Natalie Askowitz calls it magic -- the way her letters come back to her in English from her Hebrew-speaking pen pal in Israel.
"I write in English and a person there translates it into Hebrew," Askowitz explains, "and then it comes back in English. I don't know how, it is like magic." Natalie corresponds with Gaya. The two have never met. They speak different languages but communication is there.
"I ask her a lot of questions and she always answers," said Natalie. Bet you've never heard the music from "Grease" sung in Hebrew.
There is a special bond between the children's from the Sarah Herzog Children's Center in Afula, Israel and the kids at the Breira School in Miami. Rabbi Jaime Klein Aklepi explained that some years ago the school's Hebrew teacher began a pen pal program with her students. The "pals" regularly e-mail each other.
But while in past years students at the Breira School have met their pen pals when they have traveled to Israel and made special visits to the children's center, Tuesday The Emunotes, as the group from the Children's Center is called, came to them.
The group is on a Eastern U.S. tour, and they'll be appearing at a number of local Miami synagogues, performing pop hits, rap, and even an interactive puppet show for youngsters -- and the group of three girls and 15 guys can sure belt out a tune.
It's hard to tell these self assured-appearing kids come from abusive families, some were abandoned in infancy, others removed from their homes for a variety of reasons often laced with personal tragedy.
Ellie Shaua sings with the group. A bit guarded but saying, "when I was at my home I was never outside, inside with my sisters watching TV and doing nothing. It is much better to be in a different place where everyone is for you."
Ellie lives with 160 other kids from all over the world. All are or were at-risk kids.
Shlommo Kessel brought The Emunotes to Miami, where they will appear at a number of synagogues and schools.
The trip is a fundraiser, as the center accepts placements from Israel's agency for child protective services, but the government provides limited funds for the project.
"This is probably the most powerful -- the performing arts," said Kessel, "and powerful to boost self esteem."
For more information, contact Nily Katriel at Bet Breira School, 305-595-1500.
