In the days since October 7th, more than 800 children in Israel bid their fathers or mothers goodbye, not knowing it would be the last time. Shattered by shock and grief, these war orphans struggle to make sense of this new reality in which they lack a role model, confidant and steady anchor of support.

Enter All Israel’s Children. Led by Dror David Amos, founder of the well-known Israel bereavement organization Chesed Chaim V’Emet, All Israel’s Children fosters steady one-on one relationships between Israel’s war orphans and trusted professional mentors. Working closely with their mothers and schools, All Israel’s Children provides therapeutic support and essential emotional and financial relief, empowering the orphans to rediscover their smiles.

After several months of extensive planning and preparation, All Israel’s Children began providing services in June 2024 to more than 25 war orphans and their families and continues to expand its services. In the short time since its launch, All Israel’s Children has made a significant positive impact.

Our Mentors Provide Critical Hope and Support

The Mentors and Orphans Quickly Develop  Strong Bonds

The stable presence of a dedicated mentor is critical to the healing process and development of each orphan. The mentor provides personalized, tailored support that helps the orphan cope with and manage their emotions, leading to improved self-confidence and reduced feelings of loneliness and anxiety. The mentor also imparts on the orphan essential social skills and a sense of belonging by encouraging relationships with peers. 

The mentors and orphans have already developed a deep connection and friendship. One of the orphans was used to going for walks with his father and asked his mentor to take his father’s place on these walks. Another one of the orphans asked his mentor to accompany him to his first day of school and give him guidance, as his father did for his older brother. 

More generally, during the recent summer vacation the mentors and orphans participated in many fun activities together, such as bowling outings, swimming at neighborhood pools, and trips to water and amusement parks. The mentors also assisted the orphans and their families with preparations for the new school year, including purchasing school supplies and organizing them in fun ways. 

The Mentors Impact the Entire Household

The strong bonds between the mentors and orphans have also profoundly impacted the orphans’ mothers. The mothers have expressed a significant improvement in their quality of life thanks to the support they receive from the mentors. 

For example, one of the mentors was invaluable in helping a mother prepare for an orphan’s bat mitzvah. The mentor assisted in recording songs, choosing clothes for the event, preparing souvenirs and setting the tables, allowing the mother to experience the bat mitzvah in a positive and connected way. 

Another one of the mentors provided tremendous physical and emotional support during an orphan’s family’s recent move to a new apartment. The mentor assisted the mother in planning the move, including arranging the logistics of the transports, helped pack up the old apartment, and prepared the new apartment.

The mentors also help the mothers with daily household tasks, thereby providing the mothers with much-needed personal time. The peace of mind and relaxation the mothers experience alleviates some of the hardship and pain of their challenging new reality.

Our Laser Focus on the Orphans’ Emotional Well-Being

All Israel’s Children works closely with the mothers to facilitate creative emotional therapies for the orphans. One orphan recently developed a fear of water, which limited his ability to enjoy water activities and affected his overall sense of security. All Israel’s Children arranged for tailored emotional treatment, which included gradual exposure to water. During the therapy sessions, the orphan learned how to deal with and conquer his fears. The orphan slowly began to regain his confidence and now is able to swim and play in sprinklers once again.

In general, the mothers have expressed great satisfaction with the emotional care provided to the orphans, noting a significant improvement in the orphans’ mood and their increased ability to cope with emotional challenges. The mothers have also reported engaging in more open conversations with the orphans and the orphans’ ability to more freely share their experiences and feelings, thereby strengthening the family bond. 

Our “Adopters” Meet the Orphans

All Israel’s Children aims to facilitate a meaningful connection between the orphans and “Adopters”— families from abroad who commit to an orphan’s support for a year. 

Over the past couple of months several of the orphans and their “Adopters” have had the opportunity to meet and connect. For example, the Lowenstein family from Baltimore met Yagel Hatuel in Chevron, where they presented him with a 16th birthday present. And the Czermak family first met Aviel Farash at his home in Ofakim and subsequently hosted Aviel and his family at their home in Lakewood for a week in August.

These meetings left deep impressions on both the orphans and their “Adopters” and gave the orphans and their families a sense of comfort, security and the motivation to start the new year with strong hope for  the future.

Coming Together As a Community

All Israel’s Children also provides the opportunity for communities and groups to unite around the common cause of supporting a war orphan in Israel. Whether a shul or a school, participants can “adopt” an orphan and become actively involved in their life journey by following the orphan’s progress, regularly communicating with the orphan, and even visiting the orphan when possible. This transforms the idea of tzedakah into a heartfelt, shared commitment and responsibility. As one “Adopter”,  Joel Teitelbaum, recently commented: 

“Handing them a check and saying, ‘Here’s something to start a new life,’ is not enough. All Israel’s Children is how we can do more. We can help an 11-year-old boy get past this struggle in his life and make it to his bar mitzvah. We can help a little girl shift away from isolation, smile again, play with her friends again. We can help children take steps in recovering from their loss knowing someone is there to help them through.”

For more information and to join this cause, bringing back more smiles, please visit us at AllIsraelsChildren.org.