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Following the success of the first charity KotelKast, Yad Ezra V’Shulamit has arranged a second webcast direct from Jerusalem's Western Wall. 34,000 people logged on last year to see what is really happening in Israel's economy – behind the scenes. This year’s pre-Rosh Hashanah event once again draws attention to Israel's poverty-stricken children.

The KotelKast 2 event includes testimonials from Israel’s past Prime Minister Benjamin ‘Bibi’ Netanyahu, the director of international Jewish food rescue charity Mazon, leading Jerusalem Rabbi Yitzhak Berkovitz, and the world-renowned inspirational speaker Tzipporah Heller. The event features a specially composed song by Ari Goldwag and personal prayers by some of the many children who attend Yad Ezra V'Shulamit's Jerusalem children’s center.

Tefilla Buxbaum, who organized this second webcast from the Kotel, the focal point of the Jewish world, explains why its timing is appropriate. “In the season of the High Holydays, we are called upon to help our less fortunate brothers and sisters. However hard our own lives, there are others who have less than we do, who are constantly hungry and helpless to improve their own lives. This moving KotelKast event invites us to meet those who most need our help, and to hear endorsements from those who understand the severity of the poverty-related problems in Israel today.”

Yad Ezra V'Shulamit was founded in 1988 by Ariel Lurie, an Israeli who grew up poor and hungry in Israel and who committed to ensuring that others have a better childhood.  Today, dozens of volunteers around Israel enable the organization serves hundreds of meals to children and their families, daily and on holidays. 

For more information and to view the KotelKast, visit www.yadezra.net.

Unique Year-Round Philanthropy and Service Learning Programs for Teens

Unique Year-Round Philanthropy and Service Learning Programs for Teens in Maryland, Washington, DC and Northern Virginia

The Jewish Youth Philanthropy Institute is launching the ninth year of the Youth Philanthropy Program in October with the start of the Maryland/DC 8th and 9th Grade Youth Philanthropy group.   This year 150 teens are expected to participate in the six Youth Philanthropy groups that meet in Maryland, DC and Virginia and award up to $100,000 in grants to worthy nonprofits. 

In the Youth Philanthropy program, teens meet monthly to explore the principles of philanthropy and the needs of society, using site visits and interviews with service recipients and program staff to help evaluate grant proposals from local, national and international nonprofit agencies.  Then, as a group, the teens determine how to distribute thousands of dollars in grants.  Teens contribute to a communal fund that JYPI matches dollar-for-dollar.

In January, three additional JYPI Youth Philanthropy groups will begin their grantmaking journey.  These groups are the 10th-12th Grade Youth Philanthropy groups in both Maryland and Northern Virginia and the 8th-9th Grade Youth Philanthropy group in Northern Virginia.  Registration for all the groups starting in January is now open and will close on Monday, December 1, 2008. 

JYPI also offers hands-on service-learning programs, which give teens a direct chance to make the world a better place.  Programs this year include an Election Day of Service and Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.  JYPI also manages a successful teen Summer Service Learning Camp at the end of each August.

The Jewish Youth Philanthropy Institute™, a program of the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning, offers innovative programs focused on philanthropy and community service for 8th-12th graders in Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia.  Programs enable teens to become active community leaders, empowered citizens and responsible young adults while earning community service hours!  To register for programs, e-mail lsiskin@pjll.org.  

For more information about JYPI, visit www.pjll.org or call (240) 286-6246.