December 2006 Newsletter-
Bears from Bergenfield is booming at 4 years and over 44,500 bears collected!
Bears from Bergenfield branches out, at the close of 2006, to include; 1) Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba (thanks to Betty and Ed Wolfe, my partners of Kfar Saba for their tireless energy, money, and time, and Debby Shkedi, their daughter and chief nurse at Meir Hospital),2) Israeli Homeless Association, 3) One Family Fund, 4) Bears without Borders, 5) Savealife of Jerusalem, and 6) One Heart.
Thanks and more thanks for the year of 2006 stuffed toy, Chanukah chotchke collections, and the monies are extended to Windward School of White Plains-700, SSDS of Bergen County-850, Temple Beth Rishon of Wycoff-250, Temple Beth El of Northern Valley-250, (Amanda Bergman’s bat mitzvah project),Temple Israel of Ridgewood-25, 3 grocery bags full of Chanukah chotchke bags, and the tzedakah money, Cong. Beth Israel of Bergenfield-15, 4 grocery bags full of Chanukah chotchke bags, and the tzedakah money, Yeshivat Ahavat Yisrael of New Milford-100, the Bergen Record Bear Hugs-1025, Ben Porat Nursery School-250, Bianca Osian’s Bat mitzvah project-120, Loren Sass of Clark with her bat mitzvah project-180, Ilana Katzin’s (of Chicago) bat mitzvah project-40, and the Marla and Robert Friedman’s Chanukah toy drive from Bergen County, NJ-225.
(We will also be putting together mishloach manot baskets in March, 2007 for Purim to send to the children in Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba and our other tzedakot.)
We also would like to extend our thanks to the following schools and shuls for stepping to the plate and who will be organizing stuffed toy drives for us during the remainder of 2007 school year. They are BCHSJS, Lubavitch on the Palisades, Frisch High School, Yavneh Academy, Cong. Bnai Israel of Emerson, and JCC on the Palisades Nursery School.
But what does one do to continue this amazing success? How does one continue the momentum?
AND
How do teddy bears celebrate a mitzvah happening? In turning to “doobi hagadol”, (meaning “giant teddy bear”) our Bears from Bergenfield mascot, an idea came to me.
What do “doobis” (teddy bears) like to do the most? Make children happy….and that is what Bears from Bergenfield sought to do.
Bears from Bergenfield has set up a contest with three goals in mind.
The goals are to see:
1)which school could collect the most stuffed animals during the school year 2006-2007,
2) which school could come up with the best logo design for Bears from Bergenfield, that would appeal to both adult and child
3) which school could raise the most money for Bears from Bergenfield which would be used to purchase stuffed toys for the children in Israel. Ethiopian Israeli kipot are on sale to help pay for Bears from Bergenfield expenses (duffle and laundry bags for shipping, chochtke bags, travel expenses, etc.) as well.
This contest would be scheduled to kick off at the start of 2007 and run through the mid April.
Certificates of achievement and prizes will be awarded to the winning schools in May,2007.
Results will be announced in the beginning of May as well.
If you would like to particpate, as a judge or contestant, contact Claire Ginsburg Goldstein at lgcg98@aol.com
or 201-385-3325 (home), or at 551-804-8749 (cell).
