 350 players from 22 schools will come to University of Maryland on April 8th to compete in the National Hillel Basketball Tournament. The tournament, which is being held for the first time, chose to support Bring It In - Israel and the work we do with the Israeli professional basketball team Barak Netanya, using basketball to teach life skills, develop leaders, and build community. Tournament chair Rachel Epstein, says "The National Hillel Basketball Tournament is extremely excited to be supporting Bring It In - Israel! We feel that their cause is perfectly in line with what this tournament is all about. Supporting Israel, specifically sports and recreation for disadvantaged Israeli youth, is a cause that all of the players from across the country playing in the National Hillel Basketball Tournament can proudly stand behind."
 According to Bring It In - Israel Head Coach David Lasday, "We are very excited to be chosen as a cause for the National Hillel Basketball Tournament. It is a great partnership. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect Jewish basketball players in North America to Israel, and we look forward to some of them participating in the Bring It In - Israel Fellowship." Lasday goes on to say, "As a graduate of UMD I can't think of any place better to host this event."
 'The Key to Success is Community' Monday, December 20th, Bring It In - Israel Head Coach David Lasday had the opportunity to speak with incoming New York PresenTense Fellows and talk to them a little bit about his experience as a PresenTense Summer Global Fellow. Lasday spoke about how the age of social entrepreneurship is fueled by collaboration and community, and that one of the most valuable facets of the PresenTense Fellowship is community. Lasday says, "PresenTense is creating this amazing community of social entrepreneurs and changemakers around the world." A big thank you and kol ha'kavod to PresenTense for all they do for the Jewish community and the world, and good luck to the NYC Fellows. Shout out to Shelby Zitelman for getting us in on the action, and the inspiring work she does with PresenTense.
 Bring It In - Israel is extremely proud of all of the 2010 Winter Fellows. They were incredible in the field and in the classroom. Bring It In - Israel Fellows balanced their training with activities from their long term Israel programs such as ulpan, classes, volunteering, and internships. Two Bring It In - Irael Fellows intern with Israeli Professional Basketball Teams. Chava Dashevsky, from Real Life Israel, interns with Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem, and Meagan Newman from Career Israel, interns with Bnei Hasharon. This combined with Bring It In - Israel's work with the Barak Netanya basketball team has Bring It In - Israel poised to take over the Israeli Premier League.Click here to check out some of the work Chava is doing for Hapoel Migdal Jerusalem.
 Tel Aviv, Israel Sunday, December 12th, on a rainy and stormy day when most people would not venture out from their homes, Bring It In - Israel Fellows Sam Forman, Gabi Remz from Young Judaea Yearcourse, and Meagan Newman from Career Israel, showed tremendous resolve and dedication not only coming to Bialik School in Tel Aviv, but bringing with them an impressive amount of positive energy and enthusiasm. In the near hurricane like conditions, Fellows changed buses two times in order to show up at Bialik School in Southern Tel Aviv to coach children from the after school program. Bialik is an amazing school made up of children from around the world, many of which our children of refugees from Darfur and Western Africa.
 The children were extremely excited to see the coaches. BII Fellow Gabi Remz started the day off leading the children through a warmup that consisted of jogging in place, high knees, and jumping. Bring It In - Israel in field training days consist of teaching Israeli children English, teamwork, listening, and communication. BII Fellow Sam Forman ran a defensive warm up with quick feet and 360 jumping that had the children smiling and laughing. BII Fellow Meagen Newman lead group call and response stretching. The children were then split up into three teams to partake in basketball drills and relay races. According to Bring It In - Israel Head Coach David Lasday, "The Fellows were incredible. First coming out in terrible weather conditions, and then being able to work within a classroom, in a small space. They were truly dynamic." For more pictures from this great in field training day click here.
 Tel Aviv, Israel Friday December 8th, Bring It In - Israel Fellows met at the Tel Aviv Sporttech to train with Coach Tomer Rubin. Coach Rubin is a veteran youth basketball coach and one of the leaders of the Givatayim Basketball School. Givatayim is a suburb of Tel Aviv. Coach Rubin ran the Fellows through a practice that included warm up, stretching, drills, games, and cool down. The activities were aimed at children 2nd to 5th grade. Fellows benefited from learning the drills and hearing them run in Hebrew.
 Coach Rubin taught Fellows the tricks of the trade, giving them coaching tips, and letting them know what to look out for in their practices. Most of the drills involved competitions either one on one or in a group. As a result, Fellows learned new activities that both honed fundamental basketball skills and engaged children in fun and exciting competition. The practice also served as bonding time for the group allowing for much anticipated one on one and three on three competition. To see more pictures from the training click here.
 Netanya, Israel Wednesday, December 8th, Bring It In - Israel Fellows and Barak Netanya players held a clinic for 3rd and 4rth grade Israeli children from two Moadoniote (after-school programs) in the Tzion neighborhood of Netanya. The children were very excited at the prospect of playing basketball with Barak Netanya players and Bring It In - Israel Fellows from North America. Many of the children had not touched a basketball before. Each child received a yellow Barak Netanya T-shirt. They were very excited at the opportunity to feel like a team. Barak Netanya also gave basketballs to the after school programs so that the children can continue to hone their skills.
 The practice began with a warm up that consisted of running, skipping, butt kicking, and high knees. Before exiting each time around the children had to say in English "My name is ....". Throughout the practice Fellows capitalized on the opportunities to teach the children English. Next the children participated in Bring It In - Israel's patented defensive warm up drill. Barak Netanya Player Jacob Colburn demonstarted the correct defensive stance and how to do quick feet. The children were then split up into groups where they worked on fundemental basketball skills such as passing and dribbling. The practice ended with a team building game that incorpated both passing, dribbling, and a lot of cheering. Each team was captained by a Bring It In - Israel Fellow. Team Canada was lead by Meagan Newman and Team America by Daniel Chaite. Madrichote (counselors) from the after school program were very excited about the program and asked if the coaches could come back again. To see more photos please click here.
 Netanya, Israel Tuesday, December 7th, 2010, Bring It In - Israel Fellows Sam Forman and Gabi Remz accompanied Bring It In - Israel Head Coach David Lasday to watch Barak Netanya play a team from Belgium as part of Euroleague competition. Bring It In - Israel coaches were guests of the Barak Netanya ownership. Netanya led throughout the third and fourth quarter and came away with a milestone victory that qualifies them for the next round of competition. After the game Fellows met with Barak Netanya players and ownership.
 Jerusalem, Israel Tuesday, December 7th, 2010, Bring It In - Israel Winter Fellows had the unique opportunity to meet with Danny Ourian from the New York Knicks Communty Relations department. Having spent time working with Bring It In - Israel Head Coach David Lasday at PeacePlayers International and Safe Haven West Side Basketball, Ourian sits on the Bring It In - Israel advisory board. Ourian, a cutting edge youth based sports development coach, spoke with the Fellows about how to organize an educational sports day with schools, camps, and community centers, from the initial contacting of the school administrators to the followup and evaluation after the event. This profesional development session proved to be invaluable to the Fellows, providing them with the tools to organize their own sports days. Fellows have expressed the desire to begin organizing sports days in Israel. Each fellow has commited to running 3 Israel sports days when they return to North America.
 Ourian shared with Fellows some of the tricks of the trade: How to build a relationship with the school and the administrators; The Importance of a sound practice plan; How to build excitment and make the event feel special; And the importance of a quick evaluation post event. To thank Ourian for all of his support Bring It In - Israel presented him with an honorary Bring It In - Israel Coach's shirt.
 Jerusalem, Israel Tuesday, December 7th, 2010, Bring It In - Israel Winter Fellows met with David Kramer Founder of the NU Campaign, a company that promotes Israeli causes through awesome T-Shirts that tell the story of the cause. Kramer spoke with the Fellows about the power of a story to teach people, connect them to a place, and inspire. Kramer encouraged the Fellows to find their own stories during the Bring It In - Israel Fellowship, and share them with youth back in North America. In the spirit of Hannuka, Kramer went on to tell Fellows a story from his youth, growing up in South Africa, about how a small spark can change the world.
 As part of the Bring It In - Israel Fellowship, each Fellow received a NU Campaign shirt. According to Bring It In - Israel Head Coach David Lasday, "We at Bring It In - Israel feel that it is important for Fellows to compile and share their own personal stories from their experience as part of our program. Moreover, as Israel Sports Educators they have the platform to promote the stories of other amazing Israeli causes and successes. The NU Campaign is doing important work and we were lucky to have Kramer come talk with our group." The Fellows were so excited about the NU Campaign Shirts, that they are making plans for Kramer to come speak with their perspective long term Israel programs
 Kramer and Lasday took the opportunity to talk with the group about their experience as 2010 PresenTense Summer Global Fellows, telling fellows about the different tools, skills, and networking the PresenTense Fellowship offered. Kramer told the Fellows that due to the group pitching throughout the PT Fellowship, he knew the inside outs of the Bring It In - Israel Fellowship before it ever came into exstence. Fellows left the sessions inspired to hone their own stories from their Bring It In - Israel experiences, in order to educate and connect Jewish youth in North America to Israel.
 December 6th, Netanya, Israel, Bring It In - Israel Fellows joined players from Barak Netanya to hold a special Hannukah Clinic for children from Rav Cook after school program. Children were very excited to meet Netanya players and Bring It In - Israel coaches from North America. Barak Netanya brought the children basketballs and official team shirts. There were big smiles all around as the children had the opportunity to get their pictures taken with players.
 The excitement and energy continued into the practice. Children learned the names of the lines of the court in English and had the opportunity to stretch in English with Barak Netanya player Jacob Colburn. Bring It In - Israel Fellow Chava Dashevsky was a star Hebrew translator. Chava lead the children through ball handling drills, relay races, and other team building games. The practice ended with the hands in cheer "We are"... "Barak Netanya." The children's faces shined with pride and enjoyment. Click here to see more pictures.
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