Immigrant Girls Build Self-Esteem Through JDC-Sponsored Tae Kwan Do Scholarship Fund

Israel's Ethiopian immigrants are known for being shy, quiet and timid. But for 14 year-old Sharona, all that changed with her first Tae Kwon Do match. "We have learned that being physical and sports-minded is okay," notes Sharona. "In these matches, I actually have the advantage of surprise. No Israeli thinks an Ethiopian will throw a punch at them."

Sharona was among the five new immigrant girls from Ethiopia who participated in Israel's annual Tae Kwon Do National Sportswomen's Day held in Jerusalem on June 25th. The young competitors received a special JDC Scholarship created by the Gunther family of California. The scholarship was set up by the Gunther's in memory of their granddaughter Eva. Eva was a 12 year-old black belt who competed in the Junior Olympics.

JDC Board member Richard Gunther says the program has yielded terrific results. "We just came back from Israel, where we watched the girls compete. They were so happy. I asked one of them if the competition was too tough and she told me, 'Even if I don’t win, I feel good, because I have learned something.'"

Through JDC, Gunther sponsors ten immigrant girls, mostly from Ethiopia and the Caucasus Mountain region of the former Soviet Union, and an additional ten native Israeli "buddies," who help the young immigrant athletes in their study of Tae Kwon Do and in their efforts to acclimate to Israeli society.

The Tae Kwan Do Scholarship Fund is one of a number of sports-related programs used by JDC to support immigrant or at-risk children and youth. JDC utilizes sport as one of its methods to help young immigrants improve self-esteem and scholastic performance. JDC also employs sport as a therapeutic medium for treating children and youth at risk, and as a way to help keep children in a safe environment during the present security crisis.