How old are the girls?
Our girls are 6-18. Occasionally we have girls who will stay another year or two either to study or to “give back” as dorm counselors.
How many girls are at the Home?
We generally have between ninety-five and a hundred and ten girls at the Home at any one time. Over the years our experience has suggested that this is the right number in order that we give the girls the personal attention that they need.
What are their greatest struggles?
None of our girls come from stable family situations and the fallout from this is their biggest struggle. It takes a long time for each girl to find her way. This generally happens because the girls spend a lot of time in therapy, speaking with the professional staff, and talking to each other.
What schools do they attend?
The girls do not have school at the Orphanage. They go to thirteen different schools in the area, depending upon their backgrounds and academic levels.
Where do our girls come from?
Our girls come from all over Israel. While all of our current girls were born in Israel and so were most of their parents, their family origins differ greatly- Ashkenazim, Sephardim, and Yemenite’s.
What activities go on at the Home?
The Israeli school day ends early. We provide the girls with many after school activities- we have a small library, a computer room, an arts and crafts center, an equipment room with floor mats and some gym equipment, and a music room.
How long have you been helping Israeli orphans?
The Home was founded in 1961. Lev Lalev Fund has been helping to provide funding for the Orphanage since November 2006.
What do our girls do when they leave Lev Lalev?
Each year a number of our graduates go on to study at University, or an alternative higher learning program. Because of their challenging backgrounds many of our girls become social workers, nurses, teachers, preschool Morah’s, and madrichot (dorm counselors).
What do the girls do in the summer?
We have a summer camp program which includes traditional summer camp activities combined with therapeutic sessions. During the summer we also take the girls on several tiyulim-trips. They visit water parks and historical places of interest.
The culminating trip is to the Kotel in Yerushalayim where the girls pray for the welfare of Israel, offer up their own personal prayers, and pray for their Lev Lalev supporters. We encourage our Lev Lalev family to send us their prayers which our girls will place in the crevices of the Kotel Walls.
How does Lev Lalev help?
We provide a safe, loving, and warm environment to help our girls grow. We offer the girls the second chance they so desperately need. We replace their sadness with gladness. We are able to do this because of the generous support we receive from hundreds of donors throughout the world.
Can I adopt a Lev Lalev girl?
Israeli law does not allow for adoption outside of Israel. After the Holocaust the Israeli Government felt and continues to feel today that if a child does not have parents, or has parents who cannot care for them, then the government and the not for profit sector will serve as the orphan’s parents. We at Lev Lalev partner with the Government to make certain that our girls are cared for and loved.
What can I do?
Supporting a girl through the Lev Lalev Fund will help to ensure a bright future for an Israeli orphaned girl. Donations can be made online www.levlalev.com/donate or by mail Lev Lalev Fund 3 College Road, Suite 101 Monsey, New York 10952, or by calling our office at 800-630-1106. One time donations can be made; monthly donations are encouraged as they provide a steady and predictable flow of much needed revenue.
How does my gift help?
Specific campaigns- like the Pesach (Passover) campaign provides specific funding for the girls. The summer camp program gives the girls a much needed respite from the day to day struggles that the girls encounter. Our Bridal Fund helps a girl with her wedding expenses. Each girl is a precious gem with untapped potential. Your gift helps to empower a Lev Lalev girl.
