Neshima educational workshop series that offer students the vehicle for self-expression through music composition, lyric and creative writing, drawing and drama and aim to challenge the students to take an in-depth view in their Jewish identity. In high-schools the workshops take place five times a year and turn around the Jewish calendar, whereas there are twelve meetings with mechinot students throughout the academic year
A.M.I. was established in 2005 and offers the following programs:
1. Teacher Training Seminars to help educators learn how to use the arts as an educational tool to teach Jewish content matter and strengthen Jewish identity.
2.Weeklong residencies in The US using musicians and artist to help strengthen the connection between Jews in the Diaspora and a love for Eretz Yisrael and Am Yisrael.
In order to truly inspire the young people on a deeper spiritual level the Neshima program is designed according to the following principles:
1. Speaking from soul to soul, the A.M.I. staff creates an atmosphere that allows the students to look inside themselves, connecting to a deeper level of their spirituality.
2. The goal of every staff member is not how to get the students to like them, but how to get themselves to appreciate the students more, resulting in an atmosphere that gives the students permission to express themselves without being judged and censored.
3. Neshima’s workshops are there to encourage student participation, self-expression and creativity.
Drawing a parallel between music, meditation and the inner self the Neshima program uses music as a unifying factor and universal language; hence a key to open the hearts of the youth and to allow them to embark on a spiritual journey. By composing melodies in a spontaneous, unprepared way, the participants let the ideas come
directly from their soul and this leaves an everlasting impression on the inner life of the participants.
Unfortunately most Israeli high schools and Mechinot have extremely limited budget available to them for services beyond the day to day school classes. As such, A.M.I. typically subsidizes 75-85% of program costs per school.
Name of Organization:Artists and Musicians for Israel - AMI
Number of Paid Staff:2 f/t, 10 p/t
Number of Volunteers:10
Total Organizational Expenses:$152,748
% of Organizational Overhead Expenses:29%
There are many good programs aimed towards strengthening Jewish identity . A.M.I. uses accomplished, recognized, professional artists who at some point in their career had experience as educators.
I would like to thank you and the members of the band who worked together with you for the excellent educational work you provided and for your contribution to an educational revolution that was sparked by your performances at our school.
I feel I must point out that this was not simply another musical performance. Rather the performances were the fruit of our joint educational planning on the subjects of faith in G-d as well as faith in human relationship. We spoke about the cultural gaps that exist between the students in our classes, and the musical program was developed based on this discussion.
Following were performances by various Ashkenazi and Sepharadi artists in an attempt to discover what is special and unique in each culture and tradition, even if it is a completely unfamiliar entity. At this stage you included the students in a discussion with the artists in an effort to 'play together' in a synthesis of the various cultural groups.
You and four additional artists did wonderful work in the classes with the goal of forming creative cooperation between the students on subjects including: group singing and playing, composing new songs, etc.
After your work in the classes you presented the students in front of the entire school. The students were beaming with true happiness; among them were some who are not necessarily scholastically successful.
The atmosphere of togetherness, joy and the joint creativity in such a relatively short time period was simply amazing.
We are working to develop follow up programming for the students and at the same time coordinate a workshop for parents with a parallel educational theme in order to impart these important messages in the home environments of the students as well.
I have no doubt that this program has the potential for great success specifically in the creative and sensitive field of musical creativity, which still has not taken its worthy place in the education of this generation, who are so sorely in need of it.
Well done! We hope that many other quality Jewish schools will benefit from your educational and valuable program.
Rabbi Shmuel Shenler
Principal – Orot School for Boys
Beit Shemesh
Arts and Culture
Children
Education
Israel
Spirituality
We are now offering new leadership training sessions to Tel Aviv high school students to help them be better Jewish ambassadors of Israel when they go abroad .Upon their return, they will form a leadership corps to enter up to ten different schools and work in tandem with teachers to heighten Jewish identity in their respective schools.
Name:Viktoria Kanar
Title:Director of PR and Communications
Address:Mishol Hakitron #8, Ramot, Jerusalem, Israel
Telephone:972-2-563-0661
Email:viktoria@kanarassociates.com
Website:http://www.artists.org.il