Read a story and give.
Read these personal stories brought to us by social services professionals around Israel. The names of all applicants have been changed to protect individual privacy. The names of the verifying social worker and agency are real. Photographs are illustrative only.
Shira’s parents divorced when she was young. Because her father left Israel and her mother lacked parenting skills, Shira was removed from her home when she was 14. She finished high school at a boarding school and did two years of National Service. Shira, 25, is now in her second...
Kobi, 24, is an inspirational young man. Kobi’s parents, who have seven children, divorced many years ago. Kobi had an unstable childhood. He attended three different boarding schools, developed a drug addiction and had his driving license revoked three times. Kobi has now been clean of drugs for over two...
Hila, 30 and divorced, is raising three young children on her own. Her ex-husband has no contact with their children and pays no child support. Hila works full-time and between her income and a small monthly government stipend, she tries to meet all her expenses and pay off her various...
Tova and Abraham both moved to Israel from Ethiopia – Tova as a baby and Abraham at the age of 12. They met in Israel, married and are now raising three young children, ages 1-3.5. Tova completed 12 years of school with full matriculation exams. She finished her army service...
It is to Hannah’s credit that she is taking steps toward fulfilling her dream of becoming an artist by studying at Betzalel Art Academy. Hannah, 21, grew up in a home full of drugs and violence and very little money. Her father was a drug addict who involved her older...
Shlomo, 19, is a young man who is desperately trying to overcome a troubled past. Shlomo was physically abused by his father and was hospitalized as a result of his injuries. He has since cut off all contact with his parents and has no outside support, emotionally or financially. To...
Dalia, 21, grew up in an ultra-Orthodox home. One of seven children, Dalia’s parents divorced many years ago. She has no contact with her father, who doesn’t provide any financial support to the family. Dalia and her younger brother live with her mother. Her older siblings are already out of...
Although Maya has a steady job as an accountant, her earnings are not enough to cover her family’s needs. Over 18 years of marriage, she was the sole earner. Her husband did not look for a job and, to make matters worse, subjected her to various humiliations. Maya separated from...
After Adina’s parents divorced and neither was able to care for her, social services sent the 12-year-old to boarding school. Now 20, Adina has little contact with them, and they offer her no financial or emotional support. Nonetheless, Adina has proven that she is able to take care of herself....
Ruben, 60, and Batya, 58, used to have their own business. Its failure dealt Ruben a blow, both medically and financially. Ruben suffers from a heart ailment that limits his ability to work, especially under pressure. He now works part-time as a school aide. For years, Batya stayed at home,...
Shir, 33, is trying to rebuild her life. Shir immigrated to Israel three years ago, along with her husband and two young children. Since her arrival, she has been at home raising her children, ages 3 and 6. A few months ago, Shir took her children and ran as she...
Revital, 23, is an impressive young woman. Her home life is complicated. Revital’s family is ultra-Orthodox, and she is one of ten children. Revital’s mother gives an occasional lesson in the evenings but barely brings in an income. Her father works very long hours in home renovations. He has very...
Tikva, 55, and Chaim, 63, struggle to make ends meet. Chaim doesn’t work and receives disability payments because he suffered from alcoholism in the past. Tikva used to work as an aide to the elderly but due to health issues, including cancer and diabetes, she too is no longer working....
Project ONWARD 2021
for the benefit of women in distress
Project ONWARD is an ongoing fund, created in order to address the needs of Israeli single mothers and young women who are attempting to overcome the challenges of poor housing conditions and inadequate resources and support. Project ONWARD funds basic needs (fridges, beds, ovens and washers), educational and vocational programs and computers that...
Project BOOST 2021
for the benefit of At-Risk Youth
Through our work with social services departments around the country we know how badly at-risk youth need our continuous support. We have therefore established Project BOOST, an ongoing fund, so that together, we can help them. The goals of Project BOOST are: To empower at risk youth to complete schooling...
Recently Funded Personal Stories
Alma is 93. She moved from the Ukraine to Israel 18 years ago with her daughter, Sonya, 60, but neither speaks Hebrew well. Although they live in great need and have no outside support, relying solely on social security payments, they are not in regular contact with social services because...
Recently, nine-year old Gaby’s behavior has changed. Always quiet and reserved, she ripped the pages out of a book and sometimes lies on her classroom floor without a word or movement. When her team lost a game, she blamed herself to an extent that was out of scale. Gaby’s concerned...
Yaffa and Eli are an elderly couple who are very poor. They live off of their government pension only, which mainly goes directly to rent. Their children are rarely in touch and help out occasionally but not financially. The couple’s oven is broken and barely works, which makes cooking and...
The Levi family faces an on-going struggle with economic, emotional, and medical issues. Yona Levi, 41, suffers from such frequent and overwhelming bouts of depression that it has become impossible for her to work. Shaul, 47, had to close his business and, while he is working part-time and looking for...
Chana’s story is tragic. She is 57 years old and divorced. Chana has two grown daughters – one is married and dealing with her own personal problems and the second is in a home for developmentally disabled individuals. Chana is basically alone in the world. Chana has been on social...
Six years ago, a fall in a bus left Adi badly injured and traumatized. Since then she has been confined to a wheelchair and cannot tend to even her basic needs. Despite her limitations, Adi does her best to take care of her children (ages 13 and 9), to stay...
Irina, 24, moved to Israel with her parents when she was 16. A year later, she moved out of their home and has lived on her own since then. She is no longer in contact with her parents. Irina has supported herself with various jobs over the years but because...
After the birth of her sixth child, four months ago, Carmella, 39, sank into such serious post-partum depression that she had to be hospitalized. This threw her family into crisis. The new baby daughter and her older sister went to live with an aunt, but Carmella’s husband, Caleb, 46, has...