Neve Landy: a home for those who need it the most

*name has been changed

*Avi is a smart and athletic 12-year-old. He loves Maccabi Tel Aviv’s soccer team and playing Fortnite. When he was a child, he and his brother were orphaned by their father and abandoned by their mother, making them children of the State. After some time at an orphanage, a family expressed interest in adopting both Avi and his brother. Then, right before the papers were signed, the family decided to adopt only the older brother, leaving Avi alone at a children’s home with even less family than he’d had before. You’d never know this if you met Avi. For the most part, he acts like a completely normal kid interested in shoes, sports, video games, etc. He has a kind heart, a fast mind, and with the help of the amazing staff at Neve Landy, hopefully, a bright future. But, the reality of the situation is that his background, like the backgrounds of all the other children at the home with him, is very complicated, and he needs all the help he can get.

Dear friends and family,

This past summer, we - 25 post-yeshiva/seminary students - ran a month-long camp at Neve Landy, a year-round home for “at-risk” children with psychiatric disorders. With backgrounds ranging from abuse and neglect to being orphaned and abandoned, Neve Landy introduced us to amazing children who are fun, thoughtful, and sweet, in the face of incredibly difficult and complicated home situations. As volunteers, our job was to help them have fun and do what normal kids do during the summer. We ran carnivals, movie nights, talent shows and so much more. The unforgettable experiences we had working with the boys, in tandem with the awe-inspiring care and dedication displayed by the staff at Neve Landy, left us feeling like we needed to do more than just give a month of our time to the children and the home.

So, we’ve decided to join forces to increase support for the incredible organization we had the privilege of joining for one very short month. After speaking with the administration, we decided on two Neve Landy projects we’d like to fundraise for.

We are firstly fundraising to help Neve Landy purchase an outdoor pavilion to put over one of their uncovered sports fields. Physical activity, sports, and outdoor time in general are crucial opportunities for the kids to feel normal, stay healthy, let out aggression, and have fun. We had an amazing time playing with them this summer and would love to give them the opportunity for more healthy, outdoor fun, regardless of the weather conditions. Donating to this cause would tangibly help the kids spend essential time outdoors in the shade for years to come!!

In addition to the outdoor pavilion, we are also fundraising to cover the costs of Neve Landy’s yearly music program. These children have been through unimaginable pain at such young ages, leaving many unable to express themselves and their pent-up emotions. Music is one of the few outlets these boys have, as we witnessed firsthand during the talent show we ran this summer. We were blown away to see how each child ran for the microphone to sing their heart out, beaming as the crowd cheered them on. Neve Landy’s music program provides music lessons and instruments for the kids and hosts several performances for friends and family throughout the year. In addition, this year, Neve Landy would like to add a new aspect to their music program: a DJ training course for their older kids. Together, these programs offer underprivileged children a therapeutic space to learn music, an opportunity to develop real and practical skills, and a chance to boost their confidence in themselves and their abilities. We saw with our own eyes the effect that music had on them, transforming shy and reserved boys like Avi into proud, shining stars. Like the pavilion, funding this program is an amazing way to help the Neve Landy home help their kids in the best way possible.

We’ve decided to fundraise for both of these programs together, and implore all of you to donate to this amazing cause! In addition, if you know people that might be interested in donating, please share this post with them! Thank you all so much!