Tennis exhibition for children of southern Israel (Read the original article, HERE)
Over 400 supporters gather for the 7th annual Wycliffe Golf & Country Club and Israel Tennis & Education Centers tennis exhibition, raising critical funds for Israeli children.
The afternoon’s highlight was a high-performance tennis exhibition, where children from the ITEC centers showed off their skills on the court, and told their personal stories.
11-year-old Arina Diatlenko emigrated from Ukraine to Israel when the war broke out in 2022. She says, “On the tennis court, I’m not just playing a game, I’m playing for a better future. Tennis at ITEC has helped me find strength and friendship.”
Rom Malka, 14 years old, sought refuge at ITEC last October, after facing a barrage of rocket fire in his community in southern Israel, “When the world around me was filled with uncertainty, ITEC was my safe place.”
ITEC provides opportunities for Israeli children regardless of geography, religion, ethnicity or socio-economic status. Since opening its first center in 1976, ITEC has helped over 500,000 children, currently serving children weekly throughout 24 Israeli communities.
Yoni Yair, ITEC Senior Vice President of Development, expressed gratitude for the support shown to the children who have faced challenging times, saying, “We have been doing these events annually for many years, but now more than ever, we want to build awareness and raise funds for the important social work of ITEC to support the children who have endured traumatic times after October 7th.”
Also playing in the event, Alin Masri, 11 years old, from Jaffa, part of southern Tel Aviv and 18-year-old Inbar Poni, an ITEC alumnae. Amit Kakon, an ITEC coach, evacuated from his home in northern Israel and is excited to represented ITEC in the U.S.
Wycliffe co-chairs and ambassadors Marty and Harriet Ross have been instrumental in organizing the annual tennis exhibition at the club, saying, “As ambassadors for the Wycliffe Arad Israel Tennis and Education Centers program, we’ve been passionate about communicating the success story of using baselines, balls, racquets, and nets to teach children how to contribute positively to their communities, without bombs and bullets.”