On Wednesday, September 15th, the Talmud Torah Aderet Rachel elementary school from Ashkelon paid an after-school visit to the Temple Institute. Their visit was organized within the framework of the Temple Institute's recently announced "Give the Kids a Break" initiative to enable schoolchildren from southern Israel to visit the Temple Institute, where they will learn about the Holy Temple and get a few hours of relief from the threat of rocket fire.
It was just over three weeks ago that the terrorist controlled Gaza Strip followed up a deadly terror attack in the Eilat region of the eastern Negev with a massive barrage of missiles aimed at the Jewish towns and cities in the area of the western Negev. Aside from the obvious mortal danger and the physical toll the rocket attacks take on each town, the emotional stress and anxiety caused by the attacks and the threat of more attacks exacts a very heavy toll on the residents. It is especially difficult for children. They can no longer move and play freely within their own neighborhoods. The must be on constant alert and in a state of constant preparation. Whether they are in school, on the playground, at the dinner table or already in bed for the night, when the warning sirens are heard, they have just 15 seconds to make it to the nearest bomb shelter.
With the help of a number of donors who generously responded to our call, the Temple Institute hosted our first guests this past week. The elementary school children, (grades two through six), accompanied by teachers and parents, all in all, some seventy visitors, had a wonderful time. The Temple Institute guides met our guests and brought them through the exhibition, describing to them the purpose of each vessel and the story behind each of the paintings that hang in the exhibition. The children were spellbound. They also were able to show off their own knowledge of the Holy Temple as the guides asked questions and involved them in quizzes. One young man was even asked to pose as the golden menorah and given life-size models of the menorah oil-lamps to hold in each hand. The parents and teachers likewise enjoyed the evening, asking many questions and sharing their own knowledge.
The following day the Temple Institute received a phone call from Menachem Cohen who had led the group up from Ashkelon, to thank us for the thoroughly enjoyable and educational evening. The response, he told us, was so positive that they hope to be able to bring more groups in the future.
For the moment, the security situation in southern Israel has quieted down considerably. Rockets are still falling, although much less frequently. The attacks are not being reported in the international media, and although they are very infrequent at the current time, the worry, stress and anxiety remains a constant for the local residents. In light of the current political events that are rocking the region, and the very dangerous political games being conducted by the Palestinians, no one can guarantee that even the relative calm being experienced right now, will last.
Encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive response of our first group of guests, the Temple Institute would like very much to be able to continue to receive guests from southern Israel in the upcoming weeks and month. Hiring buses is costly and for this we appeal to all who have the desire and the ability to help.
For more information and to donate:
https://www.templeinstitute.org/kids-break-donate.htm
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Israeli wedding // shofar for wedding // israeli drum circleby desertdrummers59,688 views
This is most beautiful, our children being blessed in this.
יְבָרֶכְךָ֥ יְהוָ֖ה וְיִשְׁמְרֶֽךָ
israeliwarcriminal 5 months ago
Those r not the real israelites.
NOCENTTPG 5 months ago
very sweet.
livegorgeouslygreen 5 months ago
Baruch HaShem
DMRH69 5 months ago