USY Group 3 blew us away today. The small yet powerful L'Takayn Olam group really got the concept of the Mitzvah hero, and got to meet some spectacular examples in the process. After our opening (and french toast sticks for breakfast) we drove to the Neurim youth Village to visit INTRA (Israel National Therapeutic Riding Association). Anita Shkedi, founder and Mitzvah Hero spent time describing her motivation and passion to the USYers, and talked about ongoing projects for children and soldiers with PTSD and head injuries. The USYers did some work grooming horses and cleaning out stalls, but they were great and got the importance of the work being done.
After a so-so lunch back at Agron, we met Ruth Schlossman, the charismatic and humorous founder and Mitzvah hero of Gift of Comfort which since 2001 has been providing alternative treatment sessions to survivors of terror and soldiers recovering from injuries. While right now the organization is experiencing a bit of a lull, Ruth was great at drawing on the Mitzvah power of the teens, exhorted them to follow their passion and had a great session with them. The teens shared mitzvah work they've been doing and they were really inspiring.
Great kids, great staff (Including Seaboard's Ally Turkheimer).
I spent a quiet hour at the end of the day taking laundry off the line and eating leftovers for dinner. At 8 I went out to the new Grand Cafe on Derekh Beit Lechem to meet with Dennis Alon, the new Director of Resource Development at the Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind. Interesting game of Jewish geography.
Tomorrow is another day; heading north with Robbie Sasson from Crossroads to visit Yemin Orde, hoping to meet with Chaim Peri as well as other members of the staff. and maybe, just maybe an educational visit to either the Tulip or Carmel wineries. Who did you think was writing this blog?
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