A Summer to Remember - for the Good

Our Summer Relief Campaign brings joy & much-needed help

by KR

0 Comments | Thursday, July 10, 2025 under Widow and Orphan Fund, Summer Relief Campaign, Agunos, Grushos & Melamdim

Summer vacation in Israel, “Chofesh HaGadol”, can be described in many words, but three of them are:

Long.
Hot. 
Stressful.

And it feels even longer, hotter and more stressful when there’s nowhere to go and nothing to do. 

There’s plenty to do… if you can afford it 

Don’t get me wrong - there’s still plenty to do in Israel over the summer, even though there is still a painful war still raging (may the hostages be released today and may our soldiers stay safe) plus another that brought the country to a two-week standstill in June. There are camps for kids, numerous historic and entertainment destinations for families to visit, tiyulim to go on, and fun activities to participate in, both during the day and at night. All it takes is a bit of research and planning. And, of course, money. Money for camp fees. Money for transportation. Money for food and snacks. Money for entrance fees.

For poor families, that money doesn’t exist

But in needy households, that same money is already spoken for - it’s needed for food. And the electric bill. It’s money that’s scraped together to help buy a new pair of shoes, or is being saved up, shekel by shekel, to (hopefully!) buy a uniform or new supplies for the upcoming school year. Basically, that money isn’t a given for poor families throughout Israel and it isn’t available for summer vacation. And when it isn’t a given, it means that summer camp and summer trips just aren’t happening. Which means that summer break translates into long weeks of sitting at home (sometimes with air conditioning, sometimes without). It can mean long weeks of too much unstructured free time, and for kids at-risk, too many opportunities to
get into trouble. 

That’s why this campaign was created

When AFYE/B’ezri established its Summer Relief Campaign, it was because we knew that countless poor families face this exact challenge every year: a long summer break, but no money for any of the “usual” expenses that the season brings. 
And it’s become a lifesaver of a program.
Donations bring tremendous relief to families battling diverse types of need. Single parent homes, families dealing with severely limited incomes or full unemployment, those facing illness, households whose fathers were injured in war or are frequently away in miluim… in other words, families dealing with numerous kinds of challenges benefit from it. Summer Relief delivers just what the name says. It allows kids to go to camp and have the same experiences as their friends, without feeling the usual 'lack' they often do in other aspects of their lives. It’s also a blessing for struggling parents, helping them cover their families’ costs during the summer, retaining a sense of “normal” in their homes.
 

What recipients are saying

The feedback we get from parents illustrates how much of a difference we can make…

The N. family, just one of many grateful families, writes:
"I would like to take the time to thank you for being so generous.
It is such a big help for us during the Bein Hazmanim season. We B"H have a large family ranging in so many ages. There are so many expenses involved in keeping the children busy, happy and entertained. With this money we were able to do something special that we would not have been able to do otherwise. The extra revach that this money provided us with was so helpful it gave us the ability to be able to manage this busy, expensive time a little better. Thank you so much! May you be benched with hatzlacha, bracha and special Siyata Dishmaya in all your endeavors!"

It’s not too late to make that difference

With summer at its height, there are still weeks left to bring help and relief to parents and kids in need. This year our campaign is focused on addressing three types of struggling households: 
Grushot-divorced mothers and their children: 1800 women will receive support, 
Needy families facing diverse types of challenges including struggles caused by the war(s): 1800 will benefit from this campaign,
plus 850 Almanos who are providing for their families.

Now's the perfect time for all of us to make it a summer they’ll remember, - not for how long, hot or stressful it was, but for how much they were able to enjoy it.

DONATE NOW