Dear Friends of “Gate of Hope ­ Petach Tikva” Foundation, We would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts, because we have managed to accomplish what seemed impossible from the human point of view with God’s help and your prayers and support. May God reward you! We would like to inform you with joy that from September to December 2015 our Foundation reached 25 primary schools and junior high schools in the district of Cieszyn, where over 2100 pupils attended our classes. The meetings with children were held in primary schools in the following towns: Wisła, Wisła Czarne, Wisła Malinka, Jawornik, Brenna, Nierodzim, Bielany, Lipowiec, Cieszyn, Goleszów, Ogrodzona, Simoradz, Iskrzyczyn, Koniaków, Zabłocie, Chybie. The classes were also held in junior high schools in the following towns: Jaworze, Goleszów, Wisła, Chybie Mnich, Chybie. We also accepted invitation to the junior high school No. 1 in Polkowice, dolnośląski province, where our classes were run within the humanitarian education project “We touch the world.” We were also invited to the Evangelical Center of Deacon Service and Education in Wrocław. The lesson was run in a junior high school and a primary school. We encourage you to see pictures the gallery on: www.bramanadziei.org.pl We also would like to tel you something about our summer visit to a camp for Jewish children from Ukraine which was held in Wisła. We told them Max Lucado’s story “You are unique.” The listeners found the story very interesting. I would like to take the opportunity to describe you briefly how our classes look like.

1. At the beginning the children learn the verse from Genesis 12,3: “I will bless those who bless you (Israel)”. We encourage you to bless the Jewish nation, to speak well about them, preventing antisemitism this way.

2. Then we tell them stories from lives of Jewish children who found themselves in the hell of holocaust. The testimonies allow to understand the idea of discrimination and ways of recognizing and preventing it.

3. Our newest lesson is based on the story of Janina Dawidowicz, from the book entitled “Piece of sky”. We wish to make Polish children sensitive to other people being hurt, teach them respect for themselves and others.

4. We tell the children that they are unique and special. God loves them very much, created them wonderfully and has a unique, perfect plan for them. We encourage them that with God’s help they would develop their skills and interests God endowed them with.

Teachers’ comments:

“The classes were extremely valuable for our youth. There were raised subjects of tolerance, building self­esteem and sensitivity to the needs to others. They gave a broad outline of the history of the Jewish nation during the Second World War. Thank you very much for the message which was significant and necessary for the pupils. We recommend the classes for other schools.”­ school educator “It was a valuable experience for our pupils. I think that such lessons make pupils interested in the subject matter. The lecturer has a great contact with children”. ­ K. Szewczyk – history teacher. I also would like to mention an interesting event “Evening with Korczak” where I was invited in order to run a lecture. Below you can read a notice which appeared on the śląsk cieszyński’s portal ox.pl http://kontakt24.ox.pl/kontakt24,2520,wieczor­z­korczakiem­.html

Notice about this event: th November, in the late evening, at the Primary School No. 3 with integrated classes in Cieszyn there was held an uncommon meeting “On 20 inspired by the 55

Day. This year we decided to honor these events with a special meeting entitled “Evening with Korczak” to which we invited special guests: mayor of Cieszyn, Ms Barbara Bałon from “Gate of Hope” Foundation, members of the Klezmer team and representatives of the school’s parents’ committee. (…). “Evening with Korczak” started with a lecture by Ms Barbara Bałon from the “Gate of Hope” Foundation from Ustroń. Barbara touched all listeners with the story of Jasia – a little Jewish girl who survived the Second World War and experienced what hatred and rejection meant. (…) We would be grateful for recommending our Foundation to other people willing to support this project. Once again thank you for everything we have managed to achieve till now with your support. May God bless and reward you abundantly. We wish you many joyful days, peace and God’s blessing in the new 2016 year. With gratitude

Barbara Bałon

608 253 867

www.bramanadziei.org.pl

Fundacja „Brama Nadziei­Petach Tikva”

ul. A. Brody 79

43­450 Ustroń

ING Bank Śląski o/Ustroń

24 1050 1083 1000 0090 3032 3290

th anniversary of naming the school after Janusz Korczak. November is also a month when our school celebrate the Korczak’s

“I will bless those who bless you (Israel)”

Genesis 12,3