Dear Friend,

Tens of Thousands of Children are Waiting for Us to Fill Their Lives with Color

Nicholai, a twelve-year-old boy, is one of the 10,000 children currently living in 80 residential group homes throughout Israel that Yeladim – Fair Chance for Children, the association for children in placement, has managed to reach, offering them personal attention and opportunity through some 20 programs that it runs at the homes.

Nicholai immigrated to Israel with his father after having been abandoned by his mother. When he was nine years old, he was removed from his father’s custody and placed in the Tokair Residential Group Home. Tokair became his home and provided his basic needs, but a few months later, Nicholai’s father passed away, leaving him an orphan, completely alone.

All Nicholai had left were the memories of Haifa, on the Mediterranean, where he learned to love the seashore. So when the counselors of the art project run by Yeladim – Fair Chance for Children at the group home asked him to paint a picture of the sea and participate in an international competition of children’s drawings held in Croatia, he immediately agreed.

The staff at Yeladim – Fair Chance for Children thought that his painting was particularly beautiful and suitable for the competition. As it turned out, the judges agreed and Nicholai’s painting was awarded a prize. “I was very excited about winning,” says Nicholai, adding in the same breath: “It was also great when they organized a celebration for me at the group home. I was presented with a medal and a certificate and all my friends in the group congratulated me and were really nice to me.”

Nicholai’s success story can be the story of many more children growing up in residential group homes, who need a chance and a guiding hand. I would like to invite you to take part, along with us, in giving them a genuine opportunity, by purchasing greeting cards for Rosh Hashanah, printed with Nicholai’s award-winning painting.

The purchase of greeting cards provides us with a financial donation while also conveying a message to your friends, clients and other contacts. The price per card is NIS 6; on orders of over 500 cards, we offer the option of printing your company logo.

With your help, these children will be able to experience a childhood that is almost like those of other children, with a fair chance for the future.

Leshana Tova,

Yehudith Nussbaum, Project chair and Executive Board member

For details and orders, please contact Erga Atad: Tel. 03-6475075, ext. 216 e-mail: erga@yeladim.org.il