Clearwater Couple Tutor Russian High School Students in Israel

Andi Kron and Charles Thorn of Clearwater, FL are back at Hadassah-Neurim Youth Village for their sixth three-month stint of volunteering. Living in the Youth Village near Netanya, on the Mediterranean Coast with the 423 teens and staff, they tutor the high school students in English reading, writing and speaking skills. Thorn, a physicist, also does odd jobs on campus.

“It’s our favorite part of the year,” says Kron, a cartographer. When the teens asked Kron why she comes every year to help them at Hadassah-Neurim, she said, “I love the children of Israel. Full stop.”

In 2018, Andi Kron and Charlie Thorn escorted a group of Ethiopian-born students from Hadassah-Neurim back to Ethiopia for a visit.

Pictured is Ilya Kanovalov from Belorussia and Boris Spodobaev’s from Kremenchuk, an industrial city in central Ukraine. both 16, and both taking part in the Na’aleh program in which teens come to Israel without their parents.

“I seem to have lost my English while learning Hebrew this year, and really appreciate the help in getting it back.,” said Kanovalov. “There are so many more opportunities in Israel than in Belorussia. My father is in the textile business and I hope to gain the computer skills to be able to help him run the business after I finish High School and serve in the IDF. I’ve already written a first program for him.”

Boris Spodobaev’s hometown of Kremenchuk was a large Jewish Center before most of the Jews were murdered there in World War II. “There are no good jobs in the Ukraine and I don’t see my future there. I want to be an engineer and part of Israel’s high-tech companies.”

Both teens were working on essays describing computer apps, and Kron assisted them in syntax and vocabulary choice. “Google Translate doesn’t always get the meaning, let alone the nuances,” said Kron.

Photo Caption (left to right): Ilya Kanovalov, Andi Kron, Boris Spodobaev

Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA) is the largest Jewish women’s organization in the United States. With 300,000 members, associates and supporters Hadassah brings Jewish women together to effect change and advocate on critical issues such as women’s health equity and the security of Israel. Through the Hadassah Medical Organization's two hospitals, the world-renowned trauma center and the leading research facility in Jerusalem, Hadassah supports the delivery of exemplary patient care to over a million people every year. HMO serves without regard to race, religion or nationality and earned a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2005 for building “bridges to peace” through equality in medical treatment. For more information, visit www.hadassah.org.