This meeting was a special occasion. The hall at Raanana’s Beit Fisher was filled with members and guests who had come to hear “What is New in Esra”. Seated around tables decorated with flowers and strawberries, it was an opportunity to meet friends and colleagues and to hear about the current activities of Esra.

These active volunteers who make up the council, the branches and Esra groups were saluted for their dedication and hard work in transforming the exciting dreams and plans for potential programs into the reality of daily activities. They were challenged, however, to broaden their identity with Esra as a whole while still retaining their commitment to individual areas of interest.

Further challenges were presented by Merle Guttmann and Hertzel Katz. Speaking in her role as editor of the Esra magazine, Merle told of the appointment of the new Magazine Administrator, Rhonda Abramson, and reiterated that the entire magazine of 100 pages which is published five times a year and of which the costs are covered by adverts, has only one paid employee for all administration and selling adverts. She stressed the need to upgrade Esra’s websites and to enable online ordering and payment of Esra products and membership. She also raised the question of expanding the present format of the magazine to allow for more income from adverts, and the necessity to increase distribution of the magazine. Hertzel, co-chairperson of the membership committee with Renee Goldstein, exhorted those present to work to increase Esra’s membership and presented ideas to attract new members.

Audrey Goodman, coordinator of the branches and the program committee, welcomed the representatives of Esra’s branches. She also proved that not only does “Esra work” but Esra also enjoys and travels, attends the lectures at the Esra Raanana English college and views award-winning documentary films at the Cinema Club, all under the auspices of the program committee.

Phyllis Bloch sought new volunteers to help in all aspects of her successful and expanding Ethiopian embroidery project. These beautiful goods are also exported abroad, and there are currently 200 Jewish families in Surinam (north of Brazil) with kippot from Esra.(See page   )

Adele Hunter, coordinator of welfare assistance and scholarship aid, spoke movingly of the continuing need for scholarships for immigrant college students from Ethiopia and countries of the former Soviet Union. Forced to work for their basic needs of room and board, these students often have great difficulty in paying for college fees. Benefactors from Esra have responded with continuing and increased generosity, but the need grows as more and more qualified students desire higher education.

Adele Rubin, coordinator of the volunteer division, described the expansion of this important component of Esra and the development of volunteer coordinators in the various Esra groups and branches. She wishes to expand the role of volunteer coordinator to additional communities.

The fact that Esra has had its own cable TV program for twelve years and that it is interesting and professional is a great source of pride. This is a tribute to the talent of the people who make up the volunteer crew of Esravision. Maddy Levine, the new head of Esravision, screened her promotional film of Esra and its activities, a poignant view of how Esra touches people’s lives.

Gill Teicher, the coordinator of “English for Schools” spoke of the success and challenges of this program in which students are given the opportunity to practice and improve their English skills with help from Esra volunteers.

Nina Zuck began her career in Esra by offering to commit one hour a week to volunteering. She is now the coordinator of some 30 Esra community projects. Nina described the “Students Built a Neighborhood” project which is coordinated by Hadassa Birnbaum. In this project choice students from the surrounding colleges are given rent-free apartments in Netanya’s deprived Hefzibah neighborhood and they, in turn, work with the children and families to improve the neighborhood from within. She also introduced two more new Esra projects.

Meira Applebaum is coordinator of programs for talented Ethiopian children at the Weizmann Institute and now at Zinman College of the Wingate Institute. She spoke of the excitement of the children from Netanya who study advanced science courses at this new program at Zinman.

Annette Milliner, a member of the “Ha Dromim B’Derech” group which has recently joined Esra, spoke, in place of David Kaplan, of their aim to help initiate and expand programs to bring more English-speaking settlers to the Negev.

Another new Esra development is the success of Denise Kalmin and Maggie Sova in organizing “The New Generation” group, 25 to 45 year olds who meet for social events and help raise funds for scholarships for Ethiopian college students.

Ed Wolfe, the coordinator of Esra’s “nearly new shops” in Kfar Saba and Raanana, spoke of Giora Fried, the new head of the Raanana shop who has initiated longer hours and structural renovations to make the shop more comfortable and attractive. Ed emphasized that all proceeds from these shops go to support Esra’s community projects.

The presentations were completed by Jane Krivine’s enthusiastic report of the “Esra at 30 Festival” which will take place at kibbutz Shefayim on October 28, 2008. She spoke of the wide variety of events, happenings, displays and programs which will celebrate “The contributions of Anglos to culture in Israel” and Esra’s 30^th anniversary.

This morning’s meeting was an exciting review of new developments in Esra, and the audience left enthusiastic, impressed and better informed about the workings of this dynamic organization.