Sparks to Life is a volunteer-powered nonprofit organization based in Tzfat. We have partnered with Operation Lifeshield to bring life-saving shelters to young children in our region of northern Israel.
This initiative is a direct response to the increasing rocket attacks on our community. Tzfat is a small, sweet town of 40,000 residents, including 16,000 children. Yes, that's a lot of little ones! As we try to carry on in what has been called "the routine of emergency," our children are growing up in the shadow of war and frequent sirens that give only 30 seconds notice until rockets falls.
Tzfat is an ancient city—much of it was built before current safety regulations came into effect. It’s also a vibrant, growing city with many large families. With 46% of our population under the age of 18, the city's 165 educational institutions have struggled to keep pace with the rapid expansion of its population. Many of these schools, including preschools and kindergartens, are housed in temporary structures with thin walls that offer little to no protection from rocket attacks.
Several elementary schools and even a few high schools are also lacking shelter, but at least the older children are a little more capable of getting under tables and following safety instructions. If you need to quickly get 30 four-year-olds to lie down away from windows and cover their heads for 10 minutes, it’s a lot more challenging!
Tzfat residents have been sent running for shelter from rockets and armed UAVs during MORE THAN 135 ATTACKS on our city. Tzfat is under increased threat due to the close proximity of four military bases, including the Headquarters of the IDF's Northern Command, and housing the main hospital for the Galilee. While we have been “blessed” to have “only” one casualty and a few physical injuries, the mental trauma of having nowhere to run when the sirens go off is causing the most damage. With the increased frequency of red alerts, we began to see more parents keeping children cooped up at home, at the cost of the children’s education and social routine, and even missed work days. One preschool, which we brought a shelter to in July, was down to only about 5 children attending regularly…out of 28. Additionally, schools are having difficulty hiring and retaining teachers due to the unsafe conditions.
Together with the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County, Operation Lifeshield, and hundreds of donors from around the world, we have already brought dozens of shelters to our region. With your help, we can work together to bring more. Each preschool shelter costs $25,000 including delivery and minor site prep, and a playground shelter costs $18,000. Our goal is to keep as many children as safe as possible, preserving the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of students, while continuing as much of a “normal” life as we can during these uncertain times.
Your support for shelters in preschools and playgrounds will not only contribute to the physical security of our children, but also to peace of mind for parents and teaching staff. Please consider partnering with us in this vital cause. It’s a worthwhile investment because each and every shelter helps another adorable bundle of tiny children go about their daily lives with less anxiety, knowing they are protected from the imminent threat of rocket attacks.
So hit that DONATE button, and then give the campaign a SHARE too! Every contribution and act to raise awareness can literally save lives. Thank you for caring and helping keep our children safe.
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