An Evening of Peace for the Families of Sderot

It can be hard to imagine the reality of life for the children of Sderot. Surrounded by harrowing events, and under the constant threat of rocket attacks, they bear on their little shoulders the burdens of their parents—filling their childhood memories with days steeped in sadness and anxiety. If anyone ever deserved a break from the chaos of everyday life—to be transported through fiction to another place for a while, and maybe to have a smile or two—it was these kids.

And so, in honor of Tu Bishvat, we at Vision for Israel sponsored a theater play for them. "An Apartment for Rent," is a rich musical adaptation of the famous Israeli book by Le'ah Goldberg. Its story relates to a subject of familiarity—the sometimes-difficult relationships people have with their neighbors and depicts its heroes as finding ways to help each other, finding true friendship along the way.

The performance took place in the largest protected playroom in Israel, hosting 250 children and their parents for a fun and relaxing evening together. At the end of the event, each child received a grass-head as a gift.

The Director of the Sderot Development Fund wrote us, saying "The children of Sderot, most of whom were raised into a difficult reality of security tension and rocket shooting once every few months—are yearning for an activity like this, that can give them a little relief and a sense of normality in the complicated reality that they live in. Thank you to Vision for Israel, and Barry and Batya who head it, and who humbly partner in quite a few initiatives for the welfare of the children of Sderot and its residents."

Without the powerful support that generous donors like you provide, this evening of joy and relaxation for these distressed families could never have been possible. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and ask that you keep this and our other Outreach Areas in your prayers and ongoing gift considerations.

Together, we are making a difference.