The Ashkelon Foundation

Dear Friends of Ashkelon,

We first want to start off by saying thank you for choosing to open a campaign for donations for the Hadar Family Care Home Club in Ashqelon, Israel. We are three young adults from the United States living in Israel for ten months and participating in OTZMA, a social action volunteer program. We are lucky enough to spend our time volunteering with the children and teachers at the Beit Yedudit & Hadar Family Care Home Club.

These Family Care Home Clubs are a special and unique place. The children who spend their time here are precocious, eager to learn, loving, and incredibly friendly. The teachers at each care home are two amazing women, who not only provide an education for these children, but also work towards creating an atmosphere of stability that they can call home.

Without the Family Club, the children would have nowhere safe to go for several hours after school besides the streets. These streets can be filled with drugs and alcohol and are not a safe environment for young children. Equally, if not more importantly, without the Family Club they would not get the love and attention that they need to grow and thrive. These children have been specifically designated for this program due to problems and sever difficulties of their parents.

Unfortunately, resources are currently limited. The children need basic necessities, such as clothes and school supplies both for the present and for upcoming years in their life. The Family Club also needs books, DVDs, games and other materials for the children to use.

Many of these children have never been to places like Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, despite the close proximity to Ashqelon. They dream of being able to visit these important cities in their Homeland, and with your donations this dream may come true.

The children and teachers will be forever grateful for any amount you can provide, no matter how small. We want to thank you again for choosing to help such a wonderful place, and we cannot wait to share in their excitement and appreciation when they receive the donations.

All the best,

Vanessa Friedman, Ariel Sternberg, Lauren Zink

Donations the Children are dreaming of:

This list was compiled when all the children sat in a circle and said one thing they wish to have at the Family Club. Some of their reasons for these wishes are also listed.

1. New TV: Their TV now is old and does not always work. With a new and better TV they can see better, and can then watch movies or the news, especially on cold days when they have to stay inside.
2. DVD’s: So they can watch movies
3. Microphone (for Karaoke): Use at parties to sing and dance
4. Amusement Park: Would like to be able to visit Luna Park, none of them have ever been.
5. Transportation: Parents cannot come every day to pick them up and bring them home. Sometimes they have to walk by themselves and they are scared.
6. Toys: Many of their toys are old and broken. They do not have enough games either. They would love to have a Wii.
7. Travel around Israel: Have never been to many famous places in Israel (Examples, Kineret, Haifa, etc.)
8. Clothes and shoes
9. Backpacks
10. Swimming pool – swimming lessons
11. Door: Want a door for TV room, not enough privacy. This room is also used for acting.
12. Air conditioning: Only have one now and it is too hot in the summer with just one.
13. Paint: Want the Family Club painted to make the place look and feel more comfortable
14. Books
15. Paper/Notebooks
16. Camera