New York, NY …March 21, 2010: The America-Israel Friendship League (AIFL) hosted a reception for Rishon Le-Zion’s Gymnasia Realit Kamari High School basketball team following their charity game at Madison Square Garden.

The special charity event at the Garden was organized by the New York Knicks and former Knick legend John Starks to support Tamar Fund International, an organization committed to providing assistance to cancer patients and to oncology staff and volunteers who are doing days and nights for healing and saving lives. The AIFL reception also brought together AIFL Youth Ambassadors from Lehman High School in the Bronx.

Attending the AIFL reception were Executive Committee Chair Dr. Charlotte Frank, Chief Operating Officer William Behrer; Rishon Le-Zion Council Member Liel Even- Zohar, Rishon Le-Zion Foundation Director Ambassador Itzhak Oren, and Lehman High School Night School Principal Martin Smallhorn.

“The reception is part of our ongoing efforts to follow up on AIFL’s Citizenship through Sports Exchange program, which offers American and Israeli student-athletes a valuable means of applying their sports experience to active citizenship,' said AIFL Executive Committee Chair Dr. Frank. “By promoting good sportsmanship, developing communication and conflict resolution skills, we help students acquire the valuable tools to eliminate school violence.'

The America-Israel Friendship League’s (AIFL) mission is to strengthen the ties between the people of the United States and Israel; bridging distances to reveal the beauty, the humanity, and the modern democratic values that define both nations.

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For further information on this program, please contact William Behrer at 212-213-8630 / wbehrer@aif.org