Jenny and Sima Solomon are joining with women from all over Israel to swim across the Kinneret to raise funds for Sadnat-Shiluv, a unique program of empowerment for young adults with special needs.
Hundreds of religious women are expected to gather on the Kinneret shore for the annual Swim4Sadna women-only sponsored-swim on Friday, June 5th. Among them, Jenny Solomon will swim with her 10-year old daughter Sima, both from New York, who made Aliyah to Gush Etzion four years ago. Sima is one of the youngest girls participating in the event, but she is already on the junior swim team of Hapoel Yerushalayim. Jenny is more nervous about making the crossing, but knows that her daughter and many other swimmers and lifeguards will be on hand to encourage and help her.
Swim4Sadna has become a popular annual event to benefit the Sadna – an integrative special education community in Gush Etzion. This unique educational institution includes a vocational program which prepares older students for independence and communal living. This year’s goal is to raise funds for an educational and therapeutic kitchen. As part of the Vocational Training and Employment Program, these young adults can train to cook, bake and help with manufacturing goat’s cheese and yogurt from the Sadna farm animals.
Students from the Sadna will join other girls and women – ranging in age from 10 to 80 – at Swim4Sadna, to complete a 1.5k or 3.5k route across the Kinneret – with family and friends coming to support them at the finish line on Tzemach Beach. Buses are arranged from all over the country, with a “Fitness and Fun” event on Thursday night that includes dinner, zumba, music, yoga, dancing and, for those that choose, camping on the Tzemach Beach. The entire event is strictly kosher and run by women for women.
Organizer Vivienne Glaser has a son who lives in the Sadna apartment. She has seen how her son has benefitted from their program and as a thank you, has created this event to highlight and help the amazing work the Sadna does. Vivienne has always dreamed of swimming across the Kinneret and this was a way to realize that dream while helping others.
“Last year we funded the Sadna cafeteria, which is open to visitors on Fridays, where some of the students have been learning how to serve the food. Now we need an educational kitchen where they can learn how to cook, for themselves and for others. It is all about empowerment – empowering students to learn crucial life skills and develop their independence, and empowering ourselves to swim.”
Vivienne says: “It’s always chilly but exhilarating to walk into the Kinneret at 6.00 a.m. but the atmosphere is warm and supportive and we help each other across. Having set ourselves this exciting challenge, we are pushing our own physical and emotional boundaries alongside the Sadna students! We are showing them – and ourselves – that we can achieve more when we work together.”
To sponsor Jenny and Sima Solomon and support the Sadna, click here http://swim4sadna.org/?lang=en#/donation/welcome