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Personal stories are brought to us by social services professionals around Israel. The names of all applicants are changed to protect individual privacy. The names of the verifying social worker and agencies are real. Photographs are illustrative only.
Irit, 34, and David, 34, are raising four young children, ages 3-13. When she was 20, Irit and her partner had a baby. It was an abusive situation and, after their second child was born, Irit was able to break free of the relationship. Soon after, Irit met David, they...
Anat, now 21, has had a very rough start in life. A single mother to a two-year-old son, Anat is now looking to turn her life around. Anat comes from a highly dysfunctional home. Her parents divorced when she was younger and, after the divorce, Anat began displaying at-risk behavior....
Nomi, 39, and Hillel, 40, are struggling to raise their nine children (6 months – 16) with dignity. Hillel works as a teacher; Nomi was working as a customer service representative but is currently unemployed. Nomi suffers from fibromyalgia and was recently diagnosed with depression. She can barely function and...
When Hannah and Benny met, Hannah had three children from her first marriage. She and her children moved in with Benny, and the two of them had five more children together (plus one on the way). While Hannah, 43, works outside of the home, Benny, 47, does not. He receives...
Nurit, 31, is struggling to raise two young children (ages 3 and 5) on her own. Nurit works as an aide to the elderly, but her minimal income doesn’t cover her monthly expenses. She has also incurred heavy debts over the years that she is trying to pay off. Because...
Stav, 33, is a single mother to two young children, ages 2 and 5. Recently, Or, Stav’s five-year-old son, was diagnosed with autism. The family of three has been living in a one-room apartment. This has been extremely difficult, especially given Or’s challenges. They have now been approved for a...
Tami, 62, needs our help. Tami has lived a rather sad life. At the age of six, her mother died, and her father was unable to care for his children alone; they were sent to foster care. Tami lived with a number of foster families during her childhood, until she...
Liza and Peter’s current situation is heartbreaking. The couple immigrated to Israel from Eastern Europe seven years ago. They have three young children, ages 4-8. Peter, 45, was working until a serious work accident left him with a severely injured leg. He underwent surgery and is still recovering. He is...
For most people, a clothes dryer is not a necessity; for Tamar, however, it is. Tamar is divorced and has ten children; seven of them (ages 6-18) still live at home and five have been diagnosed with autism. Because of her circumstances, Tamar cannot work outside of the home. She...
Nurit, 45, is struggling right now but is determined to move forward with her life and build a brighter future for her one-year-old daughter, Dana. Nurit was married for three years. During that time, she tried to get pregnant but was unsuccessful. Eventually, she and her husband divorced. Last year,...
Batia, 59, has never been married and has no children. Three years ago, she moved in with her elderly mother in order to help her. Her life is lonely and difficult. Batia herself struggles with both physical and emotional issues. She survives on a monthly disability stipend, and there is...
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Adva, 30, is raising her five-year-old daughter, Neta, on her own. Adva herself grew up in an unstable, low socio-economic household. She finished ten years of schooling and served in the IDF. Over the years, her family was helped by social services, and Adva remains under the care of a...
Noa, 56, does the best she can to meet the needs of her ten-year-old daughter, Gali. Noa had a complicated upbringing, losing her father at a very young age. 18 years ago, her brother was killed. Noa is left with just her elderly mother who can’t provide financial or emotional...
Nurit, 39, and Mordy, 40, are in dire financial straits and need our help. Nurit works as a kindergarten assistant. Mordy was employed full-time until a work accident left him with a chronic back injury. He underwent surgery but hasn’t been able to return to work. His unemployment benefits have...
Nomi, 88, is a Holocaust survivor who, like many others, does not like to talk about her past. She is a widow who currently lives in a rental apartment, along with her daughter and son-in-law. Nomi lived in Belarus with her pregnant mother when the war broke out. They were...
Even at the young age of 16, Rafi is inspiring. Rafi’s parents both work as DJs. During the pandemic, they had little work and their financial situation became quite dire. They are raising six children and had to take out numerous loans in order to cover their cost of living....
Reut, 44, is struggling to raise her three children (ages 8-14) on her own. Reut’s husband died suddenly in a car accident, and the family is still processing the trauma. Reut is having trouble finding work due to a number of physical and emotional issues. She is working with social...
Tali, 33, and Amnon, 39, and their three young children are going through a very rough period. Tali is currently in a three-month, in-patient rehab program for alcohol addiction. Amnon, who works in a factory, is currently the family’s sole breadwinner. He is also the only one caring for the...
Meirav’s story is inspiring. For the past four years, she has participated in a social services program for at-risk youth and has made tremendous progress. Meirav, 23, grew up in an unstable household. When she was younger, her parents decided to adopt an ultra-Orthodox lifestyle. Her father couldn’t hold down...