Israel 2010

Rising Stars 2010 Goodwill Tour to Israel Press Release
"Full Court Peace Comes To Israel"

Rising Stars Israel 2010

Rising Stars recently completed its first visit to Israel on Sunday August 8th.

It was a two week visit that was put together by Gedera resident Ronen Zohar, with the intent of bringing a top level instructional basketball program from the U.S to Israel, and offering a possible way to bring communities together.

Mr. Zohar chose Rising Stars from the many such programs available here in the states because he has seen the Rising Stars programs ability to successfully utilize basketball to reach children first hand.

Mr. Zohar explains, "Rising Stars teaches basketball from the perspective of teaching about life. Every basketball lessons carries with it the motivation to learn more and the message that anything is possible. Rising Stars promotes learning by doing and involves every child in every aspect of training. It is a model of great meaning that reaches both children and adults. It is a program I felt would be very well received in Israel and I am happy to say one that exceeded my expectations!"The training was conducted by Rising Stars founder Paul Savramis .

Groups that were trained were divided by ages and abilities and included every age group. The training was in the Gedera gym, during some of the hottest days in Israel history, but the boys in the gyms did not mind the heat. They were too busy enjoying what many said was the best time they ever had on a basketball court. One resident,Hoy Dagon put it best, "I have been training for over 10 years but I have never learned what I did today. This not only inspired me to be a better player but it helped me see what it takes for someone to be a better person."

The parents that were there also enjoyed themselves watching the exercises. One parent Haden Dagon observed, "It is amazing for me to see the faces of the youngest. They don't understand everything that is said at first but they understand it is meant to offer them a great experience. They are having the time of their lives and that needs no translation. I have never seen basketball taught this way."

Rising Stars has conducted sessions similar to the ones in Gedera around the world and the messages they offer never seem to need translation.

Enjoy life, do the best that you can at all that you try, and be grateful for the gift of life every day. Everything is possible if you believe it to be, is one of these messages that the boys in Gedera took away.

Israeli boy with Jersey

The clinics were also seen by Gedera resident Yarden Frish, a former Maccabi Tel Aviv star with a son in the sessions. He was also impressed by the enthusiasm of the group and particularly that of his son.

Yarden had also been involved in basketball training around the world that included a professional career. His observation was the same as the rest of the parents.

"This is something special and it should be offered throughout the country!"

Yarden arranged for meetings with the Israeli national team, and with the headquarters of Maccabi Tel Aviv. Meetings were conducted to develop an ongoing program that would allow Rising Stars to offer their special brand of basketball magic to Maccabi Tel Aviv as well as to all the Maccabi teams that want to be involved. The next session in Israel may come as early as this October.

It is important to reach as many kids at an early age as possible to make a difference in both how they develop on the court, and in a place where basketball can help bring people together, the way they think of the court.

In addition to teaching basketball in Gedera a tour of the country was included. That tour taught the teacher as much as he could teach the children and the lesson was well learned. Coach Savramis returned to the U.S. with a new perspective of Israel, its people, and the unique challenges they face every day.

He suggested that an exchange program involving U.S children learning about life and basketball in Israel, and more about what it means to live there would be of great interest. Equally, a program bringing Israeli children to America would be of similar interest.

So much could be accomplished with an exchange like that, not just with the game of basketball but with the game of life.