[Dixielandjazz] Sponsoring Jazz Shows in Israel

[Ministry of Jazz]

Shalom Jazz Fans,

Recently I have been coming across opportunities to bring the Doctor Jazz
Dixieland Band to Sderot, the Israeli town on the border with Gaza that has
been getting kassam rockets fired at it daily for the past several years.
The people who live there have greatly appreciated our efforts to lighten
the atmosphere a little, to put some smiles on the faces of children and
adults alike, and to let them know they are not alone.

There are families there, as well as families who were expelled from their
homes in the former Jewish communities of Gaza, and families who live under
the threat of war along our northern border with Lebanon, who could use a
boost in morale, along with the material help they receive from fellow
Israelis and from abroad. And there are those among them who will be
celebrating weddings, bar mitzvahs, and other events, who cannot afford to
hire a live band because of the tough economic conditions imposed by the
terror campaign against them.

Additionally, I am in contact with schools for handicapped, abused or
at-risk children, teens and adults who also would benefit from some happy
classic jazz. My partner/banjoist is completing his Master's degree in Child
Psychology at Hebrew University, and will be working with such people for
his career.

I am therefore seeking sponsors who would cover the cost of sending
entertainment to these families and communities for their special events,
and for general moral support. Here's an example of how you can help:

* $500 would cover our bringing a 3-5 piece jazz band and a juggler, clown
or magician to a wedding, bar mitzvah or other such event, or to spend a day
entertaining in kindergartens, schools, community centers or on the streets
wherever we are needed. A larger contribution will allow us to do more. The
affected areas are 1 to 4 hours' driving time from our base in Jerusalem.

Your sponsorship helps Israel in several ways:

* you bring entertainment to people and places where it will do much good
* our performers work for reduced rates so we can do more with the available
funds
* you provide work for professional musicians and entertainers
* we report our income, so we pay the required taxes in Israel
* we make an effort to spend money in the places where we perform to further
help local businesses by buying meals, drinks groceries and supplies while
we are there
* we work in conjunction with other organizations who are distributing food,
toys and supplies, or treats such as pizza, ice cream or watermelon. Our
music helps to bring the whole operation to life and make it a memorable
occasion for the other workers as well as the recipients

In return I will send you a report of the event with photos and video, and a
letter of thanks from the recipients. For those who wish, I can arrange a
tax-deductible receipt from an appropriate US non-profit organization. I
intend to keep our overhead costs small by doing this on a personal basis
rather than start an organization. I would prefer to connect one sponsor or
group of sponsors with one event as they occur. I do not intend to raise
money to keep on account and thereby incur all kinds of accounting and
reporting costs. It will simply be a straight gift from the sponsor(s) to an
Israeli family or community.

Pictures and a recent report and links to videos on You Tube can be found on
our website: www.israel.net/ministry-of-jazz.

Anyone interested in knowing more, please contact me off-list.

Thank you in advance for helping to promote jazz in Israel.

Elazar Brandt
Dr. Jazz Dixieland Band
Tekiya Trumpet Ensemble
Jerusalem, Israel
www.israel.net/ministry-of-jazz
+972-2-679-2537