2017 marks the beginning of the next exciting chapter in the extraordinary impact of the Israel Tennis Centers, the largest social service agency for children in Israel. Last year the organization celebrated its 40th anniversary of empowering Israel’s children… beyond tennis… since the ITC’s first center opened in Ramat Hasharon in 1976.
“We are extremely proud of what the Israel Tennis Centers has achieved over these last 4 decades,” said ITC Founder Bill Lippy. “The ‘Miracle in the Desert’ is what we call the Israel Tennis Centers, transforming the lives of over 20,000 underserved Israeli children every year, over 500,000 since 1976. 40 years of witnessing the growth of the ITC from one single center to 14 today is an incredible testimony to what can be done when people come together to help those less fortunate reach their full potential.”
This year that celebratory spirit continues, as the Israel Tennis Centers Foundation announced plans for an exciting series of tennis exhibitions at a number of important communities in South Florida including Boca Raton:
Tue., Feb 28 Boca West CC
Sun., Mar 5 Polo Club
Thurs., Mar 9 St. Andrews Country Club
A diverse team of Israeli players and coaches representing various Israel Tennis Centers will be sharing their personal stories about what the ITC has meant to them, their families and the communities in which they live. The centers represent a safe and nurturing environment in which these children can learn vital life skills and values while sharpening their tennis skills.
The focus of the ITC is on improving children’s lives every day so they can become better human beings. Through its social impact programs, a wide range of children are served, including youth at risk, immigrants from Ethiopian and Russia and children with special needs, from autism and ADHD to Down Syndrome as well as those with developmental and physical disabilities. The ITC also recognizes the ability of tennis to bring together children from different religions and ethnicities as seen in its highly successful Coexistence Program.
The Israeli players will include Shadi, a 17-year-old Bedouin teenager who is part of the ITC’s High Performance Group at the Samson Israel Tennis Center in Beer Sheva. Shadi also participates in the ITC’s Coexistence Program that brings Israeli children from various backgrounds together to learn the importance of tolerance and understanding of one another. “I am proud to be part of the ITC, one in which we are taught to respect and appreciate each other’s differences. I play with a large group of Jewish kids and we have all become very close friends. We are truly one big happy family.”