Hoops for Heroes Yashar LaChayal 8th Grade Girls Jewish Day School Basketball Tournament.

The goal of the Tournament is to raise awareness and funds for Yashar LaChayal and their ongoing efforts and programs that benefit members of the IDF, while connecting Jews in America with the Chayalim in Israel.

Yashar LaChayal is a truly amazing non-profit organization that brings soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces what they need, when they need it. In July 2006 at the height of the Second Lebanon War, the organization was established by a group of volunteers who delivered basic necessities such as toiletries and clothing to soldiers on the front lines. Since then, Yashar LaChayal has grown, and has developed a wide variety of projects for providing humanitarian support to the soldiers of the IDF.

Funds raised from the tournament will go towards three of Yashar LaChayal’s flagship projects:

• Hoops for Heroes – Weekly hosting of soldiers on leave at professional basketball games.
• The Needy Soldier Fund – Supporting soldiers who come from financially disadvantaged families. We provide them with grocery assistance, holiday food packages, furniture, appliances, and whatever else we can to help them serve the country in comfort and dignity.
• The Base Enhancements Project – Providing army bases (including remote outposts on Israel’s borders) with gym and rec room equipment so that soldiers can relax while off duty.

Other projects include those which benefit injured soldiers and support families of those who fell in Israel’s defense. Yashar LaChayal builds and maintains a network of “Warm Corner” rest stations throughout the country to host soldiers on break from patrol.  Yashar LaChayal’s receptiveness to new ideas and flexibility allows it to respond as fast as possible to the soldiers’ needs. It’s sterling reputation with IDF officers and army social workers allows it to reach the soldiers who need its assistance most.

Yashar LaChayal’s receptiveness to new ideas and flexibility allows it to respond as fast as possible to the soldiers’ needs. It’s sterling reputation with IDF officers and army social workers allows it to reach the soldiers who need its assistance most.

The Tournament provides for an educational component whereby each participating school will have a presentation at their school and learn about the work of Yashar LaChayal and how it addresses the basic needs of the members of the IDF. Each school will also be assigned an IDF unit.

The Tournament also provides a vehicle for middle school students to take a leadership role in participating in a meaningful fundraising project. Student athletes will have a personal Fundraising Page set up for them that they can send out to their family and friends. There will be special prizes awarded to the top 4 fundraisers from this initiative.

Tournament Outline:

• The participating teams will be divided into regional brackets and will play a pre-season game taking place during the month of November.
• Grand Finale Sunday, December 16 – ALL the participating teams will play in a new and exciting Tournament Bracket format.  The teams will be divided into Tier 1 and Tier 2.
• At the conclusion of the Tournament, each School/Team will nominate one MVP Player. All players on both winning teams will receive Championship trophies.

In addition to the fact that this Tournament is an important tzedakah and provides a meaningful learning experience, it gives the 8th Grade Boys Basketball Teams the forum to play other Yeshiva Day School teams in the tri-state area.

The Tournament entry fee for each participating School in the Tournament is $1000.

Personal and/or Corporate Tournament Sponsorships are also available here.

For more information please email Judah and Carol Rhine:

516-707-2638 or [email protected]

We look forward to working together and helping our students make a difference for  Yashar LaChayal.