Barry Katz, an international communications specialist, gave ESRA volunteers a fascinating and humorous workshop on how they could improve their communication skills both for ESRA and for themselves.

ESRA's 31st Annual General Meeting

ESRA Modiin moves on…with a harp recital by Liraz Choloniewski, a new immigrant from France, ,book sales, launch of cinema club, a brunch in honor of 25 ESRA volunteer tutors, and more in the future.

After 13 years as its director, Val Kantor is retiring from the ESRA befrienders program. A dedicated and committed ESRA volunteer, Val did a wonderful job helping many people and inspiring many volunteers. Glenis Bertfield who is now heading the befrienders program has been in Israel for 18 months and comes to ESRA with a great deal of enthusiasm and experience from the UK.

Sara Groundland writes that once again another very successful 3-day trip to Eilat has taken place with 52 people visiting interesting places on the journey there and back. There was plenty time to relax in Eilat as well a trip to the birding center, to the WOW show and a boat trip round the bay.

Val Kantor came to live in Israel from South Africa in 1979 with her husband and 4 children. She first became active in ESRA in 1996 and has run a hotline, was the befrienders coordinator and volunteer leader and is now a member of the ESRA executive. Val is also involved in organizing courses for volunteers and is always ready to give a helping hand, and as Adele Hunter writes, is a truly deserving winner of the Alan Katz Award as Raanana's outstanding volunteer 2009.

Ramat Hanadiv is a park full of Israeli-Mediterranean vegetation. There are many dunams of natural vegetation that surround the beautiful landscaped formal Rothschild Gardens. ESRA volunteers are helping in the nurseries and in the new visitors center. Jane Krivine writes about this project and other opportunities for volunteers – helping pupils with English in the local schools and assisting at the sewing centers for Ethiopian immigrants.

The ESRA activities morning during Chanukah was such a lovely event: kids with their mums or grandmothers all having a good time together. It was great to see different generations having fun and we look forward to our next activities group during the Pesach holidays