Faces of the Children from The Shabtai Levi

Home have been blurred to protect

their privacy.

The Forever Chai Foundation

NEWSLETTER November 2013

www.foreverchai.org

Welcome to the Chanukah Edition of the Forever Chai Foundation of Canada Newsletter.

The joyous holiday of Chanukah celebrates a time of miracles. First it was the miracle of the defeat of the many by the few – the victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks. Next was the miracle of the oil when a one-day supply of pure oil lasted for eight days so that there-dedication of the Temple could take place.

Your support of the Shabtai Levi Home in Haifa allows us to see modern-day miracles happen. Each day the sta� at the Home is witness to these miracles.

• It is the smile of a young baby, taken from brutal surroundings, who has learned to trust and has bonded with the very caring sta� in the Babies’ Room.• It is the �rst graders who, because of the special schooling they received at the Shabtai Levi Home, are able to take their places in a regular school and work to their full potential.• It is the young mother, a victim of abuse herself, who has been counseled in the Mother/Child Unit and is now able to go home with her child and take her rightful place in Israeli society.• It is the happy voices and laughter that ring through the halls of the Home and echo the promise of a brighter future.

All these promises, great and small, are the result of your ongoing support for which we are forever grateful.

As you gather with your family and friends to celebrate Chanukah, we hope that you will remember the Mothers and Children of the Shabtai Levi Home and continue to support our endeavors on their behalf. Together we can make miracles happen.

Chag Sameach!!

Cynthia SmallEsther MichaelsEllen Goldstein Marya Grad

for them and help them get used to a life di�er-ent from anything they knew in the past. Each smile was worth more than my scholarship and de�nitely more valuable than a good mark in a psychology exam. The warm feeling thatcomes from doing

something to improve the life of a child is worth so much.

I was warned before that many volunteers at Shabtai Levi become addicted to the place and stay for years. How true that is!The sta� is dedicated to their mission, treating each child with empathy and sensitivity. The children can only be described as “thieves of the heart”.

Recently one of the boys took my hand and dragged me across the room to meet his Dad. “I want my Dad to thank you,” he said while his brother added,” He loves all the children here”. How could I explain to them that I was the one who should be thank-ful… thankful for the wonderful feeling that comes from being here and participating in the amazing work at this amazing place.

Anonymous Volunteer

The past few months have been busy ones for the Mothers, Children and Sta� at the Shabtai Levi Home.

In spite of the tension in the region, a condition that Israel faces everyday, the Home continues to be o�er a “safe haven” for the Mothers and Children who reside there. The Babies’ Room and the Emergency Centre are full. The children at the Home celebrat-ed the High Holidays and the older children returned to school. Many of them are now able to enter a regular stream in the classroom thanks to a jump-start program available at Shabtai Levi. This program is funded with Forever Chai donations.

The Mother/Child Unit, Toronto’s major project, continues to operate at full capacity. Its program is enhanced by the new Mother/Child Step-down Unit and the newly initiated foster care for families. For the �rst time, all Mothers are being o�ered individual and group art therapy sessions as part of their treatment plan – another innovative approach for successful therapy. All of these programs combined have enabled the Home to maintain its 76% success rate.

Safe Haven - The greatest concern for sta�, because of the tense climate in the Mid-east, is the provision of a “safe haven” for the children on-site. Sta� is in the preliminary stages of planning for the construction of safe rooms on each �oor of the Home and have met with an architect and construction engineer to outline the full scope of the project – one in which they hope Forever Chai and its donors will have a major involvement. Ministry of Welfare - Recently, representatives of Israel’s Ministry of Welfare, evaluating the consequences of removing children from parental custody, visited the Shabtai Levi Home. They looked to the lessons learned from the Shabtai Levi experience for guidance and were most impressed with what they saw.

Chanukah is only weeks away and the Home is buzzing with excitement with plans for a special Chanukah event. The Chanu-kah Party is sponsored by the Forever Chai Foundation …. our gift to the Mothers and Children and our way of wishing them all a Joyous Chanukah.

NEWS FROM THE SHABTAI LEVI HOME

A LOVE STORY IN THE EMERGENCY CENTRE

TORONTO FAMILY VISITS THE SHABTAI LEVIHOME

This past June, Israel and Sherry Adud and their children Dylan, Kyle and Lacey visited the Shabtai Levi Home. For Sherry and Israel it was a second visit having been there 6 years ago. Sherry writes:

We could not believe the wonderful changes at the Home and we were truly impressed. The outdoor play area was completely recon-�gured with new toys, new turf to play on and hand painted murals on the walls. Our 3 children joined the children on the playground and were immediately welcomed. Language was no barrier. The way they communicated with each other was fascinating.

With the help of Toronto donors, Susan and Ron Flam, the petting zoo on the grounds has been refurbished. Filled with guinea pigs, ferrets, gerbils, turtles and snakes, the petting zoo is an important addition to the Shabtai Levi Home. Here children, traumatized by life before they arrived, receive therapy and learn to be kind to animals and love them as well as feeling loved themselves.

When Israel and I �rst visited, the Mother/Child Unit was new with only one mother. Today it is completely full. Last year, the Young Generation of the Forever Chai Foundation, in which I am involved, hosted an event about the Shabtai Levi Home. The money raised that evening helped support a medical doctor for a full year and refurbished the nurses’ station.

“I’m here until they �nd me a family.” These words, pronounced solemnly by a six-year-old boy initiated me into the Shabtai Levi Home’s Emergency Centre. They were the �rst words I heard and were carved into my heart. I knew that this Centre was like a halfway station putting the children on a new track and directing them from darkness to light.

My stay was part of my �eldwork as a psychology student. Soon enough I became attached to each of the children. I realized that, as a volunteer, I had to make this period as pleasant as possible continued on Page 3

Planning a birthday party for your child.Do it through ECHOAGE – Where Children Celebrate Giving. Just click on their website www.echoage.com for instructions on how to proceed. Guests are directed on how to make their gifts on line. Proceeds are shared with Forever Chai and with your child so that he/she can purchase one larger birthday gift. When choos-ing your charity, look for the �oating butter�ies, our symbol for the miracles that can happen with your support.

FOREVER CHAI PARTNERS WITH ECHOAGE

Family and friends joined together to toast Keith Alexander on his 80th birthday. When Keith, a long-time supporter of the Forev-er Chai Foundation of Canada, learned of his special celebration, he decided to share his birthday gifts with the Mothers and Children of the Shabtai Levi Home. Thank you, Keith for keeping the Shabtai Levi Home top of mind and heart - a wonderful way to stayForever Young!We wish you many more happy and healthy birthdays.

The Shabtai Levi Home is a special place with growing needs. Visiting the Home with our children was especially important. They learned how fortunate they are living in a safe environment with parents who love them. We are determined to be part of the e�orts to insure that that kind of environment continues for the children of Shabtai Levi.

SPECIAL BIRTHDAY, SPECIAL GIFT

www.foreverchai.org

of Canada. Sincere thanks to our gracious hostess Jean for opening up her home for this very worthy cause. Jean, your successful event will enhance the care and services for the mothers and children at the Shabtai Levi Home.

On Sunday, October 20th, 50 women were welcomed at the home of Jean Sutkiewicz for an afternoon of shopping and schmoozing. Guests previewed and purchased items from the new silver collection of Cloelle Designs Inc. - all proceeds going to the Forever Chai Foundation

SILVER SUNDAY FOR SHABTAI LEVI

When Josh Forberg celebrated his Bar Mitzvah this past September 22nd, there was no doubt in his mind as to where a portion of his Bar Mitzvah gifts would go. He announced proudly that he would be

sharing his good fortune with the children at the Shabtai Levi Home through a gift to the Forever Chai Foundation of Canada. He knew that the children of Shabtai Levi were very important to his late Great Zaidy David Forberg and he wanted to make sure that his Great Zaidy’s legacy lived on through his gift.

Your children have �ourished with your care, guidance, encour-agement and love. As they become Bar/Bat Mitzvah, your child, like Josh, can create a unique bond with the children at the Shabtai Levi Home. Their gift can be used in many ways and is an ideal way for them to make a mitzvah happen. Their special dona-tion on this momentous occasion brings hope and the promise of a brighter future. For further information on our Match a Mitzvah Program, contact Marlene Axmith at 416-695-8885 x2 or by email at maxmith@foreverchai.org

MATCH A MITZVAH - THE BAR/BAT MITZVAHPROGRAM

Keith Alexander

Jean Sutkiewicz, Sherry Michaels Adud, Ronit Schi�

Josh Forberg

DONATION CARDS MAKE EVERYDAY MIRACLES HAPPENThe Forever Chai Foundation of Canada o�ers a full range of donation cards to mark special occasions.

You can congratulate family and friends onweddings, anniversaries, birthdays, bar/bat

mitzvah, holidays or honor the memory of a loved one.

Special occasion certi�cates and plaques are now available.

All card donations of $10.00 or more are fully receipted.

For more information, to order cards and/or to make a donation

Call 416.695.8885 or visit our new website at www.foreverchai.org

Building on the success of their �rst fundraising event, the Young Philan-thropists Group, led by Sherry Michaels Adud, Eva Davis, Sue Forberg and Ronit Schi� are planning for “The Night of Hope –The Sequel “. They are searching for a chic venue and ways to make this year’s evening “the place to be”. Scheduled for Spring 2014, proceeds will be designated towardsscheduled renovationsat the Shabtai LeviHome providing on-site safe rooms for mothers and children. Interested in helping with this

event, please contact Marlene Axmith at maxmith@foreverchai.org. Stay tuned for further details.

THE NIGHT OF HOPE - THE SEQUEL

Celia Atkin and husband Harvey have been friends of the Forever Chai Foundation of Canada and the Shabtai Levi Home since its very beginning. Like many of our donors, Celia �nds our tribute card program an easy and convenient way to augment her giving. She uses it at holidays and to mark life cycle events. Sending a card contributes to the everyday miracles that we see happening at the Home and lets others know about this wonderful place. The service is only a phone call or a click away. Thank you to Celia and to the many other donors who use our tribute card service.

DONORS USE TRIBUTE CARDS TO ENHANCETHEIR GIVING

TODAH RABBAHA THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS

Support of the Shabtai Levi Home depends on the contributions of many. In this issue of our newsletter, we would like to extend sincere gratitude to those who have made a major contribution to the Forever Chai Foundation of Canada in 2013.

The Family and Friends of Keith AlexanderKeith AlexanderTrevor and Andrea CohenSaul and Toby FeldbergRon and Susan FlamThe Forberg, Michaels and Silverberg Family The Frieberg Family Charitable FoundationThe Linda Frum and Howard Sokolowski Charitable FoundationNorman and Ellen GoldsteinHerman and Marya GradGreat Gulf Homes Charitable Foundation- Elly ReismanRobert and Edie HarlangRonald Medo�Cynthia Small and FamilyThe Sonshine Family Charitable FoundationJean SutkiewiczTom and Sasha WeiszWestdale Construction Company Ltd - The Kimel Family

Co-Chairs Eva Davis, Sue Forberg, Ronit Schi� andSherry Michaels Adud

Celia Atkin