Nefesh B'Nefesh and Olim

[CrackSmokeRepublican]

Nefesh B'Nefesh



1,000 olim from 17 states arrive in Israel

Also this week, Jewish Agency launches first summer camp program in country for teens from former Soviet Union

Ynetnews
Published:    07.31.10, 09:39 / Israel Jewish Scene
   

The Jewish Agency for Israel brought 1,000 new immigrants from 17 countries to Israel this week, including 550 new olim from France, more than 100 from the United Kingdom, 60 from South Africa and 170 from South America.

 

Upon arriving in Israel, the new immigrants received all the initial absorption services – from opening a bank account to signing up for health insurance – at a mini-expo organized by the Jewish Agency. They also received their new Israeli ID cards at a ceremony at the Western Wall.

 

Also this week, the Jewish Agency launched a first summer camp program in Israel for teens from the Former Soviet Union, in partnership with the Genesis Foundation.

 
A group of 240 teens, ages 13 to 16, are touring the country and engaging with Russian-speaking Israeli peers. A second group will arrive in August.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340 ... 60,00.html


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Russell Berrie Foundation Launches Go North Program with Nefesh B'Nefesh to Develop Northern Israel
galilee

A community in the Galilee

In partnership with the Russell Berrie Foundation, Nefesh B'Nefesh launched the 'Go North' program in 2009. The goal of this historic initiative is populate Israel's northern region with English speaking Olim.  Over the next five years, Nefesh B'Nefesh will assist 1,000 new Olim move to Northern Israel by providing enhanced financial assistance, social services and career support to ensure successful professional and social integration in their new communities.

The 'Go North' program is expected to be a catalyst for change and expansion of Jewish communities in the Galilee over the next several years, with Nefesh B'Nefesh Olim playing a pivotal role in strengthening and developing opportunities in education, employment and community structure. Together with the Russell Berrie Foundation, the program was developed with the belief that the momentum and strengthened infrastructure developed as a product of this initiative will contribute to the long term growth of these communities.

For more information, please visit: www.nbn.org.il/gonorth

http://www.russellberriefoundation.org/ ... jr_nbn.php


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Go North - Frequently Asked Questions

Which regions are included in Go North in Go North?

The Go North program extends to the Upper and Lower Galilee, Golan Heights, Jezreel Valley and Upper Jordan Valley. Haifa and its neighboring suburbs (Krayot) are not included. For inquiries regarding whether a specific community is included, please contact  gonorth@nbn.org.il This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or 011-972-4-656-8222, or visit our Website at http://www.gonorth.org.il

http://anonym.to/?http://www.nbn.org.il ... tions.html
http://www.nbn.org.il/about/special-pro ... tions.html

[CrackSmokeRepublican]

Cheap toy manufacturer and Re-import artist.... CSR

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Timeline

1933 - Russ Berrie is born in the Bronx, NY.

1956 - Russ begins his career as a manufacturer's rep in the toy business.

1963 - With $500 in a rented converted garage, Russ establishes, "Russ Berrie and Company, (Russ)" in Palisades Park, NJ. By year end, sales top $60,000.

1964 - First products manufactured by the Company are plush items called Fuzzy Wuzzies™.

1965 - First hot product is the Bupkis Family ™ .

1966 - Annual sales revenue cross the $1 million threshold.

1968 - First full-time salesperson is hired. SillisSculpts ™ , a line of whimsical statues with messages, earns a permanent place in American pop culture.

1971- Headquarters for the Company is established in Oakland, NJ.

1972 - West Coast distribution center opens in Santa Rosa, CA.

1977 - First overseas office opens in Korea.

1979 - Second overseas office opens in Taiwan. Russ Berrie (U.K.) Ltd. is established to serve Europe.

1981 - Annual sales revenues exceed $50 million.

1982 - Inc magazine recognizes the Company as one of the 500 fastest growing privately-held firms in the U.S.

1983 - Annual sales revenues top $100 million. Office in Hong Kong opens.

1984 - On March 29, trading begins on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol: RUS.

1985 - Annual Sales revenues top $200 million. Active period of acquisition starts with Amram's Distributing, Ltd. in Canada. Russ establishes The Russell Berrie Foundation.

1986 - Company obtains the license for the most popular bear on the market - Snuggle ™ , and acquires Efanbee Dolls and Freelance, Inc.

1987 - Company acquires Papel, Inc.; later merged two subsidiaries to form Papel/Freelance.

1990 - Company acquires Bright of America, a stationery and fundraising company.

1992 - Trolls sweep the marketplace, driving sales to record levels above $400 million.

1993 - Company acquires Cap Toys to diversify and develop a role in the rapidly expanding mass market.

1994 - Company acquires OddzOn Products, Inc., and develops products in the sports category.

1995 - A new line of nostalgic bears – "Bears from the Past" ® - is introduced.

1996 - Following a 25% increase in gift item sales, the Company sells subsidiary Papel/Freelance to focus on its core strength – gifts.

1997 - Profitable sale of Cap Toys, Inc. and OddzOn Products to Hasbro improves strong cash position for future acquisitions. New showrooms open in Hong Kong and South America. Direct sales forces are added in Germany and Spain.

1998 - Fortune magazine recognizes Russ Berrie as the 34 th Most Generous Philanthropist in the country. Oakland, NJ showroom expands to 18,000 square feet.

1999 - Company establishes RUSS Australia PTY Ltd. in Sydney. RUSS adopts new advertising slogan, "Make someone happy."

2000 - Giftware Business magazine and Giftbeat rank the Company as #1 for seven of its product categories.

2001 - Forbes names Russ Berrie and Company one of the 200 Best Small Companies in America. Annual sales revenues Top $285 million.

2002 - New headquarters for Russ Berrie (U.K.) Ltd. in Hounsdown, Southampton, England consolidates European operations. The Company acquires Sassy, Inc.
Sadly, Russ Berrie passes away on the 25th of December.

http://www.russellberriefoundation.org/ ... meline.php

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Mission

Russ Berrie
The Russell Berrie Foundation was created to express the values and passions of Russell Berrie through social investments in innovative ideas designed to:

    * Promote the continuity and enrichment of Jewish communal life
    * Support advances in medicine focusing on diabetes and humanism in medicine
    * Fostering the spirit of religious understanding and pluralism
    * Recognizing individuals who have made a significant difference to the lives of others
    * Elevating the profession of sales
    * Raising the awareness of terrorism and promoting its prevention

To fulfill this vision, Trustees of The Russell Berrie Foundation will be guided by the major themes set forth above, with New Jersey, Metropolitan New York and Israel as the primary geographic focus of grant making.

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Jewish Renaissance
Russ Berrie was passionate about promoting the continuity and enrichment of Jewish communal life. More >>

    * The Center for Interreligious Understanding (CIU)
    * The Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem
    * Berrie Fellows Leadership Program / UJA Federation of Northern New Jersey
    * Nefesh B'Nefesh
    * Beit Morasha
    * The John Paul II Center for Interreligious Dialogue

http://www.russellberriefoundation.org/ ... elicum.php

The John Paul II Center for Interreligious Dialogue
Mona- 2010 Annual Lecture

Professor Mona Sidiqui speaking at the Pope John Paul II 2010 Annual Lecture

    The John Paul II Center for Interreligious Dialogue (JPC), a partnership between The Russell Berrie Foundation and the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), has the goal of building bridges between the Catholic, Jewish and other religious traditions by providing the next generation of religious leaders with a comprehensive understanding of and dedication to inter-faith issues. The Center, located at the Angelicum in Rome, Italy, will encompass a variety of creative, effective, and well-planned activities to achieve this goal; including an Annual Lecture on Interreligious Dialogue, and a two-year Fellowship which is designed to attract highly qualified students to become engaged in inter-religious study and research.

    The Angelicum is an international ecclesiastical Dominican centre for teaching and research. At present, there are one hundred and fifty professorsfrom thirty countries, and twelve hundred students from ninety different nations working and studying in the faculties of Theology, Philosophy, Canon Law and the Social Sciences. Today the courses offered also include topical issues such as ecumenism, religious pluralism, multiculturalism and economic and financial ethics. (http://www.angelicum.org) Students may receive a Baccalaureate, Master's, License and Doctoral Degrees and many past Angelicum graduates have gone on to hold positions of leadership in the Catholic Church.

Since 1998, Rabbi Jack Bemporad, the founder of the Center for Interreligious Understanding (CIU), (http://www.faithindialogue.org) has been a visiting professor teaching courses at the Angelicum to members of the clergy and laity pursuing their advanced academic degrees.

Over the past several years, the Foundation and the faculty and leadership of the Angelicum have been working closely to develop a center for interreligious dialogue, which will expand course offerings on interreligious subjects at the University.

John Paul II Center

The John Paul II Center will operate out of the Department of Theology at the Angelicum and will serve as a resource and space for faculty, students and guests on interreligious subjects and issues. The Center will also organize seminars, conferences and activities for faculty and students and will house a resource library of interreligious books and publications. The Center will manage the common initiatives of The Russell Berrie Foundation, the Angelicum and other interested and committed partners in the area of interreligious studies.

Study Trip to Israel

As part of the fellowship, a summer study opportunity will be offered to Berrie Fellows for the purpose of providing them with academic and interreligious experience in Israel. Fellows will receive academic credit for this study program. The first cohort of Berrie Fellows recently traveled to Israel for a ten day study trip. Highlights included learning sessions at the Shalom Hartman Institute, and visits to the Dead Sea and Nazareth and touring the holy sites in and around Jerusalem.
mosque

Roman Islamic Leaders host Berrie Fellows, Russell Berrie Foundation Staff and Representatives and Angelicum Leadership at the Mosque and Islamic Cultural Center, Rome, Italy- April 2010

Pope John Paul II Annual Lecture on Interreligious Dialogue

The goal of the annual lecture is to raise the profile of interreligious studies at the Angelicum and throughout the world. The annual lecture will feature a world religious leader who embodies the ideals of interreligious understanding. The lecture will be a major event at the University and in the Roman academic community, and is expected to generate significant press coverage.

The First Annual Lecture was held on April 4, 2008 and Reverend Donald W. Wuerl, S.T.D. Archbishop of Washington, DC was the keynote speaker. His speech was entitled: Unifying Religious Threads that Provide a Common Ground for Peace. Please click here for his remarks. The event was a great success with over 100 people in attendance.

Rabbi Michael Schudrich, the Chief Rabbi of Poland, was the speaker for Second Annual Lecture on March 4, 2009. His lecture was entitled: A Rabbi's Reflection on the Teachings of John Paul II. Please click here for his remarks. The Russell Berrie Fellowship newsletter highlights the Second Annual Lecture.

Both events garnered positive Italian and international press coverage:
Please click here to read an article about the Annual Lecture in the Washington Post. Please click here to watch Rabbi Schudrich speak about interfaith relations.

The Third Annual Pope John Paul II Lecture on Interreligious Understanding took place on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, in Rome, Italy. Dr. Mona Siddiqui, Prominent Islamic Scholar and Professor of Islamic Studies and Public Understanding at the University of Glasgow, presented a lecture entitled, "Islamic Perspectives on Judaism and Christianity". For more information on Mona Siddiqui and to read her bio, please click the following link: http://www.gla.ac.uk/departments/theolo ... asiddiqui/

To learn more about the Pope John Paul II Center, watch the Annual Lecture and view an engaging roundtable discussion with Mona Siddiqui, Rabbi Jack Bemporad and Angelicum Rector Charles Morerod, please click the following link: www.jp2center.org/   

Institute for International Education (IIE)

The Foundation has partnered with IIE to administer, plan and organize various aspects of this initiative, including the Russell Berrie Fellowship program. IIE is among the world's largest and most experienced international education and training organizations. Last year, over 20,000 men and women from 175 countries received scholarships and professional trainingthrough IIE programs, including the Fulbright Program.