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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.
Innocent young children should not be sleeping on the floor. Sylvie and Gabi immigrated to Israel from South America 15 years ago. They never truly acclimated and are now struggling to raise their four young children (ages 2 months – 8 years) with dignity. Sylvie runs a small day care...
Roi is an impressive young man who deserves our help. Roi’s parents divorced when he was 10 years old. He and his four siblings lived with their mother until, in 9th grade, Roi was sent to boarding school. Roi flourished in high school and graduated with all of his matriculation...
Leah, 62, is divorced and lives on her own. For years, Leah worked as an aide to physically and cognitively challenged individuals. She herself is now dealing with a multitude of physical ailments, including epilepsy, diabetes, cardiac issues, chronic joint pain and an auto-immune condition. She can no longer work...
Kayla, 18, grew up with nine siblings in an Orthodox home. Kayla’s father supports his family by working long hours and also receives a partial disability stipend each month. Kayla’s mother, who suffers from psychological issues, doesn’t work outside of the home. Kayla is a very introverted and sensitive young...
Keren and Dudi are going through a very rough period. The couple has six children; one of them, their nine-year-old son, suffers from autism. Yair is very low-functioning and doesn’t speak. He doesn’t recognize dangerous situations and needs round-the-clock care. Keren and Dudi were living a relatively comfortable, calm life...
Carni, 27, is trying to stand on her own two feet. Until she does, however, she needs a helping hand. As a teen, Carni was in a social services program for at-risk youth. She successfully graduated high school with partial matriculation exams. When she was 16, Carni met Maor, and...
Dorit and Elad, both in their 40’s, are raising ten young children (ages 6 months – 16). Elad suffers from gout and, as a result, is in chronic pain. The couple used to live up North and owned a neighborhood newspaper. When a second newspaper started, Dorit and Elad couldn’t...
Limor, 30, is raising three young children (ages 1.5-10) on her own. Limor herself came from a very unstable home; at the age of nine, she was sent to boarding school. When she was 18, Limor met her husband, and they had two children together. Throughout her marriage, Limor suffered...
Ayelet’s story is heartbreaking. Married to Shimon for 14 years, Ayelet suffered emotional, physical, sexual and financial abuse. A year ago, after she was nearly beaten to death, Ayelet reported her husband to the police and left him. He is now under house arrest. Ayelet is currently living in a...
Sofi, 30, has her hands full. She is raising four young children (ages 2-9) on her own; their father is in prison and provides no emotional or financial support. Sofi works part-time as an aide to the elderly. She supports herself and her children on her salary, a monthly government...
Afternoon programs for their two young children (ages 1.5 and 4) will no doubt help Hagit and Ram get back on their feet. Noam, the couple’s youngest child, was born with a severe heart defect. As an infant, he underwent open-heart surgery. He receives a monthly disability stipend. Needless to...
Adi is a single mother to two young girls, ages 4 and 5. Adi works as a secretary and does her best to support her small family with dignity. Until now, Adi and the girls have lived in a room in her mother’s house. Adi decided that they need their...
Recently Funded Personal Stories
Anna and Gabriel’s story is tragic. Both in their 60’s, Anna and Gabriel lived in their family home with their 25-year-old son, Meir, who suffers from Down’s Syndrome. Their married daughter and son-in-law and their seven children lived with them as well. Anna and Gabriel’s other three children no longer...
Rotem, 50, is a single mother to Hadas, aged 7. Rotem owns a small neighborhood hair salon. For years, she brought in enough money to support herself and Hadas and never had to ask for outside help. A few years ago, Rotem’s physical condition began to deteriorate; she suffers from...
Carni, 53, is divorced and lives on her own. Her physical condition is dire; she suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure, fibromyalgia, a herniated disc and chronic joint pain. She cannot complete the simplest daily tasks and depends on family members (including her elderly mother) for almost everything. As a...
Navah, 42, is a single mother to two young children, ages 2 and 4. Navah works as a social worker for a non-profit organization. She has no outside support and does her best to provide for her two children. The family lives in a three-room apartment. All of Navah’s appliances...
Orit, 22, is doing her best to raise her two-year-old son, Omer, on her own. Omer’s dad, Guy, and Orit dated for two years but broke up during Orit’s pregnancy. Though he sees Omer regularly, Guy cannot help Orit financially. Orit works as an aide to the elderly but because...
Dalia, 57, and Nissim, 48, have five children (ages 16-30). Dalia is unemployed, while Nissim works in a factory. The couple struggles to make ends meet each month. Dalia and Nissim live in a small, dilapidated apartment with two of their children. Their 22-year-old daughter, Rotem, lives in a youth...
Leo, 61, immigrated to Israel from Europe ten years ago. Almost two years ago, he lost his wife. The costs involved in his wife’s care when she was ill left him in heavy debt. Leo himself suffers from CP and supports himself solely on his disability stipend. Leo does not...
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...