www.ctvp.org | Blogs | Helping Victims

Bringing the Warmth of the Holidays to Israel’s Widows and Orphans

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:25:00 PM

As Jewish families around the world prepare to welcome the New Year, the Russian Jewish Community Foundation (RJCF) is once again standing with Israel’s widows and orphans.

Through its partnership with Chabad’s Terror Victims Project (CTVP), RJCF helped provide more than $150,000 in direct holiday assistance to widows and orphans, helping families celebrate Rosh Hashanah and the High Holidays with dignity, warmth and joy.

This support is part of an ongoing relationship with these families throughout the year. This summer, CTVP hosted more than 100 widows and 300 orphans for a five-day, all-inclusive retreat in Jerusalem, giving mothers and children an opportunity to rest, reconnect and draw strength from one another.

Now, as the High Holidays approach, that embrace continues.

Chabad’s Terror Victims Project extends its heartfelt gratitude to the Russian Jewish Community Foundation for helping bring strength, comfort and practical assistance to Israel’s widows and orphans during the holidays and throughout the year.

May we all be blessed with a sweet, healthy and peaceful New Year.

I Went to Strengthen Them. They Strengthened Me

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:17:00 PM

STRONGER THAN THE HEADLINES

Three bereaved families share a Rosh Hashanah message of faith, gratitude, and hope.

Here we are, just two days before Rosh Hashanah, doing everything we can to reach as many families of fallen and wounded soldiers and victims of terror as possible.

I have to admit that reading the news coming from the United States—and now Britain—often causes me great emotional distress. I am sure many of you feel the same.

But when I feel this way, I am fortunate to experience something that most people do not: I get to meet the victims of terror and war in person.

Time and again, I walk into their homes thinking that I am there to lift their spirits—whether before a Yom Tov, to help arrange a family simcha, or simply to see how they are doing and what they need.

And yet, somehow, the opposite happens.

These are families who have made the ultimate sacrifice and suffered unimaginable loss. Yet they remain deeply grateful, appreciating every act of kindness and every expression of support.

They lift my spirits, not the other way around.

They remind me that the Jewish people are far stronger than the headlines. They remind me that even in the face of terrible heartbreak, faith, gratitude, and resilience endure.

And every time I leave one of their homes, I leave with renewed hope.

I hope that reading the story of these three families—and especially their own words of thanks—will do the same for you.

Three Fathers. Three Widows. Sixteen Orphaned Children.

On the eve of Israel’s Independence Day in 2022, two terrorists arrived in Elad and carried out a brutal attack with axes. Three fathers were murdered and others were wounded before the terrorists fled and were captured following a manhunt.

Oren Ben Yiftach, of blessed memory, 35, from Lod, was a father of six. A driver by profession, he unknowingly drove the terrorists to Elad. They murdered him in his car.

Boaz Gol, of blessed memory, 49, from Elad, was a father of five. He was murdered in the city park.

Yonatan Havakuk, of blessed memory, 44, from Elad, was a father of five. He was murdered after attempting to fight the terrorists and protect those around him.

Together, they left behind three widows and 16 orphaned children.

Dear Chabad and your supporters,

I am sending you my warmest blessings and wishes for a good and sweet New Year.

Gmar Chatima Tova. May you be blessed to be written and sealed in the Book of Life, with goodness and peace. May Hashem fulfill all the wishes of your hearts for the best, and may you see blessing and success in everything you do.

Hashem never forgets anyone! You are His messengers.

May He send you endless blessings and abundance. Amen!

With great appreciation,

Galit Gol

Dear Chabad Staff and the wonderful people who support you,

We are here on vacation in Jerusalem, enjoying ourselves and getting some much-needed rest.

It is the month of Elul, and the special atmosphere in holy Jerusalem gives us so much strength.

The hotel is amazing, and the care and love we receive from Chabad means so much to us.

The kids are so happy and having such a wonderful time that just doesn’t seem to end!

Thank you for giving us this breath of fresh air and the strength you give us throughout the year to keep on going.

Limor Havakuk

Wow. Simply amazing!!

Everything was absolutely perfect and so well organized, down to the smallest detail.

A huge thank you to all the organizers and supporters for your constant generosity year-round and all the love you give us.

May Hashem bless you with everything good.

Nofar Ben Yiftach

When you go to shul this Rosh Hashanah and reflect on the year that has passed, please remember the hundreds of families like the Gol, Havakuk, and Ben Yiftach families whom you have helped us embrace.

And as we enter a new year, please continue our partnership by standing with Israel’s victims of terror and war—the bereaved families, the widows and orphans, and the wounded soldiers whose lives have been changed forever.

Only with your help can we do what we do.

And this is our promise to you: we will continue to be there for them - to help them, support them, and stand beside them for as long as they need us and for as long as they want us by their side.

Thank you for making that possible.

May Hashem bless you and your family with a good and sweet New Year, filled with an abundance of His blessings, good health, great success, and much, much Nachas.

And may we all be blessed with a year of true and lasting peace everywhere.

After So Much Loss, An Evening Filled With Life

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 3:16:00 PM

On the outdoor terrace of the Leonardo Plaza Jerusalem, tables were set and music filled the air. Hundreds of widows and orphans gathered together for the closing banquet of Chabad’s Terror Victims Project’s Summer of Hope & Healing.

It was meant to be a celebration.

And it was.

But as the evening unfolded, it became something much more.

One by one, widows rose from their tables and walked to the microphone.

They spoke about their husbands.

They shared memories of the men they loved and the fathers their children had lost—stories that brought tears, smiles and laughter. For a few moments, each husband and father was once again at the center of the room, remembered with love and pride.

But then, almost every woman spoke about something else.

They spoke about Chabad’s Terror Victims Project.

They spoke about how CTVP had been there for them, and about these extraordinary few days they had just experienced with their children.

Again and again, the women said that they did not take any of it for granted.

Every detail had been thought through. Everything they could possibly need was there. From morning until night, the mothers and their children were surrounded by people whose only concern was to give them the best possible experience—to allow them to relax, to breathe, to laugh, to enjoy their children, and to regain some of the strength that everyday life demands of them.

And as the banquet continued, something remarkable filled the room.

There was profound sadness, because the men they loved were missing.

There was tremendous pride as the women spoke about who their husbands had been.

There was gratitude for everything that had been done for them.

And there was joy, real joy, as mothers watched their children dance and celebrate around them.

These were not women who had forgotten their pain for a few days. Their husbands and their memories were present throughout the evening.

But they had been given something precious: time and space to rest, to rejuvenate, to gather strength, and to prepare themselves and their children to begin a new year.

RJCF Steps Forward Again to Help Israeli Soldiers Heal

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 10:53:00 AM

Once again, the Russian Jewish Community Foundation, has generously stepped forward to partner with Chabad’s Terror Victims Project (CTVP) to bring help.

Their most recent donation is being used for the treatment of three soldiers at the CTVP Therapeutic Post Traumatic Center, a state-of-the-art facility built in Kfar Chabad.

For over six years, the RJCF has stood with CTVP through challenging times, providing vital assistance to the people of Israel.

We are deeply grateful to RJCF and its community for their important role in supporting our project and for their continued dedication to Israel and its people.

An Upside Down ɯᴉɹnԀ

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:57:00 AM

This year’s Purim was very different.

The children’s Groggers and noise makers had to compete with sirens blaring and the explosions of the Iron Dome intercepting drones and missiles from Iran (Thank G-d, Thank G-d, Thank G-d.)

Instead of listening to the Megillah in our synagogues, many of us huddled together in shelters, doing our best to focus as the story of Purim was read. And our festive Purim meals were often shared with neighbors in those same shelters.

The Megillah tells us V’Nahopoch Hu: Everything is turned upside down on Purim…

This year, Purim truly lived up to its name.

While the children weren't running through the streets in their Purim costumes delivering Mishloach Manos and making merry…

…We were.

After years of experience during previous wars, we were able to “turn on a dime” and bring the joy of Purim to hundreds of terror victims and thousands of IDF soldiers - even during this war.

Together with hundreds of our volunteers, we went from house to house, shelter to shelter, hospital to hospital, and to as many army bases as the IDF allowed, delivering Mishloach Manos and the joy of Purim.

No, we weren’t able to reach as many people as we normally do. No, we couldn’t have any big Purim celebrations.

Yet, one thing this Purim was greater than anything we’ve experienced previously:

The Response…

…From people in the shelters, in their homes, hospitals, and army bases.

Hugs, kisses, and thanks greeted us everywhere we went. The smiles on children’s faces when we handed out gifts at the shelters moved us deeply. Even though it was Purim, many of us left with tears in our eyes.

And the messages of thanks we continue to receive after Purim are overwhelming.

We would like to share a letter we received after Purim. It was written by the Keinan T. family. Twenty-year-old Keinan was murdered on December 5, 2005, while waiting for a friend outside a mall in Netanya.

On that day, a Palestinian terrorist killed five innocent people and injured dozens. For the past 20 years, with your help, we have been helping and standing by the T. family in every way possible - as we did this past Purim.

The gratitude expressed in the letter belongs to you because you make everything we do possible. Thank you.

Dear Chabad Representative,

You came to our home on behalf of Chabad with a Mishloach Manot for a bereaved family.

But together with it, you brought much more than pastries and sweets.

You brought light.

You brought an open heart.

You brought the feeling that we are not alone.

In a place where memory is ever-present and the heart carries daily pain, a small act of attention becomes a great gift — a warm embrace.

Thank you for choosing to remember.

Thank you for choosing to come.

Thank you for the sensitivity, the respect, and the humanity, even in these turbulent days of war.

May you continue to be messengers of light and comfort, strengthening hearts with love and care.

With appreciation and blessings,

The T. Family

The parents: Shmuel and Mazal, and the brothers of Keinan Hy”d, who was murdered in a terror attack: Lior and Ohad

As the war rages on, please keep the soldiers and all the people of Israel in your prayers. We pray and hope that this war, and all wars, should soon come to an end, and true peace will reign in Israel and throughout the world.

We hope and pray that by Pesach, this war will be long over, but no one really knows. Either way, we will be there to support the families of terror victims and soldiers who need us…

…and we need you.

Please continue your partnership and support of CTVP to help ensure they all have everything they need to celebrate Pesach with joy and dignity.

Thank you.

RJCF Responds to CTVP’s Call to Support Widows and Orphans of Israel’s Fallen

Mon, 1 Sep 2025 8:45:00 AM

Once again, Moshe Gruenberg of Chabad’s Terror Victims Project (CTVP) reached out to the Russian Jewish Community Foundation (RJCF) regarding vital needs for Israel and its people, and the RJCF responded immediately.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has faced a horrific, violent war begun by Hamas plus a war with Iran and the RJCF has responded each time by raising emergency funds for CTVP projects. This time, Moshe described their current project – a summer camp for widows and orphans whose husbands and fathers have fallen in the war since October 7th. As the war has dragged on, more and more families’ lives have been shattered, more children have been traumatized by losing a parent in the horrendous battles in Gaza and in the north, or worse, become orphans. The CTVP Summer Camp of Hope and Healing is vital in bringing these children comfort they so badly need - it is a sanctuary of healing, strength, resilience, and Jewish pride for thousands of Israeli children.

Moshe added that “your community's tzedakah helps bring the suffering families in Israel hope and support. Knowing that you care deeply for all those in Israel whose lives have been shattered brings much comfort. We thank RJCF and your community for your care and concern and much needed aid.”

Together we pray with everyone around the world that peace will come to Israel very soon.

When the World Collapses, Human Warmth Still Remains…

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 10:05:00 AM

At CTVP’s Camp for Bereaved Families, the deepest pain meets the purest compassion.

Here, widows and orphans of the Hamas War arrive carrying unbearable grief — and here, they find a place where their shattered hearts can begin to heal.

Dana J., the widow of Ofer, killed by terrorists in Samaria, and the mother of two young children, shared:

“This is the first time since the murder that I have allowed myself to raise my head.”

Hani S., whose husband Adir was killed on October 7, is now raising her four children alone:

“I can finally breathe here.”

Irit B. lost her husband Haim, who volunteered to rescue children on October 7 but didn’t survive while doing so.

With her children by her side, she tells us:

“I demand of myself to continue with the strength of faith that my Haim could not. Here, I am grateful for the peace and quiet.”

This camp is more than a retreat — it is a sacred space. A place of love, silence, and professional care. Here, miracles happen in small but profound ways:

A child laughs for the first time in months.
A mother falls asleep without fear.
A family remembers, if only for a moment, what it means to breathe without pain.

Every widow here has lost more than a husband — she has lost her life partner, her shoulder to cry on, the hand that held hers through the darkest nights.

Every orphan here has lost more than a father — they’ve lost the voice reading bedtime stories, the strong back to climb on, the basic sense that the world is a safe place

At CTVP, we tell these families the words they need to hear most:

“You are not alone. We are here with you.”

And we mean it. Because what keeps us going is the love we give to each other and the safe haven we build together.

Reach out. Hug. Love. This is not a slogan — it is our way of life.

But we cannot do this alone. Please help CTVP bring hope and healing to the families who have lost so much. Your generosity and compassion make the difference between despair and a chance to live again.

Please give the largest donation to CTVP you can today. Together, we can help these widows and orphans find strength, comfort, and hope for the future.

Thank you.

For more pictures and videos, join our Instagram Channel

We Want to Help Again…

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 12:34:00 PM

We Want to Help Again...

This year, Moshe Gruenberg of Chabad’s Terror Victims Project (CTVP) approached the Russian Jewish Community Foundation (RJCF) and asked them for assistance.

The RJCF has helped in the past, and Moshe asked for more help now, as Israel has and continues to face the horrendous war that began on October 7, 2023.

He spoke with Lina Klebaner, President of the RJCF, who said that “We, at RJCF have raised emergency funds for Israel again. Because Chabad’s Terror Victims Project is on the ground and so effective, RJCF wants to donate again knowing that you’ll effectively bring the help and hope so urgently needed in Israel now”.

Moshe gave an update about what CTVP was doing as the war’s dragged on, and more and more families’ lives were being shattered. He said that there are so many widows now, most of them young with small children, as more soldiers have lost their lives fighting in Gaza and in the north.

This has resulted in many more orphans as well. Children whose mothers must now struggle alone to raise their children in the midst of war and violence - mothers who urgently need all the help and support we can provide for them.

The hospitals and rehabilitation centers have so many more patients to treat as well, many of them soldiers and victims of terror - and their families also need help as they try to be with their loved ones in the hospitals while also making certain that their families at home are being taken care of.

Reservists are being called up to serve many times creating more stress for their families. And the families of hostages wait in agony for their loved ones suffering under such horrific, in- human conditions in Gaza.

Moshe said: “We deeply appreciate that RJCF wants to stand with us again and help us. Your community's tzedakah helps bring the suffering families in Israel hope and support. Knowing that you care deeply for all those suffering in Israel brings much comfort. We thank RJCF and your community for your care and concern.”

And we pray with everyone around the world that peace will come to Israel very soon.

A Special Gift

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 4:11:00 PM

Rabbi Krinsky, of the Rebbe's secretariat, greeting each of the family members.

Rabbi Krinsky gave each a Tehillim and an envelope with a shekel for charity he personally received from the Rebbe. We pray that these Tehillims and the Rebbe's shekels should bring them each great blessings and speedy redemption.

An Evening with the Hostage Families in New York

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 7:36:00 AM

Praying with the Hostage Families at the Lubavitcher Rebbe's Ohel

Ten days ago, a group of Chabad Shluchim and Chabad Terror Victims Project (CTVP) supporters from the United States came to Israel to volunteer and support the soldiers, displaced families, and especially the families of the hostages.

Some members of the hostage families mentioned they would like to go to the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Ohel (resting place) to pray. The CTVP supporters immediately offered to sponsor such a trip. Yesterday (Monday, November 13), almost 200 family members of the hostages flew to NY to pray at the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Ohel.

(The following is a personal journal of a CTVP staff member who was privileged to be at the Ohel with the hostage families.)

I had the privilege of being at a very special and poignant event this evening. Close to 200 family members of the Jewish hostages held by Hamas came to pray at the Ohel.

It was a heartwarming evening of strength, resilience, and hope.
There were so many moments that I wish you all could have felt.
And I can’t choose just one. So I’ll share a few.

My heart was pounding as I waited for the families to arrive, sweating even though it was cold out.

My eyes teared as I saw them each come off the bus. I hugged the women, shared a word of encouragement with the men, and thanked them all for coming. And they, turning to me, thanked us for being there for them and with them. With so many people gathered to show their support, I couldn’t stop the tears.

The words shared at the event by all the Rabbis and dignitaries were profound and full of hope, with shared prayers and words of encouragement.

When greeting the families, Rabbi Deren of Connecticut said, “I don’t understand the phrase, “Families of the hostages.” The families themselves are hostages: hostages to fear, hostages to terror, hostages to panic. Their lives are no longer normal. Their nights are no longer peaceful, and their days are full of turmoil.”

“And today, we, Jews throughout the world - as one nation, one family, Am Echad - are all hostages to the fear, terror, and panic you feel.”

Rabbi Lazar, chief Rabbi of Russia, shared beautiful words of encouragement and hope. And reminded the families that the people of Russia and the entire world over think of them and pray for them every moment of every day.

There was a beautiful video clip of the Rebbe that underscored the message of the evening: G-d is with us, especially in our times of pain. He hears us, and He is listening.

We ended the event by all going into the Ohel.

As we waited our turn, we could hear Rabbi Aharonov, head of Tzach Israel, organizer of this trip, beseeching on high in the name of all present as each hostage's name was read. One by one, in a solemn voice that broke through the quiet and the tears.

May the prayers of all the people gathered tonight go straight up on High, and

BRING THEM HOME!

Brief Update of Chabad Terror Victims (CTVP) Activities

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 12:11:00 PM

Brief Update of Chabad Terror Victims (CTVP) Activities

With the help of hundreds of Chabad Shluchim and over 9,000 volunteers, we have been to every army base providing the soldiers with spiritual, physical, and emotional support. We are helping the displaced families from the Gaza and Lebanon borders with food, living essentials, and housing for many of them.

We have distributed over 10,000 food boxes and food cards, 42,000 toys, 54,000 Tzitzis, distributed countless pairs of Tefilin; over one million Shabbat candles; put on Tefilin, brought refreshments and made BBQs for over 200,000 soldiers; assisted 2,400 wounded, and, sadly, made 470 Shiva visits - and the list goes on.

It is your support that makes everything we do possible.

We know that if you were with us in Israel, you would be participating with us as we visit the soldiers, pay Shiva calls, and offer a helping hand to the displaced families, but living in the United States makes that impossible.

Still, everything we do is with you by our side.

Please join us with your financial support, and we hope that the next time we’re in contact, it will be with good news and Besuros Tovos.

Thank you.

Her name was Ohr which means light

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 9:28:00 AM

Her name was Ohr which means light. She was 22 years old and never missed lighting Shabbos candles.

Last week, in the Gaza War, she gave up her life defending Israel.

We are giving out 1,000,000 Shabbos candles to Jews throughout Israel to honor her memory and bring more light into the world in this time of darkness

According to the Lubavitcher Rebbe: Darkness, no matter how ominous and intimidating, is merely the absence of light. Light need not combat and overpower darkness in order to displace it — where light is, darkness is not. A thimbleful of light will therefore banish a roomful of darkness.

This evening, before sundown, please light Shabbos candles in your own home and encourage others you know to do this also. Click here for candle lighting time in your area.

Let’s band together, Jews from all walks of life, and show the world the power of light.

Seven Families Celebrating Shabbat on Holocaust Remembrance Day…

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 1:14:00 PM

Seven Families Celebrating Shabbat on Holocaust Remembrance Day…
…Seven Families Torn Apart by Terror

They heard shots being fired.

Eli and Natali, husband and wife, both ran outside and found a terrorist spraying bullets everywhere in front of the nearby synagogue.

Natali was administering CPR when she was murdered. Standing by his wife Natali, Eli was gunned down in cold blood.

Bringing comfort to the grief-stricken families of Eli and Natali Mizrahi - married just two years - who were murdered as they tried to save the other victims.

On Friday night, seven families were celebrating Shabbat in Neve Ya’akov, Jerusalem. It was also the day set aside as Holocaust Remembrance Day…

…Now, this is a day these seven families will remember as the day their loved ones were murdered by those who once again wish to slaughter Jews.

Asher Natan was another victim, only 14, the oldest of 8 children. He’d gone to meet friends after the Shabbat meal. Suddenly his parents heard the sound of shots ringing out. Asher’s father ran to find his son. By the time he reached him, Asher was lifeless.

Shaul Chai, 68, had been at a relative’s house and was shot as he walked home, passing the synagogue where the shooting was taking place.

These are three of the seven victims whose lives were brutally destroyed.

Consoling the Chai family as they mourned the loss of family member Shaul, who was walking past the synagogue where the shooting was happening.

With the help of the local Shluchim, we have been with these seven grieving families since the shooting – helping with funerals, shiva, and food and doing whatever we can to help them at this most horrific and tragic time.

Please help us help them. Your partnership makes everything we do possible.

We Want to Help…

Thu, 3 Jun 2021 9:59:00 AM

We Want to Help…

They wanted so much to help as Israel faced unceasing rocket fire over 11 straight days.

So Dr. Lana M. Rifkin contacted Dr. Mendy Uminer of Chabad of Chestnut Hill and told him :

“Our organization, Russian Jewish Community Foundation (RJCF), has raised emergency funds for Israel. We’re looking for a non-profit that is on the ground and has been, specifically during the rocket attacks and now during the cease-fire we hope will last.”

Rabbi Uminer immediately put Dr. Rifkin in touch with Chabad’s Terror Victims Project (CTVP).

Dr. Rifkin asked what CTVP was doing to help the suffering families. Moshe Gruenberg of CTVP told her that among many other things, emergency aid was being distributed to families who lost their homes from rocket strikes. CTVP was ensuring that the children of Ashkelon and Sderot were being treated by post trauma professionals. Presents were being delivered to the children of the Eshkol region (over 1500 rockets fell there over the 11 days). CTVP is organizing a Bar Mitzvah for a child whose father was severely hurt in a direct rocket attack.

Moshe told her CTVP is there for the families of victims of terror and war and has been since the Six-Day War in 1967. Dr. Rifkin knew her organization had found the right people to most effectively utilize the funds they had raised.

Moshe said: “We deeply appreciate that they want to stand with us and help us. As soon as it is possible to come to Israel, we invite them to go with us to the hospitals and areas hardest hit by the rockets. RJCF and their community's monetary commitment will help bring these families support and their presence will bring comfort. We thank RJCF and their community for their care and concern.”

And we pray with everyone around the world that the cease-fire will last.

Arutz Sheva interviews CTVP

Mon, 31 May 2021 11:16:00 AM

Rabbi Moshe Gruenberg, Director of Chabad Terror Victims Project, talks about the organization's work assisting victims of Hamas rocket attacks.

For over 50 years, the Chabad Terror Victims Project (CTVP) has been assisting and comforting Jewish families during times of conflict in Israel. The organization was started by the Lubavitcher Rebbe after the Yom Kippur War.

“Because of all the young soldiers who were falling, most of them were young husbands, and there were many orphans and widows, the Lubavitcher Rebbe started an organization that Chabad emissaries and widows of other soldiers that have fallen will comfort the families of the dead,” said Rabbi Moshe Gruenberg Director of CTVP), in an exclusive interview with Arutz Sheva.

Today, the help that CTVP gives involves many different ways of assistance.

“There are many different way of assistance. Both spiritual and physical material assistance,” said Gruenberg. “We help them in every sense with bar mitzvahs, conducting weddings, britot – whatever they need. And also financial means. We’re there for them throughout the year. We’re in touch with them throughout the year. At least once or twice a year we visit each one of the families throughout the country.”

During Operation Guardian of the Walls they were out in the field. They visited Ashkelon and Eshkol, Ashdod and Be'er Sheva. “We were there when the sirens were going off. We visited the bomb shelters in Ashkelon.”

They met a family at the Ashkelon Barzilai Medical Center. The father was “severely injured by a direct rocket at the home. When we met him he was crying, he had tears in his eyes. He told us my son’s having a bar mitzvah in two weeks. We’re thinking twice about conducting the bar mitzvah. We told them there’s no way, you have to do the bar mitzvah. We’ll take it upon ourself to do this bar mitzvah.”

Otherwise, the boy would be traumatized by not having his bar mitzvah, and it would be a win for Hamas. They “took it upon themselves to take care of (the bar mitzvah).”

They sent them shopping to get clothing. They hope the father will be able to leave the hospital and be part of “this amazing bar mitzvah. It’s going to be a real miracle.”

They also plan on taking him once he’s out of the hospital to the Kotel for a “thanksgiving party.”

Gruenberg said that it’s hard to understand what the people hit by rockets go through unless you visit them or are there during the attacks.

“It dawned on us what these people go through, a rain of rockets, over 1,000 rockets hit Ashkelon, 1,500 rockets hit Eshkol. The kids are traumatized.

And it’s been going on for 21 years.”

How can the worldwide Jewish community help those traumatized by rocket fire in Israel? There are 400 Chabad Centers in Israel with over 1,000 emissaries. “Each and every one of the Chabad Centers is actually a bridge, Chabad of Israel acts as a bridge to worldwide Jewry, the Diaspora. And the emissaries around the world ask ‘What can we do to help? Our community wants to help.'”

For instance, the Jewish community in Durban, South Africa sent special presents for the kids of Ashkelon. There was also money to help buy cheesecakes, and to send candy packages to families.

“It gives them a fulfilment that they feel they’ve here with us. We’re standing together as one large family,” he said.

With Operation Guardian of the Walls, everyone was trying to imagine what a “victory picture” would look like. “As we sit here there’s not just one picture. There’s thousands of pictures. And these are all those stories of the bar mitzvah, the wedding, all these people that we helped and assisted, these are the victory pictures. That we stand together, the Jewish community as a whole outside the country, stands together with the Jewish community in Israel.”

www.ctvp.org | Blogs | Helping Victims

Bringing the Warmth of the Holidays to Israel’s Widows and Orphans

I Went to Strengthen Them. They Strengthened Me

After So Much Loss, An Evening Filled With Life

RJCF Steps Forward Again to Help Israeli Soldiers Heal

An Upside Down ɯᴉɹnԀ

RJCF Responds to CTVP’s Call to Support Widows and Orphans of Israel’s Fallen

When the World Collapses, Human Warmth Still Remains…

We Want to Help Again…

A Special Gift

An Evening with the Hostage Families in New York

Praying with the Hostage Families at the Lubavitcher Rebbe's Ohel

Brief Update of Chabad Terror Victims (CTVP) Activities

Brief Update of Chabad Terror Victims (CTVP) Activities

Her name was Ohr which means light

Seven Families Celebrating Shabbat on Holocaust Remembrance Day…

Seven Families Celebrating Shabbat on Holocaust Remembrance Day… …Seven Families Torn Apart by Terror

We Want to Help…

Arutz Sheva interviews CTVP

Seven Families Celebrating Shabbat on Holocaust Remembrance Day…
…Seven Families Torn Apart by Terror