Thank you JNF USA

Dear Jewish National Fund USA,

It is with deep gratitude that we thank you for your ongoing support of the people of Israel, and more importantly our children.  Over the past few days our youngsters have had to grow up very quickly and lose a little bit of their youth.  They cannot go for rides on their bikes.  They cannot walk over to their friends’ houses to play.  School has been cancelled as have after-school activities; no soccer, no Bnei Akiva, no art or music classes.  Their daily structure is crumbling around them (including many whose fathers and brothers have been called up to the army).  What would happen if they were in the middle of one of these activities and a siren was to be heard?  This is what the parents worry about every time a child asks to do something.  Then when they stay home and play with their Lego, Playmobil or Poly Pocket you watch them simulating life around them. “Quick run to the shelter” and off they go with their little toys to shut the iron window shutter in their shelter.  It is heart breaking for parents to see that war is reality for our children. 

JNF USA has made it possible for our children to forget a little bit about the sirens.  Yesterday at Anava park in Modiin children ran across the grass, played soccer, jumped rope, hoola hooped, face painted, jumped on jumping castles, climbed on climbing frames, rowed boats -  they had their childhood returned to them.  In just 5 happy memorable hours for hundreds of children, you returned thousands of hours of childhood.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

May you be blessed with many years of good health and happiness from your own children.

Dina and Jonny Ucko

Yad Binyamin, Nachal Soreq