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Israeli tennis stars Andy Ram and Mika Dagan-Fruchtman will share their experience on their historic invitation to Dubai.

Co-hosted by the Israel Tennis & Education Centers, First Narayever Congregation, Congregation Har Tikvah, and Shaarei-Beth El Congregation

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Andy Ram, 3-time Doubles Grand Slam Champion and Mika Dagan-Fruchtman, Israel Tennis & Education Centers student, will share their experience on their historic invitation to Dubai earlier in December.

Moderated by Dan Diker, author of five books on the global BDS campaign and, in June, his recent book “Israelophobia and the West,” was published, which Alan Derschowitz called, “The Bible for understanding the new Anti-Semitism.”

BACKGROUND

Israel Tennis & Education Centers student, Mika Dagan-Fruchtman (17), is the first Israeli tennis player to receive an official invitation to participate in a ranking tournament in Dubai which took place December 5^th – 12^th, 2020. A delegation from the ITEC joined Mika for the tournament and for meetings with dignitaries including, Dan Diker, Vice Chairman of ITEC’s International Board and Andy Ram, ITEC alumnus and 3-time Grand Slam Champion.

"ITEC was started more than 40 years ago with the belief that tennis could be used to bridge a gap between Arab and Jewish cultures," said Kevin Green, International Chair & Canadian President of ITEC.” The Tennis Diplomacy initiative we have created unites people of all ethnicities, creeds, races and genders to live together and play in peace. This was not only a great opportunity for Mika, but a great sign of the progress our region continues to make in uniting our cultures through sports and the shared values of peace and understanding."

 Mika is ranked in the top 8 tennis players in Israel and among the top 200 in juniors in the world. She is a member of the National Tennis Academy in Ramat Hasharon, which was established in 2019 by the Israel Tennis Association and the Israel Tennis & Education Centers.

For Andy, this trip marked 11 years since he was given "special permission" to enter the UAE to compete in the 2009 Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships.

BIOS

Mika Dagan-Fruchtman

Mika Dagan-Fruchtman, Israel Tennis & Education Centers student and outstanding 17-year-old athlete, from Ra'anana, is considered a rising star in Israeli women's tennis. She is ranked in the top 8 tennis players in the country and among the top 200 in juniors in the world. Mika is the Israeli National Champion under 16 (singles and doubles). In addition, she is a member of the National Tennis Academy in Ramat Hasharon, which was established in 2019 by the Israel Tennis Association and the Israel Tennis and Education Centers. Mika's main strengths are her athletic and mental abilities that are accompanied by work ethic and a strong commitment to her professional career.

In 2020 Mika won an international junior tournament in India and was on track for significant progress in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior ranking. In December 2020, Mika was officially invited to participate in a tennis tournament in Dubai, after receiving a wildcard to participate in the Challenger Tournament with prize money of $100,000 and WTA ranking points. In her first women's professional tournament, Mika, passed 2 rounds in the qualification. This is an outstanding achievement for Mika, which will give her, for the first time, ranking in the professional women's tour.

Andy Ram

daAndy Ram is one of the most accomplished Israeli professional tennis players in history. An alumnus of the Israel Tennis & Education Centers in Jerusalem, he is a 3-time Grand Slam winner in mixed doubles at Wimbledon (2006), The French Open (2007) and Australian Open (2008), as well as representing Israel in numerous Davis Cup tournaments.

While his professional career has ended, he continues to be a part of the game he loves at the Centers that made him who he is by working with the governing professional body of the National Tennis Academy located at the ITECenter in Ramat Hasharon. Andy lives with his wife and family in Tel Aviv.

Dan Diker

Author of five books on the global BDS campaign and, last month, his recent book, "Israelophobia and the West," was published, which Alan Dershowitz called, “The Bible for understanding the New Anti-Semitism." He served as Secretary General of the World Jewish Congress and started with the Israel Tennis & Education Centers in 1977, serving as a Coach in Israel and North America for ITEC fundraising exhibitions between 1978 and 1983. He serves on ITEC’s Israel Operating Committee and the International Board. Dan played NCAA Division I Varsity Tennis for Harvard University from 1980 to 1983. He credits the Israel Tennis & Education Centers for inspiring his Aliyah to Israel in 1990.

Israel Tennis & Education Centers Foundation

The Israel Tennis & Education Centers is celebrating our extraordinary legacy of growth from 1 Center in 1976 to 14 centers, which are intentionally located in under-resourced cities. ITEC has made a remarkable impact on the country, the communities surrounding each center, the teachers, coaches and families of over half a million children.

Over the last 43 years ITEC has evolved into one of the largest social service agencies for children in Israel. It has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of vulnerable children, of all faiths, many living on or below the poverty level, by educating and empowering them through academic enrichment, sports and mentoring, igniting hope and opening pathways to a successful future for them and for Israel, now and for generations to come.

ITEC truly embodies inclusion and unity in a region where this model of ethnic integration is very rare. In these safe environments each and every child is afforded an equal opportunity to play, dream, learn and make friends within a peaceful community.

Click HERE for more information about this historic event from the Jerusalem Post.

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