Daniel Manor Trio

ESRA Modiin has enjoyed a bumper crop of social activities during the past few months, all aimed towards raising funds  and awareness  for Neve ESRA, our afternoon care center for children at risk in Modiin. In addition, we have been involved in other events organized by the municipality which has increasingly recognized our huge potential in volunteering for the community.

And talking of volunteering, our solid cadre of over 60 enthusiastic volunteers continues to make its significant mark in a variety of ways in the community:

• Our flagship and very successful secondhand bookshop where we sell both English and Hebrew books drawing more and more Israelis into our circle.
• Our “Let’s Talk” program for the improvement of spoken Hebrew and English where we match Israelis with olim – a free service.
• English enrichment for the kids in Neve ESRA.
• English conversation with 'bagrut' (matric)  students to improve their oral English

capability.

• English story hour once a fortnight in the local mall.
• Our innovative MembershOp Perks program, where more than 40 businesses and services in the city offer discounts to card-carrying ESRA members - a way of making ESRA membership even more relevant.

Amongst our activities was a fashion and colors brunch with stylist Wendy Lehman of the  House of Color. A raffle, with prizes donated by local businesses helped to make the event more enjoyable and raise further funds for Neve ESRA. We participated for the second year running in the municipality's Book Exchange Fair where we oversaw the English books section. Similarly, we took a table at the municipality's Olim Business Fair in the mall, where we displayed and sold Ethiopian handcrafts and distributed special discount vouchers for our bookshop.

No wonder we all needed to let our hair down and enjoy our end-of-the-year event aimed at crowning our many efforts. Indeed it was just that. The "Cheese, Wine, Beer and Song at Sunset on the Beach" was a fabulous success, highlighted by live Irish music by the Daniel Manor Trio from Tel Aviv and four wonderful Irish dancers from the Tiltan Dance School in Ramat Gan. Held on the Rishon beach at the Surf Club, more than 70 ESRA guests participated from Modiin, as well as from the Rishon, Rehovot and Bat Yam branches, through the cooperation of Southern Region Chair, Janet Kiesari. We were honored to have Brenda Katten, ESRA's new Chair, join us together with her husband, John. A good time was had by all. 

To cap this, we held a huge sale in our bookshop at the end of June on the basis of "buy one, get one free", which turned out to be a whopper – everyone always enjoys a bargain - bringing in the highest-earning month ever since we opened the shop three years ago. We extended the hours of the shop, which was open continuously from 10-7, another factor that promoted sales. Many kudos to the members of our superb bookshop committee – Rachel Shani, Rene Gold, Anita Bashary, Rachel Max, Ilana Harf, Vicky Pilo and Helen Brandwein - without whose dedication and commitment our bookshop would not be the splendid success that it is.

And now for a well-earned summer break. "See y'all 'acharei hachagim' (after the Yomtavim)." 

Jackie Klein and Cynthia Barmor are the co-chairs of ESRA Modiin.