Tzeirei Chabad Announces Volunteer Program for Children Affected by Terror

Every week‚ tens of terror victim families and their children enjoy several hours of activities led by volunteers of Chabad’s Terror Victims Project (CTVP). The volunteers who have come from all over the world to spend a year studying in Israel‚ dedicate their own time to volunteer for this special project. The families express deep gratitude for the assistance they receive through this project. This year‚ the project was expanded from serving the Jerusalem to area to the Central Regions of Israel.

Every week, tens of terror victim families and their children enjoy several hours of activities led by volunteers of Chabad’s Terror Victims Project (CTVP). The volunteers who have come from all over the world to spend a year studying in Israel, dedicate their own time to volunteer for this special project. The families express deep gratitude for the assistance they receive through this project. This year, the project was expanded from serving the Jerusalem to area to the Central Regions of Israel.

Etty, a mother of four young children, lost her husband in an attack on a bus which her husband drove throughout Tel Aviv. All at once, she was left alone to deal with many difficulties, especially raising her children on her own. She doesn’t have a moments rest, as she alone shoulders all responsibility. However, now the situation is about to change in her favor. Every week, on Thursday afternoons, two volunteers from Chabad’s Terror Victims Project come to her home for several hours, and entertain her children with arts and crafts. This allows Etty to rest a bit while her children are in the care of Chabad’s Volunteer Program.

“These wonderful hours are like a gift for me, says Etty. “My children are so happy, and eagerly await the volunteers every week. They enjoy being together, and I get some time to rest”.

This program is in its sixth year and is in cooperation with the Shoshanat Yerushalayim Seminary, headed by Mrs. Yonit Goldshmidt. Mrs. Goldshmidt says that her students receive a great deal of satisfaction from their volunteer work. They feel that dedicating themselves and their time to these families is part of forming their education with Ahavat Yisroel (Love for a fellow Jew), and acts of kindness.

This year the program was expanded to include tens more families in the Central Region of Israel, in cooperation with the Pnimiyut Seminary directed by Mrs. Esther Piekarsky. She relates that her students returned this week from their first visit with these families, with very positive feelings about their work with the children. A very positive bond was formed between the volunteers and the families which will serve as a good foundation for the successful continuation of their volunteer activities throughout the year.

Chabad’s Terror Victims Project provided the volunteers with professional training for these activities, emphasizing the necessary sensitivity to these families and their situation. Throughout the year, there will be Holiday gatherings and outings for the children and the volunteers.