We would like to take this opportunity to wish you Shanah Tovah - a sweet and healthy new year. As donors to The Jewish Lens, we would also like to thank you for your support.

This has been a productive year for The Jewish Lens, and we could not have done it without your contribution. We are on track to reach our goal of bringing The Jewish Lens to 50 new schools throughout the country during the 2006-07 academic year. In addition to our current work in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia, this year we are expanding the curriculum program to Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Denver, Boston, and Chicago. We have hired a new full-time Program Manager, Karen Jarmon, to ensure that our schools get the personalized attention and ongoing implementation support we promised them.

Our educators are excited about The Jewish Lens. They relish the idea of providing creative programs that will hold the attention of students who would rather be anywhere but in their classrooms! The students are truly engaged in learning about values and text through the art of photography.

Israeli schools are also using The Jewish Lens. This year, the curriculum is expected to reach more than a dozen schools throughout Israel. As you can imagine, the government, the teachers, the kids, and the parents have had a difficult summer. Slowly, they are getting back into the mode of creative thinking and creative programming. The good news is that Zion recently conducted a teacher-training session in Israel to help the educators get the semester off to a great start.

We hope that you will visit one of our school exhibitions in one (or several!) of our regions this Spring to see the students' terrific photographs first-hand. You will see the dedication and accomplishments of our schools - the students, educators, families, and communities that The Jewish Lens has the privilege of working with each and every day.

Our personal thanks to the foundations and individuals who support The Jewish Lens. It is the support of generous individuals like you that make our programs possible. And last, but never least, our deepest thanks and congratulations to our dedicated Executive Committee, outstanding staff, and Avoda Arts.

Please join us in a toast to this year and many upcoming years at The Jewish Lens!

Sincerely,

Karen Jarmon, Program Manager
Zion Ozeri, Founder and Artistic Director
Alisa Doctoroff, Founder