The Baker Family (Henry & Serena)
Serena truly followed in the footsteps of her brother, Henry. Serena Baker from Connecticut, USA celebrated her Bat-Mitzvah and donated her Bat Mitzvah gifts to advance Ethiopian girls in Netanya. She established a Graphic Arts Classroom in the Shapira School in Netanya where these girls study.
In September 2010 Henry established the Blue Blazer Fund at Brunswick School, in Greenwich, CT when he donated his Bar-Mitzvah gifts to 12 boys from the Ethiopian community in Netanya. He funded their Bar-Mitzvah celebration with Mayor Miriam Fierberg-Ikar and with the assistance of the Netanya Foundation helped fund tutors, school equipment and warm meals for them.
Henry asked fellow students Sam Zuckert and William Floersheimer to be co-founders. Since the start up of the Blue Blazer Fund, the group has grown in size and now includes twenty-two members from Brunswick and Greenwich Academy alone.
The Blue Blazer Fund enabled the group of 12 boys from the Ethiopian community to broaden their education and to participate in after-school enrichment activities.
This past summer these boys graduated from high school and received an amazing gift from Henry before their enlistment into the army- a fully paid trip to the USA.
On Friday, September 20th, 2013 Mayor Miriam Fierberg-Ikar bestowed the "Honored Friend of the City" award to Lisa Baker in recognition of the entire family’s philanthropic endeavors for the benefit of the Ethiopian community and residents of Netanya. Lisa received the award at a ceremony that was held at the Netanya Cultural Center.