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Twelve Year Old From US Realizes Dream DONATES HER BAT-MITZVAH MONEY TO START A GIRLS' SOCCER TEAM IN OFAKIM Rachel Schneider from the U.S. is realizing her dream-to create a girl's soccer team in Israel. Rachel is 12 years old, a soccer fan for as long back as she can remember, and a member of the Metrowest, NJ girl's soccer team. She decided to donate the money she received in Bat-Mitzvah gifts to establish a girl's soccer team in the Ofakim-Merchavim region in the Negev. The Jewish community of Metrowest, NJ is partnered with the region of Ofakim-Merchavim in the Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000 project. Eli Ofir, the regional manager, explains that Partnership 2000 aims to strengthen personal bonds between Jewish communities around the world and the State of Israel as well as to help develop the regions of the Negev and the Galilee. Rachel decided that she wanted to strengthen her personal bonds with girls her own age in Israel by sponsoring a girl's soccer team. Her parents supported her idea and contributed to the project as well. In the past few weeks 25 girls were picked for the team. This week the first phase of the team's consolidation began with a soccer training camp, with Rachel coming especially from the U.S. to participate. The team will hold weekly practice sessions throughout the year and will compete against other teams from around the country. Eventually, the team will also challenge the Metrowest girl's team that Rachel plays on.
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