[COMMUNICATED] In times of darkness, human nature is to look for hope. In today’s world, where there are so many displays of selfishness and greed, it uplifts us to look at the heroes of klal yisroel. The individuals who despite life’s challenges choose to do the right thing, against all odds. One of those heroes is Bnei Brak school teacher Yehudis Ehrenfeld.
When Ehrenfeld first began to host now 12-year-old Chani and her 7-year-old brother Itzhik, she was oblivious as to how much they had suffered in their short lives. They had made aliyah to Israel from New Zealand in 2016, and shortly after lost their father to a sudden heart attack. Their mother struggled and eventually became unable to take care of them. Ehrenfeld watched in horror as they were taken by social services and relocated to the city of Arad. The children were frightened and deeply unhappy.
That’s when she and her husband knew what they needed to do.
Despite having 7 children in their home already, the Ehrenfelds brought Chani & Itzhik back to Bnei Brak and fostered them. Now surrounded by familiar faces and siblings to play with, the two young children have begun to heal from their traumas.
The practicality of their situation, however, is complicated: The Ehrenfeld family currently lives in a 3-bedroom apartment. One of the bedrooms was given to Chani & Itzhik so that they would have the privacy they need, which leaves some of the Ehrenfeld children sleeping in the living room at night. The couple are overwhelmed by the expenses of taking in two more children at once. They took a leap into the unknown, determined to do the right thing, and now find themselves with knots to untangle.
Do they regret their choice? Certainly not. However, they are now asking for help. As their crowdfunding page puts it, ‘it takes a village to raise a child … and klal yisroel is their village.’ Their goal is to collect some savings with which to attend to Chani & Itzhik’s many needs, as well as building a new bedroom in their home so that none of the children will have to sleep in the living room. It is a reasonable request, and a heartwarming cause. Any and all donations are appreciated.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL CAMPAIGN