NEW YORK (Press Release) — Friends of Yemin Orde announced that $1.15 million has been raised for Yemin Orde Youth Village and Village Way Educational Initiatives at the May 8 Tikkun Ha’Lev Award international gala, co-chaired by Kimberly Taylor Hirschfeld and Jeffrey Hirschfeld o, at the Mandarin Oriental in New York City.
Approximately 420 guests from across the United States and Israel gathered to honor Israeli visionary educator, Chaim Peri, for his lifetime devotion to Israel’s at-risk youth. Baltimore philanthropist and businessman, David Cordish, who received the first Tikkun Ha’Lev Award in 2012, and his wife, Suzi, presented the award to Peri. Other guests included Marion Wiesel, wife of Nobel laureate, scholar and author, Elie Wiesel z”l, Israeli educators, U.S. Jewish and Christian leaders, and Reserve Brigadier General Bentzi Gruber, who is an Israeli military commander, among other prominent guests.
Popular Jewish-American vocalist, Matisyahu, performed for guests following the dinner and award presentation. Funds raised at the gala will support the excellent extra-curricular and therapeutic programs and activities for the 430 at-risk youth at the Village, as well as provide funding to expand the Village Way educational methodology throughout Israel. Visit http://www.yeminorde.org
Funds raised also include the successful completion of a $100,000 match made by two anonymous donors in the weeks prior to the gala.
“The generosity of our guests and supporting community is amazing – we are truly blessed,” said Karen Sallerson, Executive Director, Friends of Yemin Orde. “With the support of our sponsors and the dedication of our gala co-chairs and volunteers, we successfully hosted a first-class evening program and introduced Yemin Orde to many new friends. We invite everyone to visit the Village on their next trip to Israel.”
Chaim Peri served for more than 30 years as the Director of Yemin Orde Youth Village, located in northern Israel, which serves as a home, school and safe haven for 430 at-risk youth from Ethiopia, France, Former Soviet Union, Brazil, and Israel. Today, Peri is the Founder of Village Way Educational Initiatives, an independent nonprofit organization launched in 2006 to expand the Village Way educational methodology, modeled at Yemin Orde Youth Village, throughout Israel.
“What unites us is making a difference where no others make a difference,” he said. “When you create an educational entity such as Village Way Educational Initiatives that reflects values we all share, we must spread it to others.”
The Village Way methodology is integrated into 36 other youth villages, therapeutic residential communities and public high schools in Israel, including schools in Arab communities. Since its inception, VWEI has impacted 14,200 youth and 1,775 educators in Israel. The goal is to expand to 59 educational communities by 2021 and reach 25,000 youth and 2,800 educators.
Arriving from Israel, Yemin Orde graduate, Tamara Shein Shneor, shared her difficult journey from Iran to Israel. She spoke emotionally about the life lessons she learned from Peri, who was director of the Village when she lived there, and how the Village’s holistic community of loving-kindness and support provided her with hope, a family and a safe haven. Today, Tamara is a police officer in Israel.
The gala also featured Friends of Yemin Orde’s new promotional video: Living and Learning the Village Way, as well as a testimonial video where graduates and religious and community leaders paid homage to Chaim and his lifetime devotion to youth at risk.
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Preceding provided by Friends of Yemin Orde.