Miss Israel To Speak At Jewish Federation Breakfast

SOUTHBURY — Yelena Ralf, Miss Israel 2005, will speak to the Jewish community at a Federation Campaign breakfast event on Sunday, October 30, at 9:30. The event will be held at the Walzer Family Jewish Community Campus, 444 Main Street North.

Yelena Ralf was born in Donetsk, Ukraine, in 1983 and attended elementary and high school there. She participated in many extra activities including dancing and swimming.

From 1997 to 2001 Yelena was a counselor (madrich) at the Jewish Agency summer camps in the FSU, helping to bring Jewish culture and education to many Jewish youth.

In 2001, she made aliyah to Israel as part of the SELA program, youth without their families. She participated in extensive Hebrew education and university preparation at the absorption center in Hadera. She is currently enrolled in Tel Aviv University studying political science.

She became a model in 2004 and was crowned Miss Israel in 2005. Recently, she represented Israel at the Miss Universe contest in Bangkok and took sixth place.

The event is part of the Federation, Jewish Communities of Western Connecticut, Inc’s 2005 Annual Campaign. Miss Ralf will speak about how the work of the Jewish Agency changed her life. The cost of the breakfast is $8. A 2005 campaign gift is required. For reservations, call 267-3177 or email LHerrmann@jfed.net.