By Antje C. Naujoks, PR Director, Neve Hanna Children’s Home
Neve Hanna, like the whole of Israel, continues to grapple with the consequences of October 7th. As we mark Rosh Hashana, and look back, it becomes evident that we have been living almost two years a daily life embossed by the shadow of war even if circumstances have shifted here and there along the way.
Open Wounds – Children who were in Sderot, Netivot, and Ofakim are still struggling with the impact of what they witnessed there. Neve Hanna still mourns Shimi, who grew up in our home and was murdered at the age of 29 at the Nova Festival. All of our children bear the implementations of rocket attacks, war news, uncertainty, and an immense range of both personal and collective concerns as our dedicated staff continue to mobilize every resource to be fully present for our children.
Beyond Band-Aid Measures – NH has placed even greater emphasis on comprehensive therapeutic support, on learning assistance, and on a wide variety of leisure activities. These activities are designed to challenge the individual, strengthen group dynamics and the sense of belonging, bring joy, provide stimulation or relaxation, but above all enriching our children both physically and emotionally. Our youth club Streetlight, the Bar/Bat Mitzvah project, and the bakery school of Yeladudes play vital roles. Our library’s collection of books we owe to you, our American friends, has become an indispensable part of our daily life.
Static Yet in Motion – Looking back to last Rosh Hashana, we remember a year of incredible challenges. We knew it was far from over, yet never in our wildest dreams did we imagine that we would face another holiday season in such a difficult reality.
The school year brought many changes. Some children graduated and moved on, and new children had to find their place in Neve Hanna. Staff members left, and new ones joined.
In 2023, the German state-funded volunteer program came to a standstill and yet some German volunteers continued to come for weeks and even months. An additional 17 Israeli volunteers, doing a year of service before the army filled in the absence of foreign volunteers. Our Jewish-Bedouin daycare center was forced to close. In its place, we added another Jewish-Arab group to our already existing joint Jewish-Muslim youth meetings. All other activities and projects continued: Therapy, educational support, and activities for both younger children and teenagers – including a new group called Keren Or, preparing children to join the Streetlight youth club. Democratic elections expanded the Children’s Council to 12 members. One of its first heartfelt requests for the new school year was that the children wished to receive professional instruction in Hip Hop. Thanks to the generosity of our American friends, especially the descendants of Neve Hanna’s visionary founder, Hanni Ullmann, this dream became reality. The weekly classes, organized by age groups, gave our children and youth great joy.
Rosh Hashana 2025 – A New Beginning with Renewed Energy – Since the national after-school program underwent changes, and one daycare group in Neve Hanna was closed; we applied and received government approval to open a seventh residential group. This requires renovation of the attic floor in our main building, mainly offices. This new flat will become home to a group of children aged three to six. This younger age group will alter the demographic balance of our children’s community and will require adjustments in care and education. Yet Neve Hanna would not be Neve Hanna if it did not face such challenges with foresight, confidence, experience, and an abundance of optimism.
That we can withstand hardships and overcome even the very challenging days such as during the Operation Rising Lion, the Twelve-Day-War which Israel faced with Iran, this, is evidenced by the seven children who graduated this summer. At their farewell celebration, we witnessed remarkable young people who underwent an extraordinary personal journey during their years residing at Neve Hanna. They now carry into the world the values and principles they absorbed in Neve Hanna – values that will serve decisions in the army, in national service, or during a pre-army volunteer year and help them later on making major life decisions. These graduates of Neve Hanna are a shining example, encouraging us all to look toward the future with confidence.
Written By Antje C. Naujoks, PR Director
Neve Hanna Children’s Home, Kiryat Gat, Israel
American Friends of Neve Hanna 