MW-CNS - Hadassah Neurim Youth Village Visits Chicago

Two unique opportunities to meet representatives from our Hadassah Neurim Youth Village! Come hear Ami Magen, CEO of Hadassah Neurim and two students talk how we are changing lives every day with our support of our youth villages. Meet & greet afterwards.

Afternoon Tea, Wednesday, July 24, 2:00-4:00 PM CT
Private Home in Evanston

Breakfast in partnership with CNS Associates, Thursday, July 25, 8:30-10:00 AM CT
North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, 1175 Sheridan Rd, Highland Park, IL 60035

Ami Magen, Hadassah Neurim
Youth Village CEO

Ami joined the Hadassah Neurim team in 2018 with previous experience in boarding school management. Ami has since made changes to significantly improve the student matriculation rate in the village, while also maintaining and expanding the extracurricular programs and emotional support available to students. His goal is to ensure they graduate with a strong sense of self-confidence, long-term support and the ability to succeed in life. Ami is a proud Jew and Zionist. He served in a combat unit in the IDF for many years, recently switching to a more logistical role in his reserve duties. On October 7, Ami reported for reserve duty while still maintaining contact with the village and enabling Hadassah Neurim to host the students of the Kfar Silver youth village, all of whom had to be evacuated from the Gaza Envelope. Ami holds a master's degree in education systems management and a teaching certificate from Haifa University. He lives in the village with his wife, Meital, and their three children.

Mina Levin, Hadassah Neurim
11th-Grade Student

Mina was adopted as a baby into a loving family that lives in the Gaza Envelope. Her difficulties in school led to very low self-confidence in elementary school. Mina's search for a new school with a strong athletic program brought her to Hadassah Neurim. Since moving to the village in ninth grade, Mina has flourished. She enjoys going to class, her grades have improved, and she is active in community life in the village. She is an avid surfer, and she manages the radio station, and occasionally takes part in weekly broadcasts. Mina serves as student council president and has just completed her young counselor training course. On October 7, Mina was spending time with friends near her hometown, when terrorists invaded the town. She spent the day locked in a safe room with her friends, hearing shouts in Arabic and shooting all around them. Her family was displaced from their home and has only recently returned. When Mina returned to Hadassah Neurim, she was welcomed with open arms and a warm support system.

Shalhevetya made aliyah to Israel from South Africa with her family as a two-year-old. Throughout elementary school, Shalhevetya struggled to develop her language skills and was severely bullied by both her peers and some of her teachers. She tried three different schools but was constantly socially rejected. In a desperate attempt to find a place where she could be happy, her father asked her what she wanted. She answered, "The ocean and dogs." Hadassah Neurim was the perfect fit. Before the start of the school year in ninth grade, Shalhevetya came to the village for orientation week, and for the first time in her life, she made friends. Shalhevetya is flourishing at Hadassah Neurim. She surfs and trains rescue dogs while also acting as a school counselor for younger students. She runs the student-led evaluation days for prospective new students and has just completed her advanced young counselor training course. Shalhevetya is interested in a career in law enforcement, and she has already started combat training at school in anticipation of her IDF enlistment after she graduates.