This past summer, Meir Panim operated a highly subsidized day camp for young children of low-income families in Or Akiva. The camp caters to children who come from single-parent households, suffer from learning disabilities or come from broken homes, with most of the children falling into one or more of these categories. The Or Akiva branch is just one of several camps and after-school programs run by Meir Panim across Israel. At the Meir Panim after-school clubs, children enjoy enrichment activities, receive assistance with their schoolwork, counseling from professional social workers, and develop lasting friendships.
Or Akiva Program Director Shalom Suissa said that the program’s purpose is to give these children an experience that is not only fun and educational, but makes them feel “just as worthy” as any other child who is not dealing with the same difficulties as they are. At camp, children participate in exciting activities, from sports to arts and crafts, and go on at least one field trip a week — to the zoo, the local amusement park and museums. The children receive a nutritious breakfast and a hot lunch, which many would not receive otherwise. The camp also extends its activities from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to allow parents to work a full day.
Yair, a 14-year-old boy from Or Akiva, spent much of his early childhood sifting through trashcans to find bottles he could exchange for cash to help his single mother pay the bills. He often went to school hungry, with no breakfast, and lacking basic school supplies. Despite his difficult situation, Yair says his life is not nearly as desperate today as it once was. A graduate of both the Meir Panim youth club and summer camps, Yair has received assistance and encouragement throughout the years from the organization, helping him to grow as a student and as a person. Last March, Yair was able to take part in a volunteer program to pass out free meals to needy families on Purim. The opportunity to realize that he was in a position to give as well as receive filled him with a sense of pride and purpose. Making the rounds in his local neighborhoods with a gigantic smile on his face, Yair spread joy and hope to all he met.
When War Hits
When rockets rained down on Israel from Gaza, Israelis around the country felt the state of emergency. This urgency translated into service and Meir Panim organized a massive distribution of much-needed food and supplies to the tens of thousands of soldiers defending Israel in Operation Protective Edge. The organization delivered more than 5,000 care packages to soldiers along the Gaza border. The packages included food, clothing, toiletries and other items needed by soldiers hastily called to action. Families across Israel donated home-baked desserts, giving them to Meir Panim volunteers to bring to the front lines and offering soldiers a taste of home during this difficult time. The organization also has delivered hot Shabbat meals to soldiers on military bases across Southern Israel and the Gaza border. “There is no greater comfort in the world like personally receiving supplies or a home-baked treat in the middle of a warzone,” says Yonatan, a soldier coordinating the deliveries with Meir Panim. “We are fighting so that safety and quiet will be restored here in Israel. Knowing that organizations like Meir Panim and individuals from across Israel care about us so much gives us renewed strength to carry out our mission. I feel that all of Israel has become one family in this turbulent time.”
Meir Panim also coordinated care packages for families in the South that included toys and snacks to keep children entertained during the difficult, long summer days – often spent in a bomb shelter. In the Southern town of Dimona, Meir Panim’s Free Restaurant was forced to close due to the proximity of incoming rocket fire. Staff and volunteers cooked, packaged and delivered meals to the needy in their homes and in shelters. All of these efforts provided encouragement to the hundreds of thousands of Israelis in crisis.