With smiles lighting their faces, a class of Boys Town Jerusalem seventh graders eagerly waited to board the bus for a daylong field trip. Among them, Aaron * quietly slipped behind his friends to approach Principal Rabbi Yehudah Rosencrantz.
“Please, Rabbi,” he whispered anxiously, “before we leave, could you give me a 10-shekel ($3.00) coin for the snack machine? I couldn’t ask my mom. She’d start crying again. We have no money for food at all.”
Aaron’s family has been in crisis for a while
Aaron’s father is suffering from a severe illness. At the same time, Aaron, his mother, and siblings are struggling with the traumatic collapse of their family. Alongside the emotional turmoil, they’ve been plunged into poverty. His father’s business has failed, and his mother’s modest salary as a secretary cannot begin to cover the family’s needs.
How Boys Town Jerusalem stepped in
When the administration learned of Aaron’s devastating home situation, Boys Town Jerusalem immediately took steps to ease the family’s financial burden. “We waived all fees for Aaron’s tuition and after-school activities,” Rabbi Rosencrantz noted. “Our social workers are working diligently to strengthen Aaron’s emotional resilience.”
When hunger became visible
Yet it was only on the morning of the field trip that the principal realized the family had no food at all. “I was reminded once again of the critical importance of the plentiful, freshly cooked, nourishing meals BTJ provides every student each school day— thanks to the generous support of our donors worldwide. No matter how poverty-stricken their families may be, our students receive the priceless, lifesaving gift of nutritious, tasty meals.”
“We’re at Aaron’s side during these very difficult times, supporting him through the painful struggles he faces,” Rabbi Rosencrantz emphasized.
*name and details changed to protect privacy