Yom Yerushalayim, Shavuos and the Kotel

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On Thursday, May 24th, our girls will journey to the Western Wall in Jerusalem to pour out their hearts in prayer for themselves and others (Join our friends who are taking advantage of this opportunity, at no cost - www.levlalev.com/kotelprayers). Upon reaching the most significant Jewish site in the world, they will meet hundreds representing various …

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Mothering, Against All Odds

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“All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” – Abraham Lincoln One of the greatest blessings of my life is having an adoring mother who never fails to show her love: http://lev-lalev.org/a-mothers-love. Anyone who experiences her magnetic personality is not surprised to learn of the four children who were nurtured …

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Lag B’Omer: Fueling the Fire in your Life

The girl's at the Home enjoying their Lag B'Omer bonfire last year

This year, Wednesday night, May 9th, begins the holiday of Lag B’Omer which continues into Thursday. Lag B’Omer is the 33rd day of the 49 day Omer, the period between Pesach and Shavuot. On this day the plague which was killing Rabbi Akiva’s disciples stopped. It is also the yahrzeit of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, …

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This Kid Knows What Makes the World Go ‘Round

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She did it again. In the moments following my brainstorming session for this week’s blog topic, my prophetess friend – you know, the one I mentioned last time who texts me doses of inspiration – sent this: While we try to teach our children about life, our children teach us what life is all about. …

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From the Nazi Gallows to Israeli Hero: Max Hilowitz’s Miraculous Story of Survival

Max Hilowitz, Holocaust survivor, fighting in the Israel Defense Force

One month from now, Sarina Hilowitz of Savannah, Georgia will be celebrating her Bat Mitzvah, which she is twinning with one of our girls at the Rubin-Zeffren Children’s Home in Netanya, Israel. The sponsorship is in memory of her Zeyde whose life story is truly inspirational and miraculous. In honor of  Yom HaZikaron - Remembrance Day for …

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Remembering the Children on Yom HaShoah

Holocaust Memorial in Miami, Florida

Dear Rachel, Thank you very much for the greeting card that you sent me last month. The card was really beautiful and more than that the smile on the face of your Girls was tooooooooooo  beautiful. ……. I try to donate my money for a good cause. I feel that your charity have done some good …

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The Passover Seder: Bonding Generations of Children to Our Legacy of Faith

France in the late 13th century, a small family holds its seder - Therese & Mendel Metzger, “Jewish Life in the Middle Ages.”

I love Passover. Despite the strenuous efforts to prepare for it: cleaning, organizing and shopping, I still love it. Monsey is vibrant today as throngs of people strive to make this holiday the most joyous ever. But long lines and crowded parking lots can challenge this perspective, especially when coupled with lack of sleep. In …

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Horror, Heartache and the Eternal Spirit of Survival

Gunther left, Werner right

I always look forward to posting here as an opportunity to focus on how our partnership is achieving extraordinary things for our girls each day.  But as happy as I am to be with you, my heart is heavy from the news of the murders in Toulouse, France. A teacher, his two children, ages 3 …

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Whose Pockets are You Lining? How to Know if Your Charity is Responsible and Legitimate

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My co-workers and I are often asked: Where does my donation go? What overhead do you have? How can I know that my money will go straight to the girls? It’s no wonder that these are the concerns of potential donors. We’ve all witnessed too many incidents when disasters were used as catalysts of greed …

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An Orphan Invented Your Computer!

First Lady and activist Eleanor Roosevelt was orphaned at the age of ten

(…and your microwave, and the music streaming out of your headphones….) Doesn’t it seem like Purim was ages ago? Only last week we were celebrating the life of Queen Esther, an orphaned girl who saved her nation. Our appeal was to consider the disadvantaged girls at the Rubin-Zeffren Children’s Home in Netanya, many of whom …

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