Nathaniel Knoll – Class of 2016

Kids Kicking Cancer fundraiser

The Australasian Zionist Youth Council (AZYC) is the roof body that unites the seven Zionist Youth Movements across Australia and New Zealand. The AZYC facilitates a support network between Betar, Bnei Akiva, Habonim Dror, Hashomer Hatzair, Hineni, Netzer, Tzofim and two pluralist youth organisations in the small communities of Adelaide and Canberra.

We create a powerful platform so that youth movements can continue to establish a connection between Judaism, Zionism and the youth of our communities, irrespective of the religious affiliation and political belief. The AZYC continues to strengthen the Jewish communities of Australia and New Zealand through education and cultural connection to the community and provides an outlet for youth to socialise and learn in a Jewish context.

The AZYC 2017 Shnat cohort is made up of 100 participants who are communally engaged and active. Our aim for this campaign is to raise funds so that each individual riding will be able to support a child through the Kids Kicking Cancer program. The AZYC has come together with Kids Kicking Cancer Israel to help raise donations for the families in need to make sure the programs in Israel continue running, as well as creating new centres all around Israel. The participants on Shnat 2017 (AZYC Gap Year Program) will ride the ANZAC trail to raise funds for Kids Kicking Cancer.

The funds raised in this project will go towards helping Israeli children and their battle with cancer. Kids Kicking Cancer is a non-profit organisation that holds weekly classes for children who have been diagnosed with Cancer. The classes are about the mind-body techniques found in the martial arts. Their mission is “to ease the pain” of very sick children, whilst empowering them to heal physically, spiritually and emotionally. Through an innovative program that merges modern integrative medicine with traditional martial arts, Kids Kicking Cancer addresses the overwhelming needs of children with illness. Specially trained Black Belt martial artists teach breathing, visualisation, and relaxation techniques, in addition to traditional martial arts moves to help empower the children and provide them with a sense of power, peace and purpose. Martial arts classes, support during hospital and clinic procedures, uniforms, and transportation to and from classes are provided to families at no cost.

For more about this fundraiser and to donate: www.jewcer.org/project/azyc2017/