November 12, 2007 -- Paul Newman was guest of honor at a luncheon in New York for the Jordan River Village, the Israeli camp for children suffering from cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The camp, which opens towards the end of 2008 in the Galileee, is the newest in the Hole in the Wall network of camps started by Newman in 1988. The program will enrich the lives of Israeli children, as well as others from the region, with the opportunity to have a full range of recreational activities, along with an advanced medical support team and equipment.
Newman spoke about the impact the camps – five in the US, others in the UK, Ireland, Italy and France - have had on the participating children. The legendary actor, also reknown for his line of food products, noted that the Jordan River Village will do the same for children in Israel and the Middle East. |
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Photo, L to R: Chaim Topol, Paul Newman,
Michael Finkelstein, Chairman of the AFJRV.
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Actor Haim Topol, who is the Chairman of the Israel Board of the JRV, noted that the camp would be open throughout the year and be a “dream come true” for hundreds of children each year, most who have missed out on much of the joys of childhood. They will have a wide range of sporting and cultural activities available, at no cost, with the support of professional staff and volunteers. There will also be special programs for entire families at the camp.
The cost of establishing the camp, said Michael Finkelstein, Chairman of the American Friends of the Jordan River Village, is about $20 million. The camp, and its annual operations, are mainly supported by private donations.
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