Israeli Basketball Leagues Unite to Support Foster Children
Translated & summarized from Sport5 by baba
The Winner League basketball league is dedicating its ninth round to supporting the "Or Shalom" association and promoting foster care for at-risk children in Israel. Players and referees will carry banners, and announcers will deliver messages during games. The initiative, spearheaded by Leagues Association Chairman Erez Halfon, aims to raise awareness and encourage the public to become foster families, providing stability and hope for children in need.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- The Winner League's ninth round is dedicated to supporting "Or Shalom" and promoting foster families.
- Players and referees will carry banners with the message "Changing Lives Together, Join the Foster Families Team."
- Thousands of Israeli children need foster families due to neglect, violence, and family crises.
- Or Shalom has been caring for at-risk youth for over 40 years.
- Leagues Association Chairman Erez Halfon emphasized the moral obligation to help these children.
The Winner League basketball league is dedicating its ninth round of games to the "Yachad Lema'an HaKehilah" (Together for the Community) initiative, focusing on raising awareness for the urgent need for more foster families in Israel. The campaign will support the "Or Shalom" association, which cares for at-risk youth.
During all games of the ninth round, players and referees will enter the field carrying a banner with the message "Changing Lives Together, Join the Foster Families Team." The stadium announcer will also read a special message about the cause. This initiative aims to highlight the plight of thousands of Israeli children removed from their homes due to neglect, violence, or family crises, for whom a foster family can provide crucial stability and a chance for a better future.
Or Shalom, a non-profit organization operating for over 40 years, works under the auspices of the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs. The association provides safe, loving, and familial out-of-home settings, including foster families, along with professional therapeutic support tailored to each child's needs. They believe that even children raised outside their biological homes deserve a supportive, community-based environment to foster a sense of belonging and identity.
Erez Halfon, Chairman of the Leagues Association, stated, "We are happy to cooperate with the 'Or Shalom' association, which does holy work daily for at-risk children and youth. Israeli football has immense power and wide exposure, and our moral obligation is to channel this power to give these children a home, a warm embrace, and hope for a better future. Together with the teams, we will continue to harness the football fields to promote values of mutual responsibility, equal opportunities, and support for the future generation of Israeli society."
