In Israel, Fighting Cancer With A Circus
By
Joel Leyden Ra'anana-----April
15.......There is a saying that behind every clown's smile, one can find a few
tears. Ra'anana is a cozy, upscale northern suburb of Tel Aviv which was founded by New Yorkers in the early 1900's. The town has won many awards for it's quality of life. So when it was announced by city hall through Yahoo community groups such as NewRaanana that a circus would open it's tent in Ra'anana's Park, it was no real surprise. What was surprising was who and how it came to Ra'anana, Israel. As one approaches the tall and colorful circus tent to purchase tickets, you can see a commercial booth with it's sign - Everything English - squeezed between the ticket counter and the popcorn stand. I thought to myself: "what excellent marketing - the first and only circus to have visited Ra'anana and someone was smart enough to capitalize on it." But after meeting the owners of Everything English, Natan and Simone Bergman, immigrants from England, my perspective took a complete and total change. Simone is fighting for her life as cancer ravages throughout her young 30 something body. Everything English, an English speaking school, had sponsored the circus. But the real motivation to make kids smile may be found elsewhere. "Everything English brought Circus Florentine to town this Pesach to put a smile on the faces of Israel children and their parents alike," said Simone Bergman, a native of Wales. "Going through this difficult period brings home to me the importance of doing fun things together as a family and having quality time together whist keeping one’s dreams alive. This Pesach event has been a dream of mine and Nir Kaplan’s, the director of the Circus, and our collaboration is synergistic in giving a high quality service, albeit in different skills." "I first saw them (the Israel circus) last Succot, we enjoyed it so much and felt so much positive energy that we took our daughter Meital to their circus school in Holon, Israel," said Simone. The
difficult period for which Simone alludes to is described in her own words. The Bergman's have asked the talented circus troop from Tel Aviv for approval to provide a portion of the attendance proceeds for cancer research. They gladly agreed. Tomorrow, the Bergmans will approach local health organizations to place an information medical booth next to the green, yellow and blue circus tent to alert women of the risks of breast cancer. They are also contacting the local media to cover their good efforts. "Everything English was, and continues to be, a dream of mine aimed at contributing to Israel’s place in world markets, says Simone Bergman. "It is vital to Israel, as an exporting and service economy to have, not only excellent English, but to be able to communicate cross-culturally so as to ensure that we don’t sell ourselves short. English is the key ingredient to any business with an international market and all Israelis need good English today. So, Everything English has developed high-quality, purpose-written courses to suit every aspect of Israeli society from young children, to Bagrut students and through to all aspects of Israeli industry. We pride ourselves on giving a personal service to each and every student ensuring the learning process is both enjoyable and effective." But
is Everything English the real driving force for have brought a circus to the
children of Ra'anana, Hod Hasharon, Herzliya and Kfar Sava Israel?
"I was 27 years old the first time I was diagnosed and 33 this time around, says Simone. "I would like to say it hasn’t changed my life, although clearly things are never the same again following a cancer diagnosis. I do not categorize myself as a “cancer survivor”, just as someone who has been unlucky in this regard. However, catching it early is the key and doctors are only now becoming aware of the need for every breast lump to be investigated no matter the woman’s age. This is the message that I now want to deliver to others." The circus is conducted in a small, intimate tent, with clowns interacting with the children. Rather than sitting on chairs, the kids and parents rest upon Middle-East style carpets. A number of brave acrobatic acts are performed interrupted with a friendly mix of magic and white smoke by the circus family. Outside the tent, Nathan, a psychologist by trade, can be found holding two cups of coffee - one for himself and one for Simone. After drinking the coffee he picks up a pen and pad, supervising each and every activity. Safety, collection of tickets, greeting the children and working closely with the circus troupe. "You might see me running around doing this and that," says Nathan. "But don't be fooled. Each and everything I am doing here is the brain child of Simone. Including going off now to buy a staple gun." Although the chemo makes Simone feel weak, she says that it only keeps her down for a week at a time and then it passes. She appears to pushing herself and her loving husband on a daily basis. Natan says: "The circus is opening a new branch of its school here in Ra’anana from September to serve the Sharon region, having already opened successful branches in Tel Aviv and Holon and we, for our part, hope to open branches all over Israel in the near future particularly as we are now recognized to assist released Israel soldiers in gaining the necessary English skills for higher education.”
Simone, who has a B.A. from London University in War Studies, volunteered for a three month basic training program in the Israel Defense Forces. Nathan served for a year in an elite combat unit in the IDF. Natan and Simone, who made aliya in 1995, have many plans for their and Israel's future. Making children laugh may prove to be a more powerful cure than chemotherapy for Simona. The thrilling acts of acrobats as they swing gracefully through the air without safety ropes, appears petite in contrast to Simone's profile in courage. The
cancer is malignant and doctors in Israel have said that they hope it may have
all been removed.
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