It may just look like kids running around a tennis court in Kiryat Shemona, but behind the games 
is much, much more.
Seventy Ethiopian immigrant children, who live in the Absorption Center at Kibbutz Ayelet Hashachar, come to the Israel Tennis Center weekly for an exceptional experience that teaches life skills and gives them an opportunity to improve their self-esteem through interaction, sport and personal example. The children, grades one through six, come to the center for an enrichment program, supported by BeYachad, now in its second highly successful year.
The children running around the court in organized chaos are learning 
lifetime skills.
“It’s important that they have fun, but it’s more important that they leave this program with something for life. These kids will be able to land anywhere and all they’ll need is to find a tennis court and they’ll be fine. It’s a great way to integrate into society,” says the program’s founder, Shaul Zohar of the Israel Tennis Center.
In addition to the Ethiopian immigrant project, the Tennis Center runs a program for South Lebanese Army
(SLA) refugee children whose families have remained in Israel. These kids are in great need of programs that will help them integrate into Israeli society, and tennis is the perfect medium.
“It is important to have these kids come in contact with other Israelis their age.” Shaul says.
In this unique program, these new Israelis not only learn to serve, volley and charge the net, but they also acquire values and receive valuable lessons in health consciousness, the importance of sports, and especially, how to make friends.
The program for the Ethiopians runs every Sunday and Wednesday afternoons in three groups.
Shaul adds, “I’m glad I can give something to these children. Kiryat Shemona needs them here, and my goal is that they will move here permanently.”
