Local News
May 2, 2008
Student Helps Israeli Peers
Zach Guttman gets a kick out of helping Israel students.
Stacy Karten
Contributing Editor
Click here to purchase photos.
Thanks to Zach Guttman’s compassion and creativity, students at the Netzach Israel Middle School in the southern Israeli town of Kiryat Malachi are accumulating a supply of sports equipment to add to the enjoyment of their school day.
Zach, 11, a sixth-grade student at Pikesville’s Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community Middle School, established a Kids Helping Kids Network as his bar mitzvah project.
“Last April, our family traveled to Israel,” said Zach. “We asked [Beth Tfiloh’s] Cantor [Avraham] Albrecht for some ideas of places we could help. He suggested the school.”
The Guttman family — including father, Larry; mother, Danica; and brother, Josh — visited the school, which largely serves immigrants, primarily from Ethiopia. The Guttmans immediately noticed the poor facilities and lack of supplies there.
“For most of these kids, the only hot meal they have each day is at school,” said Mrs. Guttman. That meal is provided by Meir Panim, a network of food centers throughout Israel.
During the visit, Zach had an opportunity to play soccer with students. It wasn’t on a well-manicured grass field like he was used to at home, but on a concrete surface.
“I saw a kid fall and cut his leg. This couldn’t be fun,” said Zach. He started thinking that enriching the students’ sports programs would be a worthy endeavor.
“It was exciting to watch them play,” said Mrs. Guttman. “While Zach and the students didn’t speak the same language, they immediately bonded and communicated through hand signals playing soccer.”
After returning to his Pikesville home, Zach embarked on his project with the complete support of his family. “It’s important to learn the value of helping other children,” said Mr. Guttman. “Sports is a universal way of achieving this.”
There are two components to Zach’s efforts to benefit the school. He has established a Web site (khknetwork.org ) at which people can purchase and donate sporting goods to the school through a sports equipment gift registry section.
“A list of items and prices are shown,” said Mr. Guttman. “The person selects the items they want to contribute, and the equipment is delivered by an Israeli company.”
The site’s registry section has only been activated for about a month, and it’s off to a productive start. “We already bought over $1,600 in sports equipment,” said Zach. “It was delivered to the school, and we have pictures of the kids on the Web site.” Indeed, photographs of students with their new soccer balls and other sports items show how excited they are to receive these goods.
The second aspect of Zach’s fund-raising is a Kids Helping Kids Soccer Tournament, which will take place Sunday, June 1, starting at 9 a.m. at Pikesville Middle School. All proceeds will go to buying more sports materials.
“We have 250 boys and girls right now,” said Zach, who has created the format for that day’s games. Zach’s parents noted that the Pikesville Recreation Council is a key promoter and sponsor of the soccer event, and other major supporters are Sinai LifeBridge, Velocity Sports, the Baltimore Blast, Soccertown and Preventive Nutrition Services.
Zach, who plays soccer on the Beth Tfiloh Middle School “A” team and for the Glyndon Avalanche club team, said he is pleased with the response to his project.
“My friends are very supportive. It’s cool,” he said. Added Mr. Guttman: “This is a project that can continue [after Zach’s bar mitzvah] and can serve as a model for other kids helping kids projects.”
For information about Kids Helping Kids, call 410-580-1385 or go to www.khknetwork.org . The June 1 tournament is open to grades 5-8 and costs $25 per person registration.
Striking Results
Dave Freundlich of Reisterstown
finished ninth in the Coors Light Tournament of Champions for the Free State Classic Tenpin Tour.
The event took place last Saturday, April 26, at Bowl America Glen Burnie. Mr. Freundlich rolled a three-game total of 552 with scores of 175-207-170.
Net Gains
The biggest obstacle facing Pikesville High School’s tennis team this year is the fact that two of their courts were condemned.
“We’ve been playing most of our home matches away and having rather limited practices,” said coach Jerry Dresner.
Champions 40 of the past 42 years, the Panthers were undefeated (10-0) as of last Friday, April 25, with the Baltimore County tournament starting today.
“Our leaders have been our four singles players,” said Mr. Dresner. “Paul Burgin is a junior and undefeated this year. He was second in the county and the region last year after having been regional champion as a freshman. Andrew Lutz is also a junior and undefeated. He has been third in the state in doubles the past two years. Lolita Kachay is a junior with a 6-1 record. She was second in the county and third in the region last year after being county and region champion as a freshman. Meher Kachwala is a junior and undefeated. She is the defending county champion at No. 2 singles.”