The girls at Lev Lalev are in desperate need of a second chance. Your dedication and commitment makes a difference in their lives. As I was preparing for Chanukah, I was thinking about our girls. A famous Chassidic Rabbi asked an interesting question: On Chanukah why are we instructed to use olive oil to light the Menorah? He answers that there are two special qualities of olive oil. Olives get their oil only after a lot of work. They have to be crushed with heavy stones. Also, oil never dissolves or blends with any other substance. Instead, it floats to the top.
These are important characteristics of the Jewish people. Our girls at Lev Lalev came to us from a dark place. Then they begin their healing process. Many emerge with tremendous strength, in part because they use their strength to change their direction. They go through an intensive, therapeutic intervention. We can characterize their progress as “the blessings of the brokenhearted.”
Surviving is not enough. The girls develop life skills that enable them to reach new heights. Together we help the weak and make them strong. The kindness that you show to them through your Israel charity may not change the world, but it makes a world of a difference for each of our girls. As you light the Chanukah Menorah, rejoice in the fact that our orphaned and disadvantaged girls are now seeing the light of happiness after a world of personal darkness. They persevere and succeed through the partnership that we have with our extended Lev Lalev family. How wonderful it is to see miracles before our very eyes, each and every day. We wish you and your family a happy Chanukah!
