September 16, 2010 / 8 Tishrei 5771
When Arthur and Carole Anderman of New York visited Israel with their family in August, they were able to celebrate their granddaughter's Tara Bat Mitzvah and also see the sites supported by the Gladys and Irving Coopersmith Charitable Trust.
Arthur Anderman is the lead trustee of the Coopersmith Trust, which focuses its support on programs that enhance the lives of the elderly in Israel. The Trust also supports hospitals and educational programs. The grant is allocated through the UJA Federation of New York and the Israel Education Fund.
On August 16, 2010, Anderman, his wife, Carole, their daughter, Debbie and her family, began their tour at Ben Yakir Youth Village, a religious youth village for boys aged 12-18, 70% of whom are immigrants of Ethiopian origin. There they visited the dental clinic and the synagogue, both refurbished and renovated thanks to the trust and saw the Ben Yakir plaque thanking the Coopersmith Trust and the Anderman’s and the Pannicia’s as trustees, for their support. While there, the family helped prepare care packages for Ben Yakir alumni now serving in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
The family's visit also included a stop at the Tel Nof Air Force base, one of the main air bases of the IDF. The group met with representatives of the Atidim program. Atidim, which is supported by the Jewish Agency, invests in young Israeli men and women from the periphery, helping them receive access to higher education opportunities, and ensuring that they strive towards excellence. The trust supported the Pre-Atidim program and were thanked for their support.
Other sites visited include Amigour in Kiryat Ono, Ashdod and Ashkelon. Amigour is a subsidiary of the Jewish Agency and is Israel’s leading operator of public and sheltered housing facilities, providing vulnerable populations with affordable housing solutions. In Kiryat Ono, the family was serenaded with a klezmer band and participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony, a mezuzah hanging ceremony, and plaque unveiling for the new activities room renovated by the Trust. The Amigour choir also performed, including singing a song in Italian in honor of Albert Panniccia.
Finally, representatives of the La'ad Program spoke with the family. La'ad is a Jewish Agency program that supports Holocaust survivors in dire need.
Arthur and Carole Anderman also had a personal meeting with Alan Hoffmann, Director General of the Jewish Agency, to discuss the history of the Jewish Agency, as well as the greatest needs facing the elderly and at risk populations in Israel today.
We are grateful to Carole and Arthur Anderman for their support and partnership and look forward to continuing our work together in years to come.