Hanukkah Time and Winter Updates
​
Right now at the Children’s Village, there’s a lot of change happening. The new Director is still getting settled and learning so many different things to run the Village. Even with these changes, the staff continues to show up every day to support the kids and keep life as normal and stable as possible.
​
Since it’s Hanukkah, some of the children were able to go home to their families for a few days, while others stayed at the Village. For those who stayed, the Village continues to be a safe and caring place to celebrate together. Even during the holidays, life in Israel continues to be really hard. Between Israelis safety, recovering from the war, the struggling economy, political tension, and the rise in antisemitism around the world, I know so many of my family's friends who are dealing with constant stress and uncertainty.
​
Here in Pittsburgh, I’ve continued working to support the Village. I’ve continued to raise money for the Parent-Child Visitation Center by talking with friends, sharing information, and involving my school’s Anti-Bullying Club. Through these efforts, I’ve raised an additional $2,500, helping move us closer to creating a space where children and parents can safely connect and spend time together.
​
This project reminds me that even when things feel overwhelming, small actions still matter. Especially during Hanukkah, it’s a reminder that a little light — when shared — can make a real difference.​​ And I am glad I can.
​
They’re Home. Finally
​
October 13, 2025
​The Israeli hostages are finally home.
Over two years of fear, pain, and waiting, families are hugging again. People are so happy in Hostage Square and all over Israel I watched on tv the 20 living hostages are home. Parents are hugging their kids, friends are crying, and for the first time, Israelis are breathing a sigh of relief. Honestly, I didn't have much faith but kept trying to be optimistic.
​​
The Children’s Village is going through a lot of transition, and so is Israel. The return of these hostages isn’t just a story about politics or war — it’s a story about humanity. It’s about never giving up on people, even when it feels impossible.
​
Here’s what this moment means to me:
1. Hope is powerful, but today shows that when you continue to have hope and be optimistic, miracles can happen.
​
2. Healing takes time. I can't even imagine what all of these hostages have gone through. It will take time for them to begin to heal emotionally and physically. Coming home doesn’t erase pain. It is a process.
3. We all have a role to play, whether it’s raising awareness, sending messages, or simply showing kindness. We are all a part of the healing process.
​
4. Love wins. Always. I know this sounds like a cliche, but I really believe it. With gratitude, love and support, we can do this and need to try to continue to do this.
​
Tonight, as I write this, I’m thinking about all the people who worked so hard to bring them home — the rescuers, the families, the volunteers, the kids who never stopped hoping. Welcome home. We’ve been waiting for you.
​
​
​
​
​
Updates from the War and Moving Forward
​​​
October 6, 2025
I texted with my friend who is no longer in combat in the army, but rather in the military band, "singing and making the soldiers happy." I sent him updated pictures of me and he said how much everyone has grown. "It's funny, after so many years, it's so different here and there." We discussed him visiting me in the US and exploring ways to obtain a visa for him to visit me and my family one day. It might be a long way off, but hopefully we can make this happen.
We talked about the hostages and the ongoing crisis. It feels more real. Hopefully, there will be an end to this with President Trump stepping in. The situation has deeply affected so many of our relatives and friends, as well as the children and staff at the Children’s Village, many of whom know people serving in the army or living near the areas most impacted by the conflict.
The village has a new director who has recently come on board. It is taking some time for him to understand all that is going on, so there is a little less communication of the day-to-day activities. I am looking forward to hearing from him soon
​
September 21, 2025
As Rosh Hashanah begins tomorrow evening, Northern Israel continues to face rocket alarms and uncertainty. Even though the Village itself hasn’t been hit, the constant sirens create fear and stress for the kids, who already carry so much with them.
Many families near the border are still displaced, and life in the whole region is unsettled. The Children’s Village continues to be a safe place due to the hard-working staff, but this year comes with extra change — after more than ten years, the longtime director has left, and the Village is now searching for a new leader to guide them forward.
​
And the politics and divide between the Israelis is palpable. There are constant shootings and backlash
from the war, and so many Israeli reservists and young people are being drafted to fight...and many are
killed, affecting the entire country. It is a long time to live in this kind of turmoil. Here is a picture of my
friend, whom I met in 2014, who won a contest similar to America's Got Talent, now fighting in this war.
​
As a high school senior working on this project, I’m inspired by the strength of these kids and staff.
Going into 5786, I hope the new year brings safety, peace, and healing for everyone at the Village
and across Israel.
​
​
​
June 25, 2025
Life here may look like it’s getting back to normal—the economy is moving again, schools are open—but for the village and Israel, nothing feels normal. The war between Israel and Hamas still rages on. They are even under threat from missile fire coming from Yemen. Every day, soldiers continue to fight in Gaza. Every day, there are more who are killed or injured. Some of them are graduates of the Children's Village. Some are the brothers of the children who live here. And because the country is so small, it is only one degree of separation. We all know someone and we attend many funerals.
​
For almost two years now, Israel has been living through an unimaginable, existential war. The children, like all children across Israel, are growing up in fear. They hear sirens, they watch the news, they feel the tension in the air. They are frightened and anxious, and they desperately need emotional and therapeutic support to cope with the trauma of war. This has been, and continues to be, our mission—standing beside them, helping them carry what no child should ever have to carry.
​
My hope, like everyone in Israel and across the world, is that this war will finally end. That the 48 kidnapped people will come home. That Israel can rebuild, heal the wounded soldiers and civilians, that I can visit and speak with children at the village and many of my family members in Israel, so Israel can finally return to a life of peace, safety, and normalcy for all, including the Palestinians too.
​
February 12, 2025
It has been very scary for the village. During the war, one of their main transportation vehicles was damaged by missiles (see pieces below of the missile) while on the way to a hospital in Haifa. During this incident, a guide and a child from the village were injured while traveling for a medical examination at the hospital in Haifa. The Children's Village in Karmiel , along with all of Israel, went through one of the most challenging periods, during which we did our best to provide the children of the village love, security, and protection for their ongoing healthy and proper development.
​
These days, we are working hard to support the village children. Many children have gone through difficult experiences due to the numerous alerts during missile attacks. Many children suffer from significant anxiety, fear of sleeping at night, and the need for adult accompaniment to classes and activities due to concerns about alerts.
This morning, after many months, we were fortunate to receive a new vehicle (see picture below) to replace the previous vehicle that was damaged in the missile attack and was no longer fit for travel. This vehicle will serve the village for transporting the children, accompanying them to treatments and psychological evaluations, outings for activities and trips outside the village, and more.
​
I would like to thank you for the great support and help to the village. The wartime period that may still renew itself causes severe harm to the village children, and we are required to be strong for the children. In order to cope, we need all the help we can get, and I would like to say on behalf of the children and the village staff a great thank you. The knowledge that we are not alone warms our hearts and gives us all the strength to continue for the sake of future generations and the young children. Together, we are strong, and we will succeed.
Thank you,
Oren Vazana
Director of the Children's Village Karmiel.
​​​
January 28, 2025
We are overjoyed to see some of the hostages return home—this is a moment of hope and celebration for Israel and for all who have been praying for their safe return. While we rejoice in this incredible news, we also remain steadfast in our commitment to those still waiting to be reunited with their families. Our hearts remain with them, and we will continue to stand strong until every hostage is brought home. Am Yisrael Chai!
​
November 17, 2024
The village has been under missile attacks and many alarms for three months now. The children of the village are going through difficult times, with many anxieties and regression in many areas (behavior, studies, self-confidence and more). The village team is constantly with the children, supporting and accompanying them with great love; during the nights, the children sleep in spaces protected from the missiles, and the village team is awake by their side.
​
The village invests a lot of money in the complex reality that requires essential resources that we don't have today, for example: additional guides, night guards, equipment for shelters, emotional treatments for children, increasing the security of the village, sending food to the families of the children who lost their jobs due to the war, help to the families of the children who were evacuated from their homes due to the war and more.​ The children of the village get a warm home despite all the challenges.
September 29, 2024
The current situation in Israel has escalated dramatically, with the Gaza war now extending into a conflict with Hezbollah in the north. For Israeli children living in northern Israel, particularly near the Lebanese border, the situation is especially dire. Over 60,000 people have had to evacuate their homes due to the threat of Hezbollah rocket attacks. Families are being torn apart, with some children separated from their parents for safety reasons. Many of these children are now staying in villages and safe zones, like the one your family is raising money for. These villages have become a lifeline, providing not just shelter but also emotional support for at-risk children in this time of crisis.
​
The ongoing violence adds tremendous stress, fear, and uncertainty to their lives, as they are constantly under threat from rocket fire. The emotional toll of living in such an environment is devastating, and the village you are supporting plays a critical role in helping these children cope with the trauma while ensuring they have a safe place to stay and receive care during these challenging times.
​
The funds being raised are essential for maintaining these safe havens and ensuring that these children, many of whom are already vulnerable, continue to receive the care, support, and sense of stability they so desperately need.
In addition to the challenges the children face, we've been in touch with our dear friend Zohar, whom we met 11 years ago (you can see his picture on the front page sucking a lollipop). Zohar is part of one of Israel's top fighting units and has personally pledged to defend his country. It’s a frightening and uncertain time, as we've been texting him between his missions, hoping for his safety. We think of him constantly, knowing he is on the front lines of this dangerous situation. His bravery and dedication only add to the gravity of what is happening and remind us how critical it is to support the children and families affected by this war.
​
June 13-24, 2024
A state of emergency has been declared in Israel due to the war with Iran. Outside of essential emergency services—such as hospitals, health clinics, food stores, and gas stations—all workplaces and services are forced to close.
​
For the children in our village, as for all children across Israel, life has come to a sudden stop. We are required to remain in protected spaces as missiles, rockets, and other weapons are fired on us relentlessly from Iran toward Israel. Some of the missiles have been so close to us. Normal days, usually spent with school, activities, play, and laughter, are now days of fear, uncertainty, and confinement for everyone.
​
November 24, 2024
A ceasefire began between Israel and Lebanon, but the IDF remains stationed at the border, ready to act in Lebanon if necessary to prevent Hezbollah from regaining strength and threatening Israel again.
​
From the very start of the war until the ceasefire, most of the children in the village had to be evacuated to safer places out of fear for their lives. Those who remained in the village were cared for day and night—both mentally and physically—by the dedicated staff. With schools closed, they also worked to give them structure, purpose, and employment, so they would not feel lost in the chaos.
During this time, the children live under the constant shadow of missile and rocket fire. Alarms ring out at all hours, forcing them into protected spaces again and again. The fear is overwhelming, and it is leaving deep marks on their young hearts.
​
Now that this ceasefire with Lebanon has begun, life is inching back toward normal. The children are returning to the village, back to their schools, and slowly to routines that remind them of safety and stability. But the memories of sirens, nights spent in shelters, and the uncertainty of war remain with them—reminders of how fragile peace truly is, and how important it is to continue supporting their healing and resilience.
​
October 8, 2023
Hezbollah terrorists launched rockets and gun attacks on communities near the Israeli–Lebanon border. Families were forced to flee their homes, lives were lost, and the entire region was thrown into fear and uncertainty. Many families had to come to the village because they had no means of support.
​
For the children in the village, the effects are immediate and deeply felt. They hear the sirens, they see the news, and they sense the fear in the adults around them. Some of them have brothers and relatives serving on the front lines. They are running back and forth to their safe place. The constant threat of violence leaves them anxious, frightened, and struggling to understand a world that feels unsafe.
​
October 7, 2023
​Hamas terrorists carried out a horrific massacre in the communities near the Israel–Gaza border. Families were shattered, lives were stolen, and an entire nation was shaken to its core. It is impossible to put into words the depth of pain, fear, and grief that followed.
​
​​
