Telfed honours its 2009 Volunteers

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Telfed's 2009 Volunteer Award event was held in front of a crowd of nearly 400 people and the evening was mixed with accolades and the unique sound of the Alei Gefen Chorus choir followed by socialising in the foyer of the hall.  Nicky Capelouto elegantly compared the evening and introduced the various speakers and award recipients. Freda Keet eloquently introduced the choir. For the full report a gallery of pictures and video clips ....

For a gallery of pictures from the evening - click here

Picture above shows Adv Hertzel Katz receiving the prestigious Yakir Telfed award from Telfed Chairman Maish Isaacson . For a couple of short video clips go to the bottom of this page

Maish Isaacson opened the evening with the following :

It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the event this evening. Tonight we celebrate Telfed’s manifold achievements in the realm of immigrant absorption, community welfare projects and the contribution of our dedicated volunteers to Telfed in particular and to Israel’s society at large.

Telfed’s over 200 volunteers are at the heart of our organisation and deserve a special acknowledgement for their untiring efforts and involvement. Amongst this esteemed cadre are certain individuals who by their unfailing efforts over an extended period of time, have given service of an exceptional nature to the organisation and those whom it serves. To them we owe gratitude, hon-our and acknowledgement!

There are those who are truly deserving of the title “Yakir Telfed” and for this reason it gives us pleasure to reintroduce this prestigious award on a biennial basis. In addition, we are also introducing a new “Special Merits Award”, for dedication to Telfed and the Southern African community over many years. These awards are being presented in conjunction with the annual “Telfed Volunteer Award” ceremony this evening. It is our great pleasure to pay tribute to all these wonderful people who give so much of themselves for the benefit of others.

I am sure that you will enjoy the beautiful renditions of the Alei Gefen Chorus, as well as meeting new and old friends on this happy occasion.
Thank you for joining us and for supporting the important work of our charitable arm, Keren Telfed.

The Telfed Award winners

Yakir Telfed Award: Presented by Telfed Chairman Maish Isaacson

Hertzel Katz

Hertzel made Aliyah in February 1969 with his wife Lola and 2 young children, Baruch and Sharon and later had a Sabra son, Ilan. He qualified as an Israeli advocate and soon became involved in the many facets of Telfed.  He twice held the office of Chairman of Telfed (1979-82 and 1996-97) and was elected as the first chairman of the Telfed Board of Governors.  He also received the Telfed Yakir Zion award.

It was Hertzel who initiated and edited the first editions of Telfed magazine, who established Keren Telfed, a self-help trust fund, and secured its recognition as a public institution, thereby enabling Telfed to give assistance to needy SA olim. To set it on its feet, he launched the first ever fund-raising campaign among the South African community in Israel and convened a second campaign some years later.

It was Hertzel's idea to have the books “South Africa's 800” and “70 years of Southern African Aliyah – A Story of Achievment” published. Both are important publications which give recognition to fellow Southern Africans. His latest projects are still in their early stages; creating a website with profiles of Southern Africans in Israel and working to get Israeli authorities to recognise the contribution made by the South African philanthropist, the late Yitchak Ochberg.

Many of these projects would not have existed without his initiative, his leadership, his ability to think out of the box and antici-pate a need before it becomes a crisis. He coined the phrase: “Telfed is the Abba and Imma of Southern Africans in Israel”. Colleagues call him "the Abba of Telfed".

Outside of Telfed, Hertzel has been associated with innumerable organisations in which he has held office and initiated important projects. He was instrumental in the establishments of The Hebrew Order of David and the SA-Israel Chamber of Com-merce, for which he was honored by the SA Embassy for distinguished services in the promotion of trade between Israel and South Africa. He assisted in the formation of the organisation, ESRA and served as its chairperson for two years.
Hertzel's other contributions are as follows: in road safety (vice-president of Memsi in Israel, traffic warden); in culture  (“Friends of Bat Dor Dance company”); in sport (Bowling Club of Ramat Hasharon) ; in promoting the Quality of Life in Israel (AMI devoted to improving the quality of life in Israel) and Convenor of Koach Kan, the first ever English speaking conference on the quality of life in Israel; in public service (received Yakir award from the Friends of Asaf Harofeh Hospital) and a member of  the Civil Guard of Ramat Hasharon; initiated the establishment of the Council of English Speaking Organisations in Israel; in P.R. (convened first meeting of Telfed’s Media Watch committee).


Telfed Special Merit Awards: Presented by Telfed Vice Chairman Dave Bloom

Nick Alhadeff
Nick Alhadeff  came on aliyah in 1977 after many years of experience in communal affairs in Rhodesia where he served as president of the Sephardi Congregation, vice-President of the Board  of  Deputies  and President  of the Central African Zionist Organisation. In the latter capacity he had the distinction of being  the first to make Aliyah during his term of office .
A few  months after his arrival he was invited to join the Telfed  Executive as an honorary officer and subsequently became the Hon.Treasurer . In 1990 he was elected Chairman and at the termination of his period  of office he continued to serve on the executive until his appointment to the recently created Board  of Governors.

Itz Kalmanowitz
Itz served as chairman, vice-chair and treasurer of the SAZF in South Africa.
and as honorary Treasurer of United Israel Appeal.
He made Aliyah in 1983 and was co-opted to the Telfed Executive council in 1984 and served until 1988.
He was appointed to serve as chairman of a Jewish Agency committee that examined the procedure adopted by JAFI for the integration of new olim. The result of the findings and recommendations of the committee was to develop the procedure of direct absorption. 
After a three year period of schlichut to Canada, Itz was co-opted to Telfed Mancom and the Executive; he served as treasurer for four sessions (eight years).
Itz served as Chairman between 2004 and 2006 and is the immediate Past Chairman.

Annette Milliner - Giladi
Zionism was her Agenda from the age of 19 when she served in leadership roles until her Aliyah in 1979.  Shortly after her arrival in Israel she was approached by Hertzel Katz to get involved in Telfed.  She served as Chairperson of the Loans and Assis-tance Committee; Aliyah and Klitah Committee and was actively involved in establishment of Manof and Kohav Yair, where 120 S.A. families settled.   Education was vitally important to Annette and she encouraged friends to set up Trust Funds which she chairs.  They have enabled young people to further their education.   Annette works tirelessly to fundraise through large donors, so that never will there be a problem for any Southern African child to receive a scholarship.   She is also very involved in non-Telfed projects which she enjoys.

Blanche Isaacson Award:  presented by Jocelyn Isaacson

Hayley Rabie  is an active member of the young olim community of South Africans in Tel Aviv – she welcomes new immigrants, keeps in touch with them and has arranged several social gatherings in her capacity as chairman of the Tel Aviv regional committee of Telfed.  Hayley’s group also reaches out to other less fortunate communities.
 
Harry and Anita Alter Memorial Awards: Presented by Daryl Alter

Carol Aviv  was born in Bulawayo and studied nursing at Groot Schuur hospital in Cape Town.  She and her family made Ali-yah in 1979.   Carol worked for 25 years at Tsfat Hospital in the neonatal Intensive Care Unit.  In her voluntary capacity, she is President of the Karmiel Branch of Hadassah Israel, part of Telfed Regional committee’s welcoming group for new olim, a worker for Yad Sarah and the Cancer Association, plus the Jewish Agency’s Ba'Bayit Beyachad programme.
Bebe Feldman hails from Kroonstad and has lived in Netanya since making Aliyah. She is involved in many aspects of volunteer work there.  She helps with projects at the A.A.C.I., delivers food parcels, works for the Young Israel Shul and at Beit Issie Shapiro.  She serves on the Telfed Netanya regional committee and does voluntary English teaching at her local school.

Freda Haimovitz has worked tirelessly for many years at Beit Issie Shapiro, organizing and packing orders for Keren Ahava.  She is always on call and ready to take full charge whenever needed. Freda has been very involved at the Raanana Bowling Club, catering for their functions.  She also does excellent catering for Telfed whenever called upon, for our special events.  The flowers on stage this evening were arranged by Freda. 

Cecil Slome made Aliyah in 1978 and has been actively involved with fundraising for Beit Issie Shapiro; he also organizes lifts for people to reach Beit Issie to pack orders for the shop Keren Ahava. Cecil volunteers for the H.O.D. in Netanya, and fundraises for a school for under-privileged children. He works for the elderly residents of Maon Nechim.  He also assisted ESRA with their magazine distribution.
  
Lev Lara’ev Award: Presented by Max Grunberg

Lielle Rosenfeld, 12 years old, called Max, the Lev Lara’ev coordinator, about a year ago and asked if he could come over to explain to her the workings of the KIDS4FOOD Club. Lielle has had different initiatives for collecting groceries, such as asking her friends in Noam school, going to neighbours, collecting from relatives and creating flyers. Now for her Bat Mitzvah celebration, she also asked her guests to bring groceries along to her party in order to help those in need of food items.

Introduction to the Alei Gefen Chorus by Freda Keet

ELI GEFEN AND THE ALEI GEFEN CHORUS OF TEL AVIV

Israeli choral conductor Eli Gefen was born in Bratislava.  He studied violin with the concertmaster of the Vienna State Opera and choral conducting under Gary Bertini. Gefen was a baritone soloist in Israel’s leading choirs and a bassoonist with the Israel Chamber Orchestra.  As principal conductor and music director of the Kibbutzim Youth Orchestra and Choirs, he won first prize in several competitions. He formed Alei Gefen Chorus in Tel-Aviv in 1990 with the aim of using devotional music as an instrument of tolerance and understanding; to deliver a poignant and powerful message of reconciliation between faiths and peoples.  The Chorus would like to be seen as a witness to the hopes and values of those who long for peace.

 Below - see a short video clip of preparations before the start of the evening's proceedings and a view of the audience filling the hall

short clip below shows the ceremony on stage and the introduction to Hertzel Katz

prior to his receiving the prestigious Yakir Telfed award