Established in 1909, the birth of Tel Aviv-Jaffa coincided with the birth of modern Zionism. It is the first Hebrew-speaking city in modern times. Today, it has grown into a remarkable city. The symbolic center of Israeli pluralism and liberalism, Tel Aviv is home to Israeli natives and new immigrants, young couples and senior citizens, business people and artists, religious and secular. Yet, as Ira Riklis is aware, nearly 40 percent of its 350,000 citizens live in poverty.
In order to meet the needs of these people and to help them raise their standard of living, the Tel Aviv Foundation was founded in 1977. The Foundation, which works by raising money to support projects throughout needy neighborhoods, works in partnership with the Municipality of Tel Aviv-Jaffa which sets the priority projects through the Mayor and the City Council who provide matching funds (usually dollar-for-dollar) for nearly every project. Ira Riklis and his family have been supporting the Foundation for more than twenty years now, funding numerous projects aimed at bettering the lives of people in one particular Tel Aviv neighborhood, so that they may raise themselves up from poverty and fully participate in the life of this vibrant and unique center of Israeli culture and finance.
When Ira Riklis first started skiing at Vail, he began taking lessons from instructor Mike Bartasuis. The two soon became good friends and have been skiing together ever since. Back in the early days, Mike’s status as an instructor gave him top priority on the lifts, allowing the two to avoid long waits as the lines. But as Mike moved on to other ventures, they no longer had a free pass to the front of the lines. They needed a new strategy to avoid waiting in line.
The answer turned out to be simple: just show up early. Most skiers on vacation tend to sleep in, take their time getting ready and stop to enjoy a leisurely breakfast before hitting the slopes sometime around 10 a.m. The result is the morning “rush hour” on the lifts, long lines and long waits. And all that leads to fewer runs and less skiing overall. Ira Riklis and Mike Bartasuis are serious about their skiing, so they make it a point to get up and get going. They’ve already enjoyed some excellent runs down un-crowded slopes before most people are done drinking their morning coffee!
Aish HaTorah, with its world headquarters near the Western Wall in Jerusalem, is a world leader in creative Jewish educational programs and leadership training. Founded in 1974, the group is dedicated to revitalizing the Jewish people by providing opportunities for Jews of all backgrounds to discover their heritage in an atmosphere of open inquiry and mutual respect. Ira Riklis has long supported the group, and he, in turn, has long felt supported by them when he’s been in need of guidance and support.
Aish HaTorah translates as “Fire of Torah,” the “fire” signifying the organization’s passion of teaching and learning about the Torah—the Jewish holy book. To this end, the organization operates an international network of educational centers in more than one hundred cities on five continents. Their website, versions in five languages, reaches millions around the world. Ira Riklis finds the breadth and depth of their offerings most impressive, and his donations are a way of expressing his gratitude for the support the group has given him and of helping them light the way for others looking to better understand their faith.
After passing through Vail on a summer driving vacation back in 1975, Ira Riklis and his wife fell in love with the (at the time) new ski resort town. And they returned that winter to ski. After suffering a badly broken leg five years earlier, Ira had not been skiing since the accident. But inspired by the area’s great beauty, and aided by a new generation of ski boots that provided greater protection for fragile ankles, he was back on the slopes at last.
And so it has been in the more than 30 years since then. Each winter, Ira Riklis returns to exclusively to Vail for their skiing adventures. They find the town charming and the slopes challenging yet well-groomed. And once the day’s skiing is finished, there are many wonderful and varied restaurants where they can enjoy a meal, talk about the day they had and plan for the next day’s adventures. What more could you ask for from a ski resort!
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But many of us rush off to work without it. We may grab a snack on the way to work, or perhaps during a morning break. Some of us fuel up on enough coffee to get us through to lunch, when we finally take time for a good meal. But Ira Riklis knows that not all of us have those options. Many homeless people, including those who work at low-paying jobs but still can’t afford a decent breakfast, start their day hungry.
The Central Synagogue Caring Committee was formed twenty-five years ago to help meet the needs of these working poor. Each week on Thursday and Friday mornings, they serve hot meals and sack lunches to all who come to be served. But their morning hours were meant to fill a void—no other group in the area serves meals at that time—and provide a boost to people heading off to work, or to look for work, between 5:30 and 8:15. And if you show up to help, you’ll find Ira Riklis there on many a Friday morning, just as he’s been doing for years, lending his hand to the effort.
In 1970, Ira Riklis broke his leg in a skiing accident. The severe break occurred right at the top of his ski boot, and while the break healed, he continued to suffer pain for years afterward whenever he tried wearing ski boots. For five years, he wondered if he could ever again enjoy the sport he loved.
Fortunately, new advances were being made in ski gear during that time. While early ski boots were low near the ankle just like the hiking boots the evolved from, gear designers such as the Hanson brothers were creating revolutionary new styles. They began producing boots that came higher up the calf, creating stronger connection between knee movement and ski movement and providing support for the vulnerable ankle area. They also made their boots in a rear-entry style that took pressure off the sides of the ankle. For Ira Riklis, that meant that the painful area where his break occurred was completely protected and cushioned. Outfitted with a new bright red pair of Hanson Riva recreational rear entry ski boots, he was once again able to ski without pain!