For more than a decade, the owners and management of the Gaash Golf Club have generously allowed ESRA to use their course for ESRA's annual golf tournament. This year the tournament was held in November 2014 (later than usual). Fortunately, it was a beautiful autumn day, and the course was in immaculate condition.
Unfortunately, what was different this year was the absence of Linda Isaacs, a stalwart ESRA volunteer, who passed away recently. For many years Linda had been one of the main organizers of the ESRA golf day. In her honor this year, the tournament was named in her memory.
Among the participants were Linda's husband Eric and Brent, one of their four sons, who came especially from London to play with his father.
I had had the privilege of organizing quite a few of the past ESRA golf tournaments with Linda. That l found it so congenial to work with her had, in my opinion, much to do with Linda's long experience in volunteering – first, in the years before her aliyah from London, when she was very active in helping the refuseniks to leave the Soviet Union. Soon after making aliyah from England she joined ESRA. Besides the golf tournament she was active in a number of other ESRA projects, most prominently in Food for the Hungry in Herzliya.
For ESRA, the main benefit of the annual golf tournament is of course the funds raised. This year, amongst the major sponsors were Eric Isaacs himself, Kfar Hamaccabiah in Ramat Gan, and the Meat and Wine Co. Restaurant in Herzliya Pituach.
In addition, the exposure to the golfing community will hopefully aid ESRA in the future.
RESULTS OF THE 2014 ESRA GOLF TOURNAMENT
played on the basis of better-ball (pairs) Stableford
1st place: Steven WEIL & Bradley ELLERINE (Raanana)
2nd place: Leon BENNETT & Daniel MEONIK (Netanya)
3rd place: Mimi BANNISTER & Michael BANNISTER (Tel Aviv)