Whenever 13-year-old “Phillip” sat down or stood up, he carefully tucked his feet beneath the nearest chair.
It didn’t take long after his arrival at Boys Town Jerusalem for social worker Ronit Asbag to notice the quiet new student and the shoes on his feet that were four sizes too big.
A Child Carrying More Than Oversized Shoes
“Tell me about yourself,” Ronit invited gently.
“I don’t want to talk about my father,” he blurted out.
Then Phillip trembled, took a deep breath, and began to pour out his heart.
Phillip’s agonizing story began with a desperate escape. He, his siblings, and his mother had fled for their lives from his violent, abusive father. Now they were living in a shelter for battered women under police protection.
“We came with nothing,” he explained. “I found some clothes in the shelter that fit, but these were the only shoes they had.”
Finding Safety at Boys Town Jerusalem
The very next morning, BTJ Junior High Principal Rabbi Yehudah Rosencrantz arranged to take Phillip shopping for properly fitting shoes and clothing.
Small acts of kindness like these help children healing from trauma begin to feel safe, valued, and cared for again.
“Despite his unspeakable trauma, Phillip is adjusting well to BTJ,” Ronit explains. “Beyond his schoolwork, we’re giving him extracurricular and enrichment opportunities thanks to generous donors’ contributions.”
Phillip has joined a new workshop designed for quiet, sensitive students who often don’t receive the attention they need. Little by little, he is beginning to build confidence.
When Fear Doesn’t End at the School Gate
But healing is rarely a straight path.
One afternoon, as the school day ended, a terrified Phillip rushed into the principal’s office.
“I heard my father is coming here,” he cried. “I can’t leave the building!”
Rabbi Rosencrantz immediately alerted the school’s security guard and personally escorted Phillip to the bus that would take him safely back to the shelter.
Helping Children Healing from Trauma Find Hope Again
“Phillip’s world revolves around fear,” Rabbi Rosencrantz said sadly. “Ronit is working nonstop to ensure he receives the highest level of professional psychological care. We will do everything possible to give Phillip the urgent support and love he so desperately needs.”
For children healing from trauma, recovery takes more than time. It takes caring adults, emotional support, a safe environment, and the opportunity to simply be children again.
At Boys Town Jerusalem, every child deserves the chance to replace fear with hope and build a brighter future.