Israeli Basketball Leagues Unite for Children Needing Homes
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Israel's Winner League is dedicating its ninth round to the "Or Shalom" organization to raise awareness for children needing foster homes. Players and referees will display messages of support, and the league chairman emphasized the moral obligation to use football's platform for good. The initiative aims to encourage the public to become foster families for thousands of at-risk children in Israel.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- The Winner League is dedicating its ninth round to the "Or Shalom" organization to support children needing foster homes.
- Players and referees will wear signs with the message "Changing Lives Together, Join the Foster Family Team."
- Thousands of Israeli children require foster families due to neglect, violence, and family crises.
- The "Or Shalom" organization has provided care for at-risk youth for over 40 years.
- League Chairman Erez Halfon highlighted the moral imperative to help these children.
- The initiative encourages the public to become foster parents.
The Winner League, Israel's professional basketball league, is dedicating its ninth round of games to the "Or Shalom" organization, aiming to raise awareness about the need for more foster families. The initiative, part of the league's "Together for the Community" program, will see players and referees wear signs with the message "Changing Lives Together, Join the Foster Family Team." The arena announcer will also read a special message.
Thousands of Israeli children have been removed from their homes due to complex circumstances like neglect, violence, and family crises. For these children, a foster family can provide crucial stability, security, and a sense of belonging, enabling them to develop and build a better future. The "Or Shalom" organization, a non-profit with over 40 years of experience, works with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services to care for at-risk children and youth, many of whom were placed in out-of-home care by court order due to parental dysfunction, abuse, or neglect.
"Or Shalom" provides safe, loving, and familial out-of-home settings, including foster families, along with professional support tailored to each child's needs. The organization believes that even children raised outside their biological homes need a family and community environment to foster belonging and identity. They are inviting the public to join their efforts and open their homes and hearts.
Erez Halfon, Chairman of the Leagues Association, stated, "We are happy to cooperate with 'Or Shalom,' 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."