By David Perl

Jerusalem, Israel

Have you ever watched a family of children enter their new home?

This past Tuesday was a sight to behold as over 200 orphans poured into their new home-away-from-home, Project Boneinu’s Orphan Center. The orphans went from room to room, smiling from ear to ear, inspecting the new lobby, study, session rooms, balcony, kitchen and the other 5-star amenities inside the Center. The orphans celebrated the opening of their house with a beautiful meal and lively music.

Project Boneinu, is a division of Tov V’chesed founded by Rabbi Yaakov Eliezer Shisha. Project Boneinu, under the hanhalah of R’ Meir Aker, was established to care for orphaned boys by giving them the support they need to face their difficult reality. The Boneinu House is a safe haven for orphans to speak to their mentor, eat a warm meal, unwind and spend time among peers who understand their pain. During a recent Charidy.com campaign, thanks to the tremendous outpour of support from the community, Tov V’chesed succeeded in fundraising a staggering 1.2 million dollars in 24 hours. Parts of those funds were used to complete the construction of the Boneinu House, allowing another two hundred orphans to benefit from Boneinu’s services.

Rabbi Shimon Galai, Rosh Beis Din of R’ Nissim Karelitz’s beis din, addressed the orphans saying, “I thought I’m coming to be mechazek brokenhearted children. But here as I stand before you, 200 children of the Eibishter, who are happy despite your situation, you are mechazek me! You are giving me and all the askanim involved in Boneinu, the strength we need to continue!” He then held on to the children’s hands and began to dance with them like a young man! R‘ Dovid Levy, the advisory rav of Boneinu, promised the children, that anything they may need, they shouldn’t be ashamed to ask for because everyone in Boneinu will do whatever it takes to keep the smiles on their faces!

Then R’ Yaakov Eliezer Shisha thanked all the generous donors who have contributed to this project and all the devoted staff members who put so much heart into every child, every day. He finished by promising that every orphan will have a sheva brachos made for him in the Boneinu House when he gets married. R’ Meir Aker, the menahel of Project Boneinu then made a shecheyanu with unbridled emotion and the crowd, once again, erupted in song and dance.

At midnight, the event drew to a close. Staff members ensured that the children get home safely and quickly so that they don’t show up late to cheder the next morning. One 14-year-old bochur told Rabbi Shisha, “The old Boneinu house was right next to my Yeshiva, but I didn’t come that often. This House is quite far from my yeshiva, but I will be here every day!”

In the zechus of the donors and volunteers who built a House for orphaned children, may Hashem rebuild his House for all his children.