Thousands came out this week to Israel’s Superland amusement park to celebrate the bar and bat mitzvah of 800 children who have lost one or both parents.

The event was sponsored by Israel’s National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi) Rehabilitation branch which works directly with families who have experienced tragic loss and in cooperation with Colel Chabad, Israel’s longest running social services organization, helping Israel’s needy, elderly, widows and orphans since 1788.

In addition to full access to all of the rides which were open solely for the participants, carnival snacks, drinks, a full lunch buffet and musical entertainment was available throughout the park all day. An special area of the park was set up as “MitzvahLand”, which included how to write on a parchment for tefillin, building a mezuza case, making honey, preparing candlesticks and baking challah and other activities. Each child was also given a special gift to mark the coming of age ceremony.

"It was wonderful to see so many people – 4000 grandparents, parents, brothers and sisters – come out to celebrate this momentous occasion in the lives of these young men and women," said Rabbi Mendy Blau, Israel Director of Colel Chabad.

Colel Chabad, a charity based in Jerusalem, this week hosted the German State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Prof. Luise Holcher in a visit meant to promote the continued financial assistance of the German government to Holocaust survivors.

Founded in 1788, Colel Chabad operates soup kitchens and day centers across Israel.

Colel Chabad's programs are supported by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ).

Israel's Minister for Social Equality, Merav Cohen, attended the visit.

During the event, Holcher and her delegation were given a tour of Colel Chabad's headquarters and met with four Holocaust survivors who told their stories.

Just weeks after being forced to flee their homes in the town of Zhytomyr, Ukraine, a group of 13-year-old boys participated in an emotional Bar Mitzvah celebration at the Western Wall on Monday. The boys and their classmates, all of whom lived in an orphanage in the town near Kyiv, were part of an annual Bar Mitzvah ceremony for orphan boys made possible by the Colel Chabad social services organization in Israel.

The boys from Ukraine are among the more than 100 children who were evacuated to Israel and are currently living in the village of Nes Harim outside of Jerusalem. Organizers of the Bar Mitzvah say that while the children all live with the dream of returning to Ukraine as soon as possible, the ongoing war makes their future uncertain.

Just several weeks after being forced to flee their homes in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, a group of 13-year-old boys celebrate their bar mitzvah at the "holiest and most special of places."

Just several weeks after being forced to flee their homes in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, due to the Russian invasion, a group of 13-year-old boys celebrated their bar mitzvah at the Western Wall on Monday in an emotional ceremony.

The event was organized as part of an annual bar mitzvah ceremony by the Colel Chabad social services organization in Israel.

The boys from Ukraine, all of whom lived in an orphanage in a town near Kyiv, are among the more than 100 children who were evacuated to Israel and are currently living in the village of Nes Harim outside of Jerusalem.

Organizers of the bar mitzvah say that while the children all live with the dream of returning to Ukraine as soon as possible, the ongoing war makes their future uncertain.

STORY: The Ukrainian orphans are part of a larger group who arrived in Israel on March 3 from war-torn Ukraine after a journey through Romania.

Accompanied by members of the Jewish organization Chabad, the 13-year-old boys were welcomed into the Western Wall Plaza with live music, singing and dancing.

Chabad organized the bar mitzvah for orphans the organization cares for.

"We make this event once a year for orphans and we are with the orphans consistently 365 days a year, guiding them, helping them to go through the traumatic experiences that they've gone through” said Chabad director, Rabbi Shlomo Duchman.

Four orphans from the Ukrainian city of Zhytomyr were taken to the Western Wall with live music and dancing on Monday to celebrate their bar mitvah.

The boys were accompanied by Chabad to the plaza in Jerusalem after the coming-of-age ceremony, which is usually held at the age of 13.

They prayed alongside their Israeli peers at the ancient wall and placed prayer notes into its cracks.

The site is Judaism’s holiest site.

“I feel great here,” said Tima Kobakov, 13, who is from an orphanage in the northwestern Ukrainian city of Zhytomyr.

“There are a lot of Jewish people, Jewish community, they are so helpful. I’m excited.

“I can’t express my feelings just with words because this is a huge celebration and I love this.”

Chabad organised the bar mitzvah for orphans the organisation cares for.

We drove for many hours with the four kids in the car and looking back it was truly miraculous that we found our way.

It’s both surreal and deeply painful to think that just three weeks ago, I was sitting in my home in Kharkiv, Ukraine, with little to no real understanding of the extent to which my live was about to completely change.

I, together with my husband, have been living in Kharkiv for the past seven and a half years. We left Israel and began our work as Chabad shluchim (emissaries) in that thriving university city, not far from the Russian border. I would not say that life was always easy, but we enjoyed our work and thank God we always had what we needed. Our home was filled with food, guests and happiness, and it was there that we were blessed to expand our family and positively impact the community around us.

The very first indications that our quiet, peaceful life was about to take a turn for the worse came about two months ago. What began with rumors, slowly intensified into real fears. But, we made the decision that we would stay as long as we could, with the understanding that we needed to be here for the community that had become such an integral part of our lives.

Colel Chabad expanding food card program to help Ukrainian refugees arriving in Israel with not only food but also clothing and housing.

Colel Chabad, the oldest continuously operating charity in Israel, has been working around the clock to help the refugees coming to Israel from Ukraine.

"Colel Chabad has been investing over 234 years since 1788 and helping the needy in Israel. More recently, we've developed a network of food cards accepted in over 2,000 stores throughout the country and we are adapting them now for the needs of the refugees," says Menachem Traxler, Director of Volunteering for Colel Chabad. "When they land they need to be able to buy food. We hand them a card, they can go into almost any supermarket wherever they're going to be staying and buy food. Food is a basic necessity and we're here to provide that."

Colel Chabad taps into global network to prepare for wave of Ukrainian refugees.

As the flow of refugees from Ukraine increases seemingly by the hour with international observers saying the number now exceeds over a million, many are fearing that the prospect of returning home is becoming ever-more elusive. Many of the thousands of Jewish refugees are therefore choosing to move to Israel where organizations are actively working to respond to the demand. Among the organizations working on the forefront of the absorption response is Colel Chabad, which is focusing on providing families with food and basic necessities upon arrival.

As Israel’s longest continuously running social services organization since 1788, made up of numerous welfare and support services, Colel Chabad is able to rely on the international Chabad network which is known to be extremely active in Ukraine. “Our team in Israel are in regular contact with our emissaries across the war-ravaged region to help us identify those making the journey and make sure they know that they have a response in place as soon as they arrive in Israel,” explains Rabbi Mendy Blau, Israel Director of Colel Chabad. The system being put in place has the Israeli Chabad representatives in direct touch with the Ukrainian Chabad rabbis in the various communities to verify any specific needs.

Over 40 girls celebrate bat mitzvah in special ceremony followed by trip to Rachel's Tomb.

While a Jerusalem snowstorm began swirling outside, 250 grandmothers, mothers, siblings, aunts, and cousins came together to celebrate a momentous and emotional occasion.

Over 40 bat mitzvah-aged orphan girls celebrated their bat mitzvah at the annual Colel Chabad bat mitzvah celebration.

"While we had a beautiful online celebration last year due to COVID restrictions, we were so happy to be able to be back together, in person, to celebrate the bat mitzvah of these special girls," said Rabbi Itzik Marton, Activities Coordinator for Colel Chabad and Chessed Menachem Mendel.

As the number of survivors dwindles, many members of the community have been forced to live out their lives in poverty, often alone.

(January 26, 2022 / JNS) Ahead of Jan. 27 and International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Chabad youth movement in Israel has expanded its “Get Chesed” program, designed to bring teens across the country together with members of the survivor community.

As the number of Holocaust survivors dwindles, many have been forced to live out their lives in poverty, often alone.

The program encourages teen and university students to volunteer for weekly visits with thousands of survivors and other elderly Israelis, helping to distribute food packages and run errands, as well as spend time to help ease their loneliness.

Eliyah Shaked Goldner, a university student volunteer from Ness Ziona, describes a recent visit with a survivor, Aliza, as an experience she will never forget.

The Israeli parliament voted down a new law that was proposed last month. The law would have extended unemployment benefits to Israelis that are either self-employed or subcontractors – many of whom suffered during the lockdowns. The law failed to pass by just one vote, with 55 against and only 54 in favor.

This vote marked the seventh time in the past five years that such an effort to extend the compensation package failed to pass.

Fully employed Israelis were entitled to a temporary leave of absence while collecting unemployment benefits during the covid lockdowns. The self-employed, however, were denied such benefits. This has sent many Israeli small business owners and contractors further into debt. Many don’t know how they’ll be able to feed their family or where their next meal will come from.

Thankfully, there are organizations like Colel Chabad.

This year (5782) is the Shmittah (Sabbatical) year in Israel. This means that farmers in the Holy Land cease and desist from working their fields for one whole year as commanded in the Bible:

'But in the seventh year the land shall have a Shabbat of complete rest, a Shabbat of Hashem: you shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard.'
(Leviticus 25:4)

The Shemitah started on Rosh Hashanah 2021 and will end right before Rosh Hashanah 2022. While this is a direct commandment from the Torah, the lack of fruits and vegetables has sent the prices of the produce soaring. That's because as the demand remains the same the supply has significantly dropped.

The people who suffer most from this phenomenon are inevitably Israel's poor since many of them are still reeling from all of the covid lockdowns.

Thankfully, there is one organization that is coming to the rescue – Colel Chabad.

Budget passage to free up critical funding for food security program.

While the recent passage of the national budget by the Knesset is likely to affect Israelis in a wide variety of ways, for those who rely on government support for food security, the development promises to have an almost immediate impact.

The Israeli Ministry of Welfare in partnership with Colel Chabad officially launched the National Food Security Initiative in 2017 as a way to help over ten thousand families from falling further into a cycle of poverty. The program was an expansion of the support system started for 2,500 families in 2003 by Israeli businessman Moti Ben Moshe and further increased by Sir Len Blavtnik in 2006.

Rather than just providing direct handouts, the National Food Security Initiative, implemented by Colel Chabad and Leket Israel, is structured to provide food and support to help families become more fiscally responsible and engage in healthier eating practices.

"Superland" amusement park – aptly renamed "Mitzvahland" during the event – hosted over 4,000 Israelis who have dealt with tragedy.

Over 700 children who had lost a parent celebrated their bar and bat mitzvahs in a large-scale event funded by Israel’s National Insurance Institute last Monday.

The 4,000 person event took place at the "Superland" amusement park in Rishon Lezion – aptly renamed "Mitzvahland" during the event. Colel Chabad, Israel’s longest-running charitable organization, was chosen as the production partner for the event on behalf of the NII's Rehabilitation Branch, which works directly with families who have experienced a tragic loss.

All families were provided day passes to the park, which was entirely reserved for the event. With free food, short lines for the rides, and snack stations set up around the park, the children’s special day concluded with a concert featuring Israeli pop-star Eden Hasson.

Colel Chabad had the Superland amusement park in Rishon Lezion adapted for the day to serve as "Mitzvahland" for over 700 Bar and Bas Mitzvah children who are orphans.

In a scene that coronavirus restrictions would have made impossible only months ago, over 700 boys and girls who had lost a parent to illness or other tragedy celebrated the occasion of their bar and bat mitzvahs in a large-scale event funded by Israel's National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi).

The 4000-person event for the bnei mitzvah and their immediate families took place at the Superland amusement park in Rishon Lezion, adapted for the day to serve as "Mitzvahland."

Colel Chabad, Israel's longest continuously-running charitable organization since 1788, was chosen to serve as the producing partner for the event on behalf of the Institute's Rehabilitation Branch, which works directly with families who have experienced tragic loss.

Colel Chabad working to ensure all those who need have access to sukkah over upcoming holiday.

The holiday season, specifically the holiday of Sukkot (the Festival of Tabernacles), is a time defined by joy and family. But for impoverished, elderly or widowed families, it can be a period of added stress and challenge to put food on the table.

Supporting Israel's needy and elderly since 1788, Colel Chabad continued with their holiday food distribution and delivered boxes filled with everything from rice and beans to chicken and wine to over 15,000 homes. An additional 16,000 cooked holiday meals are being delivered over the next two days to 2,000 homebound elderly citizens, many of whom are Holocaust survivors.

The organization has also set up public sukkot (huts used during the holiday -ed.), as well as sukkot at their 18 soup kitchens around the country for those looking for a place to eat their holiday meals. They also have teams of volunteers to assist widows in building their personal sukkot.

JNF teams up with Defense Ministry to station around 100 portable bomb shelters across southern Israel. Colel Chabad charity group, Yad Sarah volunteer organization increase home deliveries to help those in need.

With tens of thousands of Israeli families under attack by rocket fire from Hamas in Gaza and required to stay near the safety of the protected rooms within their homes, Colel Chabad, Israel's oldest continuously operating charitable organization, has increased home deliveries to support the elderly in need.

While seniors usually get meals at one of 22 soup kitchens around the country, the constant threat of attacks has forced Colel Chabad to temporarily shut these facilities and deliver to homes in some of the hardest-hit areas, including Ashdod, Lod, Dimona, and Jerusalem.

The organization sent 25,000 meals to over 5,000 people over the Shavuot weekend.

US youth groups raise close to $40,000 for packages for Israeli children.

With tens of thousands of Israeli families under attack and required to stay near the safety of the protected rooms within their homes, Colel Chabad, Israel’s oldest continuously operating charitable organization since 1788, has increased their home deliveries to support the elderly in need.

While the seniors would usually get their warm, healthy meals at one of the 22 soup kitchens located around the country, the constant threat of rocket attacks have forced Colel Chabad to temporarily shut the facilities and deliver to the homes in some of the hardest hit areas including Ashdod, Lod, Dimona, Jerusalem and Tzfat. To that end, the organization delivered 25,000 meals to over 5,000 elders, enough to last them through the long weekend and holiday.

During the first round of aid, packages for Shavuot were given to young children who attend the Colel Chabad daycare centers in the Israeli cities of Yavne, Ashdod and Sderot.

A group of Jews from Teaneck, New Jersey, have managed to raise $40,000 for Israeli children experiencing difficulties amid ongoing fighting between Israel and terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip. The group passed on the funds and donated items to Colel Chabad, Israel's oldest continuously operating charity.

The focus of the fundraising was to provide for more home deliveries for elderly Israelis following the shutting of 22 soup kitchens due to rocket fire from Gaza, with more attention being paid to Israelis living in the most hard-hit areas in south and central Israel. It also saw the children who are suffering through these troubling times and donated items for them as well. Colel Chabad has thus far delivered some 25,000 meals to 5,000 people in Israel over the weekend and the holiday of Shavuot on Monday.

"We called upon the community to help raise money to send toys, educational books and comfort food to bomb shelters across southern Israel," said Rivka Szafranski, who runs the Youth Department at Congregation Bnei Yeshurun in Teaneck with her husband Yehoshua.

"We decided to team up with Colel Chabad, which already has the infrastructure and volunteer system, to package and distribute gifts to these children who are suffering during these traumatic times."

Enlace Judío.- Con la relajación de las regulaciones sobre el coronavirus en todo el país, un grupo de 60 hombres y mujeres residentes discapacitados pudieron experimentar el aire libre por primera vez como grupo desde el inicio de la pandemia del coronavirus.

La salida marcó casi un año desde que el grupo tuvo la capacidad de salir juntos de su residencia de rehabilitación, y los organizadores lo llamaron “la primera prueba de libertad después de lo que han sido unos meses extremadamente desafiantes”.

“Estas son personas que enfrentan desafíos diarios y no pueden disfrutar de lo que el resto de nosotros damos por sentado, incluso durante en tiempos normales”, dijo el director de Colel Chabad, el rabino Sholom Duchman. Este último año para ellos, confinados del mundo exterior para protegerlos de este virus mortal ha sido extremadamente difícil y todos esperábamos y rezamos para que este día llegara lo antes posible”, publicó The Jerusalem Post.

Los residentes de los Centros Grabski y Finger para la Esclerosis Múltiple operados por Colel Chabad, todos confinados en una silla de ruedas, habían salido al mundo acompañados por 90 miembros del personal. Con los 60 residentes, la reunión de 150 personas habría sido peligrosa de organizar hace solo unos meses, pero después de la sólida campaña de vacunación de Israel, ahora es posible realizar salidas como esta.

A group of 60 physically disabled adults is celebrating the recent relaxation of coronavirus restrictions, because it meant they were able to go out of their rehabilitative residence as a group for the first time in nearly a year.

The outing, organized for the residents of the Grabski and Finger Centers for Multiple Sclerosis operated by Colel Chabad, was described by the organizers as a “first taste of freedom after what has been an extremely challenging few months.”

All of the residents are bound to wheelchairs and suffer from different degrees of neurological disease making the concept of being home-bound and staying safe that much more challenging.

Accompanied by 90 staff members, the group set off to the Jordan Valley Village, a fully accessible park complex in the Lower Galilee, where they were able to partake in recreational activities not typically available to them, including rides on horse-drawn carriages, an omega line specifically outfitted for wheelchairs and other sports and art programming.

With Israel’s remarkable success at vaccinating the majority of its population and dramatically reducing the spread of the coronavirus, many social restrictions have been lifted, allowing the population to return to normal life.

For a group of 60 physically disabled adults, the recent relaxation of coronavirus restrictions meant that they could go out of their rehabilitative residence as a group for the first time in nearly a year.

The outing, arranged for the residents of the Grabski and Finger Centers for Multiple Sclerosis, operated by Colel Chabad, was described by the organizers as a "first taste of freedom after what has been an extremely challenging few months."

All of the residents are bound to wheelchairs and suffer from different degrees of neurological disease, making the concept of being home-bound and staying safe that much more challenging. Accompanied by 90 staff members, the group set off to the Jordan Valley Village, a fully accessible park complex in the Lower Galilee. There they were able to partake in recreational activities not typically available to them, including rides on horse-drawn carriages, an omega line specifically outfitted for wheelchairs alongside other sports, and art programming.

Residents of the Grabski and Finger Centers for Multiple Sclerosis get their first taste of freedom after what has been an extremely challenging few months.

For a group of 60 physically disabled adults, the recent mitigating of coronavirus restrictions meant that they could go out of their rehabilitative residence as a group for the first time in nearly a year.

The outing, organized for the residents of the Grabski and Finger Centers for Multiple Sclerosis operated by Colel Chabad, was described by the organizers as a "first taste of freedom after what has been an extremely challenging few months."

All of the residents are bound to wheelchairs and suffer from different degrees of neurological disease making the concept of being home-bound and staying safe that much more challenging.

With COVID restrictions being relaxed, disabled community finally able to get out and enjoy some much-needed recreation.

For a group of sixty physically disabled adults, the recent relaxation of Coronavirus restrictions meant that they could go out of their rehabilitative residence as a group for the first time in nearly a year. The outing, organized for the residents of the Grabski and Finger Centers for Multiple Sclerosis operated by Colel Chabad, was described by the organizers as a "first taste of freedom after what has been an extremely challenging few months."

All of the residents are bound to wheelchairs and suffer from different degrees of neurological disease making the concept of being home-bound and staying safe that much more challenging. Accompanied by ninety staff members, the group set off to the Jordan Valley Village, a fully accessible park complex in the Lower Galilee. There they were able to partake in recreational activities not typically available to them, including rides on horse-drawn carriages, an omega line specifically outfitted for wheelchairs alongside other sports and art programming.

Some 200,000 Israeli families will be assisted through this program, which will include cards with which to purchase food, in addition to food boxes.

Colel Chabad, a charity organization catering to a wide variety of personal and communal needs, took on the important task of manning the distribution of the Interior Ministry's latest initiative to help families in need.

“This historic undertaking comes at a truly critical time for our nation where thousands of new families have been thrust into poverty," said Rabbi Mendy Blau, director of Colel Chabad in Israel.

According to a report by the Israel National Council for the Child, one in every three Israeli children was living under the poverty line during the coronavirus crisis in 2020.

"We view it with both pride and a great sense of responsibility that the government has entrusted us with this historic mission, and we firmly believe that our experience and network will be instrumental in making this a process that will bring much needed assistance as quickly and effectively as possible," said Blau. More...

Colel Chabad is selected by Interior Ministry for largest charitable distribution project in Israel’s history.

As the social and economic costs of the coronavirus crisis continue to rise, Israel’s Interior Ministry has approved a massive support project designed to help families most in need. The implementation of the project, involving a large-scale logistical effort, will be managed in large part by Colel Chabad.

Colel Chabad was founded in 1788, and is the longest continuousl-operating charitable organization in Israel today.

It will see more than NIS 700 million (nearly $215 million) worth of support cards distributed in the coming months.

Israel’s Minister of the Interior Aryeh Deri said “this period has presented an ongoing financial nightmare that has made daily life a literal fight for survival for so many. The reality is that many families are suffering from hunger and need immediate support. This represents the culmination of an extensive effort where these beneficiaries will now receive dedicated debit cards that enable them to go out and buy critical food supplies in a respectable way that protects their dignity.”

Colel Chabad has earned public recognition for its implementation of the National Food Security Initiative, which distributes “debit cards” to purchase food, food boxes and other support for those living under the poverty line.

This latest project will see more than NIS 700 million (nearly $215 million) worth of support cards distributed in the coming months.

“The generations of experience Colel Chabad has in all types of food distribution—whether it is in the more modern form of cards or the traditional form of boxes, meals or from our soup kitchens—will allow even more people from all backgrounds to get the support they need at the time they need it the most,” said Rabbi Sholom Duchman, director of Colel Chabad. “As I was taught by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, we must help every person, no matter the background, in the way they need it most.”

As the social and economic costs of the coronavirus crisis continue to rise, Israel’s Interior Ministry has approved a massive project designed to help families most in need.

The implementation of the project, involving a large-scale logistical effort, will be managed in large part by Colel Chabad, the longest continuously operating charitable organization in Israel.

The organization will be responsible for the logistical and distribution effort in Israel’s southern and central regions, Judea and Samaria, and Jerusalem, while the remainder of the country will be managed by the social-service agency Pitchon Lev.

A total of 200,000 needy families will be assisted through the effort. More...

Israel’s Interior Ministry has approved a massive support project designed to help families in need as the Coronavirus (COVID-19) takes its toll on Israeli society and its economy.

The government has allocated NIS 700 million to support needy families.

The money is expected to be divided into three phases, with an adult receiving NIS 300 per phase and a child NIS 225. A family can receive up to NIS 2,400 per phase. The final amount will range from NIS 900 per person to NIS 7,200 for a family with 8 children.

A total of 200,000 needy families will be assisted through the effort.

The implementation of the project, involving a large-scale logistical effort, will be managed in large part by Colel Chabad’s Eshel Yerushalayim Project, which was founded in 1788 and is the longest continuously operating charitable organization in Israel today. More...

Israel’s Interior Ministry has approved a massive support project designed to help families in need as the Coronavirus (COVID-19) takes its toll on Israeli society and its economy.

The government has allocated NIS 700 million to support needy families.

The money is expected to be divided into three phases, with an adult receiving NIS 300 per phase and a child NIS 225. A family can receive up to NIS 2,400 per phase. The final amount will range from NIS 900 per person to NIS 7,200 for a family with 8 children.

A total of 200,000 needy families will be assisted through the effort.

The implementation of the project, involving a large-scale logistical effort, will be managed in large part by Colel Chabad’s Eshel Yerushalyim Project, which was founded in 1788 and is the longest continuously operating charitable organization in Israel today. More...

Here’s something most people don’t know; Maimonides, one of Judaism’s top Torah sages, was the first to understand how psychosomatic disorders work.

The theory goes as follows: some physical diseases are thought to be particularly prone to being worsened by mental factors such as stress and anxiety. Conversely, the healing process can take place when one is stress-free and happy.

In Israel’s children’s hospitals, where many young kids are suffering from life-threatening sicknesses, a gift, (especially a Hanukkah gift) is guaranteed to put a smile on their faces. According to Maimonides’ theory, this happiness is an important part of the healing process.

The problem is that for many hospitalized kids, their parents have gone broke trying to afford expensive treatments like chemotherapy and invasive surgeries. This means that they need to cut back on many luxuries – including holiday gifts for their suffering kids.

Thankfully, there is one organization that is stepping up and trying to heal them with some awesome Hanukkah gifts- Colel Chabad.

Colel Chabad's Chanuka program for widows & orphans is going ahead this year too.

During a normal year, the Ramada hotel in Jerusalem would be filled with hundreds of children and their mothers, celebrating the holiday surrounded by those just like them. The annual retreat for widows and their children brings much-needed relaxation and joy for these families that have suffered loss.

When asked how Chanukah will be celebrated this year with all the restrictions, Rabbi Menachem Traxler, director of volunteering for Colel Chabad responded, “Have challenges ever stopped us?”

And so this year is (almost) no different – the retreat has been moved down to the Dead Sea with coronavirus restrictions in place. Participants must present a negative coronavirus test result and adhere to the regulations set by the hotel. While there might not be the usual parties and group activities, the families will still be able to feel the support of Colel Chabad and enjoy the respite from the challenges of daily life with a few days of vacation.

Colel Chabad was specifically chosen by both Home Front Command and government ministries to implement much of the food distribution and support efforts amid the coronavirus crisis.

IDF soldiers packed and delivered packs of food to patients sick at home with the coronavirus as part of a partnership between Home Front Command, the Jerusalem Municipality and the Jerusalem-based social services organization Colel Chabad.

The soldiers came to Colel Chabad's Pantry Packers, where they pack boxes full of sweets to send out.

"We wake up in the morning and arrive here to the packing factory to pack a few things, sweets, savory things," said Saar Vilnai, commander of Sayeret Alon from Home Front Command. "From here we make our way to the Jerusalem neighborhoods, particularly the neighborhoods in the 'red zone' with corona patients, and we begin to distribute the packages to the houses, according to the organized list of recipients."

Jerusalem Municipality and IDF Homefront Command partner with Colel Chabad to distribute something extra to lift spirits.

Continuing to support those sick at home with coronavirus, the Jerusalem Municipality and IDF Homefront Command have partnered with Colel Chabad, Israel’s longest running social services organization since 1788, to distribute something extra to lift spirits.

The operation begins at Colel Chabad’s Pantry Packers, the Jerusalem based packing facility, known primarily for their volunteer packing experience. "We wake up in the morning and arrive here to the packing factory to pack a few things, sweets, savory things," said Saar Vilnai, Commander of Sayeret Alon from Homefront Command. "From here we make our way to the Jerusalem neighborhoods, particularly the neighborhoods in the 'red zone' with corona patients, and we begin to distribute the packages to the houses, according to the organized list of recipients."

"Being stuck at home for days on end was much more difficult than I anticipated," said R who recently recovered from Covid-19. "Having the support of food and supplies without having to keep asking family or friends was a real lifesaver. The extra delivery of sweets was so appreciated and made it clear we weren't forgotten."

Nonprofit chosen by IDF Home Front Command to expedite food and social support in coronavirus 'red cities.'

As the number of coronavirus cases continues to remain high in Israel, Colel Chabad, Israel’s longest continuously operating charitable organization, is working in tandem with the IDF Home Front Command to assist individuals and families in the most affected cities.

Currently, the virus is most heavily affecting locales with large haredi and Arab concentrations, including Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Elad and the Druze City of Yarcha in northern Israel. It is in these areas, tagged as “red cities,” that the Colel Chabad activities are most prominent.

Colel Chabad was chosen to implement the program due to the successful infrastructure it has set up in recent years through the National Food Security Program initiative. Once the IDF and local municipalities identify families or individuals in need of support, they are assigned to a case worker who is in direct and frequent contact to determine their specific needs or requests. While on most occasions the support is in the form of food crate, fresh food deliveries, or customized debit cards that can be used for online grocery shopping, funding is also provided to allow parents to buy games, books, or other entertainment activities for children.

Israel's oldest standing charity, Colel Chabad, founded in 1778, and the IDF Home Front Command, which is in charge of assisting the civilian population in times of national crises, have joined forces to support families who were forced into isolation following suspected exposure to coronavirus.

Currently, cities that are labelled by health officials as "red," meaning that they have high number of coronavirus patients, also have large ultra-orthodox (haredi) and Arab communities. As of August 25, the cities include Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Elad and the Yacha.

Given the fact that Colel Chabad has managed to establish effective food distribution infrastructure for families in need, it was chosen by the IDF to assist in the efforts to provide food supplies for the families in need.

Five generations of giving by the Schottenstein family to Colel Chabad recently led David & Eda Schottenstein to donate a new hot meal facility for the poor in Jerusalem.

Continuing to meet the growing demand of feeding the elderly in Israel, Colel Chabad, in partnership with Leket Israel, opened a new meal packaging facility in Lod. After the successful partnership at the Jerusalem location which opened in 2019, a second location has been selected to repack and distribute another 1000 meals a day.

The hot meals are packaged from excess fresh food 'rescued' by Leket Israel and distributed to the elderly, Holocaust survivors and those who are homebound. The Lod location will handle distribution of the nutritious and filling meals to Central Israel while the Jerusalem facility will continue to serve the Jerusalem area.

Colel Chabad director details enormous yet quick expansion of operations, and how they met the needs of Israel's poorest populations.

Colel Chabad, Israel’s longest running social services organization, helping Israel’s needy and elderly since 1788, has continued to increase its operations as the COVID-19 pandemic has moved through Israel with the economic effects drastically impacting many of their beneficiaries and pushing many others below the poverty line.

“As Director of Colel Chabad for more than 35 years, I have never seen an operation of this scale, constantly and immediately adjusting to the new health and safety regulations and government objectives while also witnessing so many new people expressing the need for support,” said Rabbi Sholom Duchman.

“One of the main challenges of COVID-19 is that it targets the most vulnerable of our society,” continued Rabbi Duchman. “The elderly, those with prior medical conditions, and the poor, who often suffer from more illnesses due to their diet and challenging lifestyle, are the hardest hit by this terrible virus. This is the time to step up and do whatever it takes to help those who need it the most.”

Israel’s longest running social services organization, Colel Chabad, was asked by the government to help the needy and elderly get the food they need to stay alive — this time in a much bigger way — as the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic sweeps its way across the country.

“As director for more than 35 years, I have never seen an operation of this scale,” said Rabbi Sholom Duchman, “with the need to constantly and immediately adjust to new health and safety regulations and government objectives.”

The Ministry of Welfare tapped the organization because Colel Chabad is uniquely qualified to get out massive deliveries of essential foods to the door of those most vulnerable while also processing and distributing ‘food cards’ to be used at groceries nationally.

(JERUSALEM, ISRAEL) In light of the coronavirus pandemic, Israel is currently in the midst of an indefinite lock-down. Only stores that sell food and pharmaceuticals are open.

But what about those who can't afford food?

For them, the government has issued food stamps. There's just one problem: The government doesn't have the infrastructure to distribute these food stamps to those who need them. That's why they had to rely on a private organization for the distribution. And Israel’s social services realized that, of all the charitable organizations in Israel, the one with the best track record of providing food to Israel’s poor is none other than Colel Chabad.

That's why Israel’s Social Welfare Department has drafted Colel Chabad to handle an emergency effort to provide Passover nutritional support to 30,000 families whose livelihoods have been disrupted by the coronavirus crisis. Colel Chabad (est. 1788) is Israel’s oldest and largest social services network, and is the official government contractor to provide food security for Israel’s poorest citizens.

This is a massive logistical undertaking that requires working closely with large and small municipalities in order to identify the most pressing cases. “The time-frame in which all this must be accomplished is brutal,” says Colel Chabad’s Rabbi Shmuel Lipsker. “Pesach is two weeks off, and we have to provide 30,000 families with the ability to shop for the Seder."

The Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services Ministry will issue 30,000 food vouchers of NIS 300 each to families across Israel to aid them during the upcoming Passover holiday.

The total amount spent by the ministry will be NIS 9 million.

The vouchers will be available to those that are not currently included in the ministry’s Food Security Program and are not defined as elderly citizens who receive food supplies for their homes. They will be sent to local authorities by quotas and distributed according to those registered in social services departments.

The ministry instructed the social services departments of the local authorities to favor single parents, families of at-risk children, families with children with special needs and families or individuals who are in special distress at the discretion of each department’s director.

The food vouchers will be distributed starting the week of April 5 by Colel Chabad, the oldest charitable organization in Israel.

To aid the elderly and those under the poverty line, the social-service organization is distributing additional food stamps, arranging food deliveries and providing Passover food kits for those in need.

Colel Chabad will distribute food stamps to an additional 30,000 families living below the poverty line, as approved by Israel’s Ministry of Welfare, in order to provide security for Israel’s most at-risk population during the global fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

According to the organization, preference will be given to single parent families, those with at-risk or special needs children, low-functioning parents who have expressed difficulty at home and others based on the discretion of social-work case managers.

“These are in addition to the 10,800 families around the country (in 48 municipalities) who are supported by the National Food Security Initiative all year round, who are continuing to get their regular support of food and staples,” noted the organization.

Interesting comparisons can be made between how modern day Israel deals with the coronavirus outbreak, and how it dealt with a previous such outbreak over a hundred years, after documents were revealed in a Jerusalem archive.

Right now as the government restrictions tighten in an attempts to slow the virus spread and the number of cases rises, causing fear among the public, similarities to these events can be found in the letters describing a cholera outbreak in 1902.

One author of a letter wrote of "fears and anxieties" during the outbreak, and the "extra expenses the government has imposed on every individual regarding hygiene."

For most girls, bat mitzvah is a time to look forward to. But for 42 Israeli girls who have lost a parent – for most, a father, killed in war or from terror – coming of age could have been a miserable time. But on Feb. 17, Colel Chabad welcomed the girls to a gala bat mitzvah party in Jerusalem – inviting them to come together, support one another and embrace joy.

"When girls are orphaned they might feel that they’re blemished, that they’re the broken one in their class," Karen Fonfeder, originally from Los Angeles, and a mother of one of the girls, told The CJN.

According to Colel Chabad director Rabbi Yitzchak Chaim Marton, the event is most meaningful not because of what it gives the girls – but rather for what the girls, and their entire families, give one another. "We say that when they get together, ish et reyehu ya'azoru (each person helps others), they get strength from each other." More...

For 42 girls who came together at the Hadar Hall in Jerusalem on Monday, the idea of a bat mitzvah celebration had been something difficult to imagine.

The girls were all united; they were orphans who have lost parents to illness or tragedy. The celebration organized by Colel Chabad was therefore specifically designed for these unique emotional challenges.

Shira Livnat-Weiss, a 32-year-old mother from Jerusalem has raised her four children without their father, who was killed in a terror attack at Joseph’s Tomb nine years ago. At the time of the attack, her oldest child was just 4. He will be celebrating his bar mitzvah in several weeks with the organization; on Feb. 17, it was his 12-year-old sister’s turn. More...

In the spirit of elections, Colel Chabad polls guests and reminds us all what can be done for less than the price of a Hanukkah doughnut

Rabbi Tuly Weisz, founder and CEO of the media company Israel365, joined Colel Chabad for a unique vote on Jerusalem's needy residents' favorite doughnuts. Colel Chabad provided the doughnuts for free and asked each "customer" to pick their favorite.

The "customers" were given the choice of plain doughnuts, jelly doughnuts and "fancy" doughnuts with colorful and flavorful toppings. Many seemed overwhelmed by the fancy doughnuts lovingly presented to them by Rabbi Tuly since people in need usually just accept what they're given, without being able to choose what they really want. But the appreciation for the fancy doughnuts can be seen on their faces.

The voting activity was a way to enhance the experience of the guests of the Jerusalem soup kitchen but also a way to convey to Arutz Sheva readers an important message about Colel Chabad's activity.

A two-night stay in Jerusalem offers support and treats for parents and children

A group of 80 families, made up of widowed women and their combined total of 300 children, gathered at the Ramada Hotel in Jerusalem for two nights over Hanukkah, sponsored by Colel Chabad.

The retreats have been happening annually since 2004, and include trips to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo and Deer-Land park, parties and entertainment, and free babysitting so that mothers can attend sessions and activities designed for them.

The families come from a variety of backgrounds, religious and secular, and are invited to the retreat, which is also supported by the Finger Family Foundation and Meromim Foundation.

Every third year you shall bring out the full tithe of your yield of that year, but leave it within your settlements. Then the Levite, who has no hereditary portion as you have, and the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow in your settlements shall come and eat their fill, so that Hashem your God may bless you in all the enterprises you undertake. (Deuteronomy 14:28-29)

For some fortunate children, the warm summer months conjure up comforting memories of ice cream trucks, summer vacations and quality time with parents. But, for those who were born into families who had a bad turn of luck, summers can be long, miserable and even dangerous.

What does a working single mother, after all, do with her children when school is out? Without having a family member or close friend to rely on, oftentimes, these children roam the streets where they are exposed to unsavory elements like violence and drugs.

Last Saturday night, Jews stayed up all night for the holiday of Shavuot, studying Torah in what is called in Israel a “layla lavan” or “white night.” Displaying a hunger for God’s word, synagogues fill up with the sounds of learning and in Jerusalem, tens of thousands of Jews crowd the plaza of the Kotel (Western Wall), praying throughout the night.

But when dawn arrives and the sleepy, but spiritually sated, pilgrims finish their devotions, they are in desperate need of physical sustenance.

But not everyone in Israel has the means to answer even the most basic needs. For those people, Colel Chabad is there. Their volunteers eagerly meet the hungry pilgrims and give them special individual food kits filled with dairy baked goods and a cool beverage to fill their empty stomachs.

In Israel, the Colel Chabad charity is distributing seder meals for over 22,000 people. The meals include more than 11,000 salmon filets, 7,000 chicken thighs and 9,800 almond cakes, and are made from some 30,000 eggs and 10 tons of potatoes.

The meals will be served at communal holiday meals and are also provided to homebound people.

In addition, 10,800 boxes of holiday food staples and fresh fruits and vegetables have been prepared and delivered to the doors of families in the National Food Security initiative, a program of the Ministry of Welfare implemented by Colel Chabad.

Some 22,000 people will receive a free Passover seder meal through Colel Chabad.

The organization said this will be its largest distribution in recent memory. Colel Chabad began operating in 1788.

The meals are being prepared in the Mishor Adumim facility, with distribution points in Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh and the Leket facility in Ra’anana.

What is on the menu? No fewer than 11,000 salmon fillets, 7,000 chicken thighs and 9,800 almond cakes. The food preparation entails an order of some 30,000 eggs and 10 tons worth of potatoes.

This organization feeds nearly 1,000 people daily - and will distribute seder meals to 22,000.

Ahead of Seder Night, Israel’s longest continuously running charity is preparing for a year of unprecedented activity in response to growing needs across the country. Colel Chabad, founded in 1788 to provide financial and practical support to the then tiny Jewish community in the Holy Land, will be distributing seder meals for over 22,000 people.

Based out of one major food preparation facility with three distribution centers across the country, the organization’s logistical operation to produce and deliver the meals in time for the holiday is on a military scale. The list of meals includes no fewer than 11,000 salmon filets, 7,000 chicken thighs and 9,800 almond cakes. All meals are prepared and every effort is made to respond to the variety of tastes by families from all types of ethnic and national backgrounds. The food preparation entails an order of some 30,000 eggs and ten tons worth of potatoes.

Ahead of Seder Night, Israel’s longest continuously running charity is preparing for a year of unprecedented activity in response to growing needs across the country. Colel Chabad, founded in 1788 to provide financial and practical support to the then tiny Jewish community in the Holy Land, will be distributing seder meals for over 22,000 people.

Based out of one major food preparation facility with three distribution centers across the country, the organization’s logistical operation to produce and deliver the meals in time for the holiday is on a military scale. The list of meals includes no fewer than 11,000 salmon filets, 7,000 chicken thighs and 9,800 almond cakes. All meals are prepared and every effort is made to respond to the variety of tastes by families from all types of ethnic and national backgrounds. The food preparation entails an order of some 30,000 eggs and ten tons worth of potatoes.

Jacob’s sixth-grade classmates kept eyeing the clock, counting down the hours and the minutes until the final bell rang. The sound that would announce the start of Passover vacation.

The biblical holiday of Passover, commemorating the Israelites miraculous exodus from ancient Egypt, was starting in a few days. All the kids were excited about what the upcoming festive holiday meant to them: vacation from school, festive ritual meals with family and friends, new clothes, presents, and trips!

All the boys except for Jacob. Jacob too was glancing at the clock. However, unlike his eager classmates, Jacob wished the clock was moving backward instead of forward.

Most people have heard of a bar mitzvah or a bat mitzvah. Many have even attended a special rite-of-passage celebration. But, how much do you really know about these Jewish occasions? Take the quiz and find out!

Israel has been blessed with unusually strong rains and even snow, helping to alleviate a five-year-long drought. Though a welcome reprieve, these blessings lead to unique challenges for Israel’s impoverished citizens.

“It’s hard for many of us to imagine that people are so poor that they cannot afford the ‘luxury’ of heat,” explained Rabbi Shmuel Lipsker, administrator for Colel Chabad, Israel’s longest running charity, to Breaking Israel News. “While some people might take for granted a warm home or warm meal, in Israel, so many people, especially poor elderly and Holocaust survivors cannot afford heat along with food.”

For Israeli victims of loss to terror or other tragedy, one of the most challenging aspects of coping with their personal pain comes as they approach what are meant to be joyous lifecycle events.

For such families, these can be simply more salt poured on the wounds generated by the loss their family has experienced. Recently, the Colel Chabad organization held a joint Bat Mitzvah celebration in Jerusalem to address this challenging mix of emotions, working to create a day of joy for 37 girls and their families and friends where for a window in time, they could forget the ache that simply never leaves them.

Each of the girls had experienced direct loss; many of the families said they appreciated being able to celebrate alongside others who understand those unique challenges.

Colel Chabad holds celebration in J'lem for 37 girls who are victims of family loss. 'We are forced to approach these events differently.'

For Israeli victims of loss to terror or other tragedy, one of the most challenging aspects of coping with their personal pain comes as they approach what are meant to be joyous lifecycle events - but for them are just another reminder of the loss their family has experienced.

To address this challenging mix of emotions, the Colel Chabad charitable organization held a joint Bat Mitzva celebration in Jerusalem on Monday for 37 girls and their families and friends. Each of the girls had experienced such direct loss and many families said they appreciated being able to celebrate alongside others who understand those unique challenges.

Among the girls was the daughter of Rabbi Raziel Shevach. Driving near his home in January of 2018, Shevach, a beloved teacher, MDA medic and father of six was murdered in a terrorist shooting near Chavat Gilad.

What started as a fun activity during a family trip to Israel turned into a young-girl’s charitable mission.

Last summer, 12 year-old Sydney Jerome from Teaneck, New Jersey, came to Israel to celebrate her cousin’s Bar Mitzvah. During this trip, her family volunteered to pack dried healthful food, like beans and rice, for Israel’s impoverished citizens.

This food, she learned, would be included in some of the 8,500 monthly boxes delivered to Israel’s struggling citizens through the charity organization, Colel Chabad. Since 1788, Colel Chabad’s first priority has been ensuring that people living in the Holy Land have daily nutrition as well as something extra special for holidays. In fact, before each holiday, the charity’s food deliveries increase by an astounding 20,000 boxes.

When 12-year-old Sydney Jerome joined her cousin’s family in Israel for a bar mitzvah this past summer, she didn’t know it would inspire her own bat mitzvah project. But after visiting and volunteering at Pantry Packers in Jerusalem, packing food to be distributed to the needy around Israel, Sydney was inspired to something on her own to give back to those in need.

"There are so many people around the world in need of assistance, and I thought the best place to start helping is our homeland," she said.

A beautiful building just opened in the center of Jerusalem called ‘The Finger Residence’ – after the main donor. This “home away from home” will house up to 50 young women from the Former Soviet Union (FSU).

In the end of December, a spectacular dedication ceremony was held at the new building. This event was well attended by dignitaries, students, and staff from Colel Chabad which is Israel’s longest running charity responsible for the care, welfare and Jewish education of the girls in attendance.

Jerusalem’s newly-elected Mayor, Moshe Lion, joined the festivities. Clearly moved by the beauty and attention to detail of this new building, Lion stated that many local hotel managers are planning to visit the facility for ideas on how to refurbish their own buildings.

The flavors and wide variety of food preferences for Israeli citizens is fascinating. For example, descendants from Middle Eastern countries often enjoy couscous, rice, chickpeas and eggplant. Yemenites enjoy jachnoon, a pastry baked overnight and fenugreek.

Those of Ashkenazi descent might like stuffed cabbage, caramelized and peppery noodle kugel or cholent – a long cooking stew of meat, beans and barley.

However, though Israel is often viewed as an advanced “start up nation,” there are 1.8 million citizens living under the poverty line, due, in part, to its constant influx of immigrants.

Food Insecurity in the Start Up Nation

With nearly one fifth of Israelis living with food insecurity, tens of thousands of people must receive their daily nutrition through soup kitchens, prepaid shopping cards and food packages delivered to their homes. One Israeli based charity organization, Colel Chabad goes the extra mile to ensure that individuals and families not only receive food but also receive items that they will enjoy due to their unique ethnic tastes.

As people worldwide busy themselves with holiday celebrations, especially striving to bring joy to the children in their lives, getting the right gift can become a burden. Colel Chabad, Israel’s longest running charity organization, has mastered this challenge by personally giving thousands of hand-picked gifts to hospitalized and special needs children in Israel.

“During the busy holiday season it can slip people’s minds that hospitals are filled with sick children for which there is little holiday cheer,” explained Rabbi Lipsker, administrator for Colel Chabad, to Breaking Israel News. “In addition, institutionalized disabled and special needs children often have parents who don’t visit them. Therefore, Colel Chabad makes every effort to ensure a happy holiday for all.”

This year, Colel Chabad not only provided a staggering 3,489 personally chosen gifts to children in 15 hospitals and 20 institutions throughout Israel, they also organized entertainment and treats for these ill and challenged children.

Colel Chabad of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness holds its 2018 International Awards Dinner.

On Thursday evening, December 13, thousands of magnanimous supporters of Israel's oldest continuous tzedakah (charity) gathered at New York City's Hilton Hotel to express their appreciation to Colel Chabad of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness at the organization's 2018 International Awards Dinner.

Going on its 231st year in fostering their mission of providing food, housing, clothing and social services to Israel's growing numbers of indigent residents, Colel Chabad takes pride in extending assistance to all those in need; irrespective of age, gender, background or religious affiliation.

For hundreds of fatherless children and their widowed mothers, Chanukah was just a little brighter this year thanks to Colel Chabad, an Israeli social services agency.

Hosted by the Chessed Menachem Mendel program of Colel Chabad, 400 fatherless children and their widowed mothers were invited to enjoy round the clock entertainment and activities with programs in Jerusalem. A secondary event in Netanya catered to families from the northern part of the country.

“The activities were magical, unique and well thought out,” said a mother from Petach Tikva, who lost her husband recently to terminal illness. “The warmth and love that come with this experience allowed us to relax and forget about our daily struggles – even if it’s just for a few hours at a time.”

At a special Thanksgiving Day event, Pastor Jentezen Franklin and Rabbi Tuly Weisz, a Christian and a Jew, came together – under the auspices of Colel Chabad – to help some of Jerusalem’s poorest and neediest residents.

Franklin is currently in Israel leading a mission with his congregation – the Free Chapel Worship Center, based in Gainesville, Georgia. Their tour has taken in many of Christianity’s holiest sites; Sea of Galilee, Dead Sea and Jerusalem. Each week his television program, Kingdom Connection, is broadcast on major networks all over the world. He has recently been dubbed one of Israel’s best friends for his work with Holocaust survivors and the Friends of Zion Museum.

Colel Chabad – where Franklin and Weisz, publisher of Breaking Israel News volunteered – is Israel’s oldest charity, having served the Holy Land’s struggling citizens for 230 years. Every day of the year, the charity organization feeds hungry Israelis, runs unique programs to ensure that orphans succeed in school and in day-to-day life, and offers daycare services to build the future of Israel’s youth, regardless of gender, age, marital status, ethnicity or religious observance. Its comprehensive services include programs for widows and indigent families, Holocaust survivors, immigrants, and the chronically ill.

In 1998, the World Kindness Movement, a coalition of kindness NGOs, came together and encouraged the international community to recognize November 13 as “World Kindness Day.” This day is now focused on increasing acts of kindness, concentrating on the positive power of kindness that binds one to another, encouraging individuals to overlook boundaries, race and religion, and unite in goodness.

“Each day, we are bombarded with sad stories of pain and detachment between people,” said Rabbi Shmuel Lipsker, administrator for Colel Chabad, Israel’s longest running charity organization, to Breaking Israel News. “Helping others restores a sense of humanity and loving-kindness and contributes to tikkun olam, fixing and building a better world.”

Following requests from residents of Kiryat Bialik in northern Israel, bridging the enire range of Jewish observance, Colel Chabad charity organization inaugurated another state-of-the-art daycare center in the city. With great devotion and investment, the new center joins Colel Chabad’s network of well respected educational facilities located throughout Israel.

Menachem Cohen, Director of Communications for Colel Chabad, told Breaking Israel News that Judaism considers education, starting at birth, to be of the utmost importance. “Colel Chabad daycare centers provide educational services from the beginning of life, as the Bible teaches that the soul of a child must be nurtured, even from conception. In addition, our centers accept everyone, whether religious or not, as everyone deserves the best for their child.”

For groups and individuals who visit the Holy Land from all over the world, the highlight of their visit is often Jerusalem’s Western Wall. For the first time, a special group of severely disabled people, who live in unique housing centers sponsored by the charity organization Colel Chabad, were blessed to join in that life-altering experience.

Koby Wiesel, Director of Colel Chabad’s two revolutionary independent and private living spaces, which presently house 55 people suffering from Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a paralyzing disorder, told Breaking Israel News that this experience was one of his “dreams come true.”

On the holiday of Sukkot, the Jewish people are commanded to “rejoice before God” (Leviticus 23:40). This merry-making is often explained as stemming from the Jewish people’s unshakeable trust in God.

When coming out of Egypt, as well as during harvests, Jews lived in sukkot (booths or tabernacles). By leaving their sturdy homes, eating and sleeping in the sukkah, the Jewish people demonstrated trust that God would continue to take care of them throughout their trials and tribulations. It is through this dependence on God that the people realized that God protects them – a realization that brings comfort and joy.

For this reason, Sukkot is considered the most joyous of festivals.

Every single day of the year, Colel Chabad feeds widows, orphans and poor elderly. But during the Jewish High Holidays, this work becomes evermore important.

As the Jewish year 5779 begins with Rosh Hashanah on the eve of September 9, Colel Chabad set forth a High Holidays plan to do just that – ensure that Israel’s at-risk do not go without basic necessities, including food and clothing.

“Part of the Jewish tradition is that when there comes a holiday, you have to take care and make sure that not only you have all you need, but your neighbors have all they need as well,” Menachem Traxler, director of volunteering for Colel Chabad, told Breaking Israel News.

Eliminating hunger sounds like a lofty goal. But starting small – and throwing in a little fun – is a good start. In Migdal Ha’Emek, a town in Israel’s North, social worker Dafna Hassan recently led a mother-daughter baking workshop at Ooga-Ooga Bakery. The workshop is part of Colel Chabad’s nutrition security program, designated by the Israeli government to take charge of eliminating hunger among Israel’s neediest.

During the baking workshop, 25 mothers and daughters learned together how to make three different types of healthy cookies and met with a nutritionist lecturer who explained proper nutrition, quantities and distribution of the food groups at each meal and their importance. At the end of the workshop, each participant received a recipe booklet and a box of cookies.

After the death of a parent, motivation for academic success as well as basic appreciation of life often decrease. Colel Chabad charity has a unique approach to orphans, which reaps outstanding positive results for hundreds of them every year.

Colel Chabad, the longest running social services in the Holy Land, invests a significant amount of time, funds and love to ensure that the country’s orphans have a bright future. Each year they support mass bar and bat mitzvah classes and celebrations for hundreds of them, give much needed vacations and holiday retreats to one parent families, provide orphans with subsidized wedding celebrations and give hundreds of academic scholarships through their Chesed Menachem Mendel Orphan Intervention program.

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Over 100 high school students who have lost at least one parent were awarded scholarships from the Colel Chabad organization.

The scholarships were awarded last week at an end of the year ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of Rabbi Shlomo Amar, Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem.

The scholarship program by Colel Chabad, a social services organization in Israel, is in cooperation with the Barad family of New York and the Meromim Foundation.

While most people would have run the other way from the terrorist’s flying bullets, 31-year-old tzaddik, Yosef Twito, who was in charge of security in the Samaria settlement of Itamar, south of Nablus, raced to the Shabo house to help. He was gunned down by the terrorist inside. Twito was murdered along with Rachel Shabo and her three children, Avishai, Zvika and Neria.

The attack, on June 20, 2002, sent shock waves throughout Israel and left four Shabo orphans and five Twito orphans behind.

Nahal Twito was only 4-and-a-half years old at the time of the tragedy. The charity organization Colel Chabad immediately took the Twito family under its care and has maintained a close relationship with Yosef’s widow, Rachel, and their orphaned children ever since.

While most people would have run the other way from the terrorist’s flying bullets, 31-year-old tzaddik, Yosef Twito, who was in charge of security in the Samaria settlement of Itamar, south of Nablus, raced to the Shabo house to help. He was gunned down by the terrorist inside. Twito was murdered along with Rachel Shabo and her three children, Avishai, Zvika and Neria.

The attack, on June 20, 2002, sent shock waves throughout Israel and left four Shabo orphans and five Twito orphans behind.

Nahal Twito was only 4-and-a-half years old at the time of the tragedy. The charity organization Colel Chabad immediately took the Twito family under its care and has maintained a close relationship with Yosef’s widow, Rachel, and their orphaned children ever since.

The Beis Finger Rehabilitation Center celebrated its opening at a gathering on Sunday.

Debby and Zohar Elnatan had been searching for eight years for an apartment for their son, Rotem.

Rotem, 23, has cerebral palsy, and likes to DJ in his spare time. So when they found out about the new Beis Finger Rehabilitation Center in Jerusalem, it was a perfect fit.

After going to a day program, Rotem Elnatan comes home to a welcoming community of 20 staff and eight other residents, who he considers his family.

“I think we’re really lucky,” said his father, Zohar. “I can trust them.”

Keeping kids healthy and happy during the long summer months can be a challenge. Having a sick child in the hospital over the summer can multiply that challenge manyfold.

Recognizing these obstacles, Colel Chabad, Israel's longest continuously running charity, organizes summer camps in two of Israel's hospitals, Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot and Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon. Yes, summer camp!

"Hospitals get particularly busy with ill children in the summer, therefore, the need for hospital summer camp is crucial to helping sick children," explained Chany Lieberman, administrator of Colel Chabad hospital summer camp programs, to Breaking Israel News. "Between summer injuries, like dehydration and accidents, and non-urgent surgeries scheduled in the summer so their child won't miss school, pediatric wards become particularly busy. Of course, there are also those children having long hospital stays due to serious illnesses like cancer."

Dressed in their finest clothing and surrounded by family and close friends, 36 orphaned girls celebrated their Bat Mitzvahs together in an emotional and festive event hosted by Colel Chabad charity organization.

“Celebrating important milestones without the head of the family is very difficult and we do all we can to help the girls and their families forget their pain and bereavement on this special day,” Rabbi Yitzchak Marton, Director of Programming and Educational Projects for Colel Chabad told Breaking Israel News. “We invest in these girls and their families over many years to help make their lives a success. Especially at momentous occasions, we go all out to help orphans feel loved and special.”

Colel Chabad holds gala bat mitzvah event for 36 orphaned girls.

On behalf of 36 orphan girls and their families, Colel Chabad hosted the seventh annual Bat Mitzvah celebration in Jerusalem this week.

Dressed in their finest and surrounded by family and close friends, the Bat Mitzvah girls were able to celebrate in style at the newly renovated Gutnik Hall in Jerusalem with all the arrangements and costs handled by Colel Chabad.

Founded in 1788, Colel Chabad is the oldest continuously-running social welfare organization in Israel. The organization helps needy families throughout the year with a wide variety of programs and services, including educational support and guidance, enrichment programs, financial support and planning and extra support for the holidays.

On behalf of 36 orphan girls and their families, Kolel Chabad hosted the seventh annual Bas Mitzvah celebration in Jerusalem this week. Dressed in their finest and surrounded by family and close friends, the Bas Mitzvah girls were able to celebrate in style at the newly renovated Gutnik Hall in Jerusalem with all the arrangements and costs handled by Kolel Chabad.

The oldest continuously-running social welfare organization in Israel since 1788, Kolel Chabad helps needy families throughout the year with a wide variety of programs and services, including educational support and guidance, enrichment programs, financial support and planning and extra support for the holidays.

For 120 orphan boys, this Passover will be infused with an additional dose of unexpected joy as the result of an initiative of Colel Chabad, Israel’s longest running social services organisation, which provided the boys with a Bar Mitzvah celebration including gifts and a lavish ceremony.

Each of the boys has their own individual stories of pain and loss. All have suffered the death of a parent, the majority of them their fathers – often due to illness but in some cases due to accidents or terror attacks. Many come from families that are also struggling with poverty and other challenges that have resulted from the loss of the primary bread-winner.

This Passover will be infused with an additional dose of unexpected joy after 120 orphan boys were provided with a special Bar Mitzvah celebration — including gifts and a lavish ceremony — courtesy of the Colel Chabad social services organization.

Each of the boys has his own individual story of pain and loss. All have suffered the death of a parent, the majority of them their fathers – often due to illness but in some cases due to accidents or terror attacks. Many come from families that are also struggling with poverty and other challenges that have resulted from the loss of the primary breadwinner.

“They shall come with weeping, And with compassion will I guide them. I will lead them to streams of water, By a level road where they will not stumble. For I am ever a Father to Yisrael, Efraim is My first-born.” Jeremiah 31:8 (The Israel Bible™)

A new state-of-the-art home inaugurated a month ago in the center of Jerusalem will allow for 35 people suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological disorders to live much more independently.

The 1900-square-meter center called “Beis Finger” was built and operated by Colel Chabad, Israel’s longest running social services organization amd is supported by Israel’s Social Services Ministry just like the Grabski Rehabilitation Center hi-tech home in Israel’s northern city of Migdal HaEmek.

Center for patients with neurological disorders opened in capital by Colel Chabad, oldest social services organization in Israel.

Located in the center of Jerusalem, just outside the famous Machaneh Yehuda market area stands the new Beis Finger Rehabilitation Center of Colel Chabad, officially opened this week. The 20,000 square foot location and facility will be home for 35 young residents suffering from multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders, offering them a place to thrive and contribute to their betterment of their lives and the community.

A new home for 35 young residents suffering from multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders opened this week in Jerusalem, to be operated by Colel Chabad with support from Israel’s Social Services Ministry.

Located in the center of the capital just outside the iconic Mahane Yehuda open-air market area, the 1900-square-meter Beis Finger rehabilitation center officially opened its doors on Wednesday.

Children who survived past terror attacks and lost loved ones help light Hanukkah candles with Salomon family after Halamish massacre.

In April of 2004, Ruth Zagha was just seven years old, the fourth of six children, when a terrorist attacked her home in the Samaria town of Avnei Chefetz on a Friday night shortly after the family had completed their Shabbat meal. Her father Kobi, armed with a pistol, went to confront the terrorist and was shot dead and one of Ruth's sisters was seriously injured.

Since that time, Ruth. along with her siblings and her mother, have worked to find ways to confront the tragic loss of a parent as well as the emotional toll of surviving an attack meant to kill her entire family.

50 widows and 240 children who lost fathers to either terror attacks, accidents or illnesses are getting treated to a three-day, all-inclusive retreat at the Ramada Hotel in Jerusalem in honor of Hanukka.

Kicking off Monday night, the 15th annual Colel Chabad Hanukka retreat offers bereaved families a full schedule of activities either geared towards children or just for the mothers, including entertainment, full meals and day trips in and around Jerusalem.

There is no age limit for the participants as the event caters to babies up to soldiers and national service volunteers.

Several hundred of Israel’s poorest children had a break from their poverty-stricken lives last week by celebrating the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah, with joyful plays, games and art – and full bellies.

In the northern Israeli city of Karmiel, 130 kids attended a Hanukkah party on December 11. The event, put on by Colel Chabad, was meant to help the children and their families enjoy the holiday spirit and “not feel poor for a day,” said Ateret Vashdi, who helped plan the party.

Labor and Social Services Minister Haim Katz announced the launch of a national initiative for food security estimated at NIS 60 million on Monday.

The program, run in collaboration with Colel Chabad and Leket Israel – the National Food Bank, will award some 10,800 needy families suffering from food insecurity a NIS 500 per month prepaid card to purchase food.

For two days over Hanukkah in Jerusalem, some 100 families from all over Israel were given the chance to escape from the often-difficult realities of daily life.

Each one of the families enjoying the holiday retreat organized by the Colel Chabad charitable organization had lost their fathers due to tragedy - either sickness, a vehicular accident, or in many cases a terror attack.

In celebration of Hanukkah, the Colel Chabad charitable organization has announced increased investment in a program to bring holiday joy to severely physically and mentally handicapped youth. The effort is intended to reach over 2,500 children in centers all over the country.

In addition to their hospital visits and toy distribution for the sick and injured planned for the larger hospitals, Colel Chabad found that far less attention is paid to the severely handicapped, many of whom are confided for long-term care in facilities for the disabled.

Colel Chabad, the oldest continuously running charitable organization in Israel, awarded 100 orphans with an academic scholarship.

The scholarships, awarded on Monday evening, are part of an initiative of the Chesed Menachem Mendel program, which provides orphans customized support, be it financial or social, to help them through the difficulties of having lost a parent.

A special celebration was held at the Psagot Winery Visitors Center, located outside of Jerusalem, Israel, on Monday evening. Chesed Menachem Mendel - Early Intervention for Young Orphans, held its end-of-the-school year scholarship and award ceremony for the Binyamin region. One mother who attended told BJL, when "I talk about it, I cry."

Chabad communities around the world, mark 12 Tammuz with celebrations remembering the birthday of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn in 1880, and the anniversary of his release from prison in Soviet Russia in 1927. Colel Chabad is Israeli's oldest continuously running social services network. Since 1788, it has developed multiple chesed projects throughout Israel, supplying food and a wide range of services to the needy.