Marc Hinnawi, we are proud of you!

Marc Hinnawi was welcomed back home this morning by family and friends. Marc was away in Holland where he participated in the European Youth Olympics in Utrecht. Marc brought home two gold medals.

We are so proud of you, Marc! Well done!!

Boys’ 400m freestyle: HINNAWI (ISR) – gold

UTRECHT, 17 July – Marc Hinnawi won the 400-meter Freestyle held in the Netherlands and set a new age record.

The Israeli delegation to the European Youth Olympics in Utrecht, the Netherlands today (Wednesday) saluted swimmer Mark Hinnawi, who won a gold medal in the 400-meter Freestyle, after setting a new age record.

Hinnawi finished in a time of 3:57.73 minutes and knocked about two seconds off his previous race times. 

His personal trainer said on the Swimming Association website: "We did all the necessary preparations, the swimmer (Hinnawi) did not set himself any limit, and the results speak for themselves. This is an exciting swimming moment for Israel  - actually the entire Israeli delegation."

Comments from Marc HINNAWI (ISR) after winning the gold medal in the 400m freestyle in the European Youth Olympic Festival Utrecht 2013 at De Krommerijn on Wednesday.

Result: Gold – Marc HINNAWI (ISR, 3:57.73), silver – Ernast MAKSUMOV (RUS, 3:58.44), bronze – Guillem PUJOL BELMONTE (ESP, 3:58.53).

Marc HINNAWI (ISR) – gold

On his target going into the final:

“I had three goals in this race – to win the gold medal, to beat my personal best time and to beat the EYOF record set in Trabzon in 2011.

On his gold medal:

“This gold medal means a lot to me. Everyone will be proud of me, my parents, my coach and the entire country. This is the first medal of the Israeli delegation at the Olympic Festival. And because it is a gold medal, it is extra special.”

*Israel's channel 2 news 

*European Youth Olympic Festival Blog 

Flash Quotes – Boys’ 1500m freestyle: HINNAWI (ISR) – gold

UTRECHT, 18 July – Comments from Marc HINNAWI (ISR) after winning the gold medal in the boys’ 1500m freestyle in the swimming competition at the European Youth Olympic Festival Utrecht 2013 at De Krommerijn on Thursday.

Result: gold – Marc HINNAWI (ISR, 15:33.72), silver– Nicolas D’ORIANO (FRA, 15:39.66), bronze – Andrea MANZI (ITA, 15:46.49).

Marc HINNAWI (ISR) – gold

On his race and the whole tournament:

“I feel amazing about my race. It is my second gold medal, so it couldn’t be better. Also, this was my sixth Israeli youth record in total. Thereby, I also swam the qualifying time for the 1500m freestyle for the European swimming championships in Berlin next year.”

On his forthcoming competition:

“Next week, I will compete at the European junior open water championships in Kocaeli, Turkey. I will swim the 5000m there, and my only aim is to win another gold.”

Summer Work Continues

The upgrading of the school is continuing according to plan. The new roof on the Grade 5 balcony is complete and looks really good!

Also, we are repairing the walls around the entrance of the school and the walls outside the school and around the Reception classroom.

Summer work 2013

As is usual for the summer holidays, we have workmen around the school transforming sections, upgrading and repairing parts of the school. 

This year we are installing a ramp for disabled access to the playground (the law requires that by 2016 public buildings must have disabled access), the garden used by the pre-primary children is having most of the area resurfaced with a rubberized covering and fixing their sandpit, the balcony outside the Grade 5 classroom is having the roof replaced, and we are preparing the foundations for two new classrooms which we are planning to build later in the year.

Song performances

The Choirs from the Arab-Jewish Community Center performed at an end of year concert last night at the "Music Center" in Jaffa. All four Choirs are made up of a mix of Arab and Jewish children and adults. Many Tabeetha pupils and parents make up parts of these choirs. 

Each choir sang a collection of four songs in Arabic, Hebrew and English, and the grand finale was all four choirs on stage together performing a moving rendition of the John Lennon song, "Imagine".