

2. SIXTY SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED ANNUALLY: The Foundation gives out 60 scholarships a year of 700 NIS each including the two special scholarships of our late members that are supported by endowments.

3. P/P MOSHE RAZ RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT: Thanks to the outstanding investment advice of long time Foundation Board member and former Chair, P/P Moshe Raz, our Foundation is in a very good financial position today.

4. CALL FOR INCREASED SUPPORT: The Board strongly believes that it is essential that our full membership become more aware and increasingly supportive of the Foundation. In 2006 individual membership contributions equaled 14,000 NIS and this year personal contributions increased to 30,000 NIS. The Foundation Board is calling on all Club members to consider increasing their gifts this coming year. Ideas have included having a fundraising event, soliciting members directly and having a fundraising campaign with special recognition for major donors.

5. MAJOR DONOR NAMING OPPORTUNITIES ENCOURAGED: Gifts of $500 USD are recognized a6 "Major Donor" contributions in the name(s) of the Rotarian donor(s) or in honor or memory of loved ones and appear on the invitation at the Annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony.

6. NEXT ANNUAL AWARD MEETING AFTER PASSOVER: The next Scholarships Award Ceremony will be held after the passover holiday. Please consider becoming a Major Donor this year.

7. NEXT FOUNDATION BOARD MEETING: The next Foundation board meeting with be held at 12 Noon on Wednesday March 4.

2009 RI Convention in Birmingham, England, 21-24 June Be a part of history and celebrate the 100th Rotary convention

2009-01-22T09:49:00.005+02:00

2009 RI Convention in Birmingham, England, 21-24 June
Be a part of history and celebrate the 100th Rotary convention, which will take place in Birmingham, the heart of England!

If you haven’t been back to Birmingham since the 1984 convention, you may not recognize this former industrial town. Now a lively canal city known for its outstanding shopping and dining, Birmingham — or Brum, as the natives call it — underwent a dramatic facelift in the 1990s. The transformation resulted in a modern, more pedestrian-friendly city that retains traces of its medieval and Industrial Age roots.

Download the convention booklet for more reasons to come to Birmingham in 2009. This 24-page booklet also contains registration, hotel reservation, and Host Organization Committee forms.

The Rotary International Theme Logo for RY 2009-10

2009-01-22T09:00:00.001+02:00

RI President-elect John Kenny announces RY 2009-10 Theme - The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands

2009-01-22T08:42:00.008+02:00

If Rotary is to stay relevant in the 21st century, it must work to
improve access to clean water, combat hunger, and expand literacy.

RI President-elect John Kenny set that challenge in front of incoming
district governors on Monday, as he rolled out his 2009-10 presidential
emphases, noting that The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands.

Kenny stressed that while clubs are the backbone of Rotary, emphases
help coordinate the many individual efforts, encouraging clubs to direct
their work in the areas where the organization has seen the greatest
need and where there has been the greatest benefit.

"We also strive for continuity of service, so that we many continue
to go from strength to strength," Kenny said. "In [2009-10], I
will ask Rotarians everywhere to continue to learn from our experiences
and to build upon our successes. I ask you all to continue to work for
the health and well-being of not only children but their families and
people everywhere."

Access to clean water
Kenny set water as his first emphasis because "it is the necessity
of every man, woman, and child. We could, I suppose, all live without
oil, but we can none of us live without water."

Kenny, who has worked consistently on water projects for the past two
decades, emphasized that water projects must also encompass sanitation,
"because without adequate sanitation, our good work is easily
undone."

Health and hunger
Kenny described health and hunger as the tent within which much of
Rotary's service dwells. Rotarians who work in the area of health
and hunger are also working toward peace.

"How can there be peace in the world when so many will try to sleep
tonight without having eaten today?" Kenny asked incoming governors,
assembled for the annual International Assembly in San Diego,
California, USA.

Literacy
Literacy rounds out Kenny's emphases. "In the words of Nelson
Mandela, 'no country can succeed if its future leaders are not
educated,' " he said.

"Whether Rotary will thrive or falter, whether our service will mean
much to many or little to few, whether Rotary is known with respect or
seen as a relic of days gone by -- all this is up to you," Kenny
said. "The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands."

Timothy Buckley, governor-elect from District 5870 (Texas, USA), said
the emphases give the new class of district governors a good direction
to follow. "We need to strengthen Rotary in order to help
others," he said.

Club Launching our "Hidden Treasures" Series - members sharing their life stories.

2009-01-20T19:58:00.004+02:00

From our Program Chair Nikolaus Kircher:

Dear fellow Rotarians,

After a telephone conversation with Acting President P/P David Seligman about ways to have a bigger resource of speakers for our meetings, we would like to present you a new idea: On the one hand, most of our members have very interesting biographies and on the other hand we know very little about each other in the club.

I suggest launch a series of talks (on a voluntary basis of course) with the title: “The Hidden Treasure: Rotarians talk about their lives” (there’s also a very nice Jiddish alternative title David should mention to you). Those who are interested should contact me in order to find a suitable date. The first talk -alas – has to be in our meeting tomorrow (January 21, 2009) since the Jerusalem orchestra presentation has been postponed to February 11th.

Best wishes
Nikolaus

President-Elect Mark Zober building Leadership Team for RY 2009-10

2009-01-11T14:10:00.006+02:00

President-Elect Mark Zober is beginning to build his leadership team for Rotary Year starting in early July 2009. He is request all of our Club members to take up some responsibility in the coming year.

"I strongly believe that getting involved in Rotary Club activities is a great source of satisfaction for each member. I would like each one of our members to take up the challenge.

"I am honored that we already have named our Club Secretary, Nezar Tannous; Club Treasuer, Rotary Rissanen; and Program Chair, Art Braunstein. P/P Rafi Aldor continues as the Chair of the Community Service/Allocation Committee."

Mark is seeking members to take up challenge in other areas of Club services including Foundation Greetings, International Toast, Front Desk Greetings and much more.

Please take up the challenge and let Mark know we can count on your service over the coming year.

Rotary Club of Jerusalem well represented at District 2490 Half Year Convention

2009-01-11T14:00:00.004+02:00

On Friday January 9, 2009 our District 2490 (Israel) held its half year convention. It was held at the Hecht Museum at Haifa University - our RC Jerusalem was represented by PDG Irene Lewitt, P/P Ruth Harris, Mike Rand and P/E Mark Zober

Highlights of the Convention included:

1. Greetings by the President of Haifa University Aharon Ben Zeev, who received a Paul Harris Fellowship;

2. Greetings by DG Yael Lazarus;

3. Musical interlude by Alex on the organ;

4. Presentation on the current status of Rotaract in the District -7 Clubs with 59 members;

5. Breakout sessions on community services and other topics; and

6. The election of Moshe Edelman as District Governor for RY 2011-12.

Other activities at the convention included sale of homemade jam by the Gan Yavne Club, sale of wine by the Benyamina Rotary Club and sale of the newly translated (Hebrew) of the Rotary International Manual of Procedures.

Cairo Conference February 6-7, 2009 focuses on Membership and Child Mortality

2009-01-07T23:27:00.005+02:00

Below is an announcement that may of interest to some of you. There will be a Rotary International conference in Cairo next month convened the RI President that focuses on issues related to Membership and Child Mortality. At present, those members of our club considering attending are PDG Irene Lewitt, Ruth Harris and Mike Rand, Mark Zober and Marilyn Farber.

The costs involved would be the flight to Cairo – yet to be determined, registration $175 USD and hotel – the conference hotel is $210 for a double.

Registration is on Thursday February 5 and the conference from Friday February 6-Saturday February 7, 2009.

Below are links for more information. If you are interested in attending, please let me know and I will keep you updated on planning as we move forward.

For general information:

www.ricairoconference.org/index.htm

Registration on-liine:

www.ricairoconference.org/registration.asp

Conference program details:

www.ricairoconference.org/program.htm ">

Hotel reservation information:

www.ricairoconference.org/hotels.htm ">

Optional tours information:

www.ricairoconference.org/tours.htm

Calendar of Events for January 2009

2009-01-06T16:16:00.004+02:00

Acting President David Seligman has developed the Club Calendar for January 2009 below

JERUSALEM ROTARY CLUB

CLUB CALENDAR & DISTRICT EVENTS

JANUARY 2009

07.01.09	Wednesday	Ismail Amin “My Job Talk”	New member introductory talk
09.01.09	Friday	1) District Semi-Annual Conference 2) Haifa Carmel RC Celebrates its 40^th Anniversary	University of Haifa, Hakat Auditorium
14.01.09	Wednesday	Grisha Alroi-Arkiser	Israel-German Chamber of Trade & Industry
21.01.09	Wednesday	The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra	A Words & Music presentation by members of the orchestra
28.01.09	Wednesday	H.E. Harald Kinderman, German Ambassador to srael	“Jerusalem – some annotations”
06/7.02.09	Fri/Saturday	RI President’s Conference, Cairo	Details on request
26/7.02.09	Thu/Friday	Ulpan 2009/10 for incoming President, Secretary & Treasurer

Club Meeting for January 7 2009

2009-01-06T08:43:00.000+02:00

Here is where I will post information for January 7, 2009 Club Meeting

Sample Blog for Board Meeting Discussion

2008-11-18T17:09:00.000+02:00

Dear Fellow Rotary Club of Jerusalem Board Members,

This is a sample of what the blog for our Club would look like. You can let members know what the upcoming program will be, what other events are plan by the club, district and internationally. You will have a running account.

The way to do this is by creating a google email account - free and then establishing a blog within the account. This will require a club BLOGGER.

Perhaps the best protocol would be for the BLOGGER to share the content of an entry with the Club President and then post the message. Club members can be authorized to comment on each post - with the BLOGGER having the ability to monitor comments.

I hope this is clear.

Yours in Rotary,

Mark