Saveljev and Pushkarevvsky win scholarships in memory of Edith Cohen-Mintz and Mara Kinston

On Tuesday 3rd July 2012, the ceremony awarding scholarships in memory of Edith Cohen Mintz and her daughter Mara Kinston took place at the ITC – Jaffa. This is the seventh consecutive year the ceremony commemorating the two ex-tennis players has been held, with Nikol Saveljev from the ITC – Ramat Hasharon and Alona Pushkarevvsky from the ITC – Haifa being awarded the prizes this year.

Nikol Saveljev and Alona Pushkarevvsky

Edith Cohen Mintz was the mother of Tanhum, the legendary Maccabi Tel Aviv and Israeli National Team basketball player and Shaul Cohen Mintz. Edith was a former Israeli Champion and pioneer of Israeli tennis and her daughter, Mara, a former Fed Cup player and coach to many talented children in their formative years.

The scholarships are awarded to two U-16 girls to assist with tournament trips abroad and tennis equipment. Previous Cohen Mintz scholarship winners include Yarin Ben Ami (Beer Sheva), Valeria Nikolaev (Haifa), Lee Levy (ITC Haifa), Katya Krivoshapov (ITC Tel Aviv), Or Meir (ITC Haifa), Angelika Aliev (ITC Beer Sheva), Greta Skripnik (ITC Jaffa), Rona Levian (ITC Ramat Hasharon), Noy Mor (ITC Ashkelon) and Ofir Morag (ITC Kiryat Shmona). Three years ago, the scholarships were awarded to players from Ethiopian descent.

From the Cohen Mintz family, the brothers Tanhum and Shaul came, along with Mara’s son Daniel and his wife who are visiting from Australia. Nikol Saveljev came accompanied by her mother, her coach Misha Ayalov and manager of the ITC – Ramat Hasharon, Eyal Taoz. Alona Pushkarevvsky attended with her mother and her coach, Viktor Dubnov.

The Cohen Mintz family with the girls

Shaul Cohen Mintz said at the ceremony: “The scholarships are given to girls at the start of their journey to support them, to acknowledge their efforts and to push them to achieve international success. I want to wish the two tennis players a lot of luck and I hope this will only be the first of many prizes they will go on to win”.

About The Israel Tennis Centers Foundation (“ITC”):
The ITC is a non-profit organization (formerly known as The Israel Children’s Centers is a 501 (c)) that works to enhance the social, psychological and physical development of Israeli children through the medium of sport. We provide a healthy and structured environment for children from all walks of life, teaching values of cooperation, persistence and tolerance. Thirty-five years after the inauguration of the first Israel Tennis Center in Ramat Hasharon, the ITC has expanded throughout Israel and has nurtured and empowered more children and adults than the original founders could have ever dreamed. Currently one of the largest social-service agencies for children in Israel, the ITC operates 14 Centers throughout Israel’s periphery within socio-economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. The Centers are complete with cutting edge facilities and tennis courts that serve over 20,000 children. For additional background please visit: http://www.israeltenniscenters.org