Sometimes 14-year-old “Ori” can barely remember life before everything changed—before his world shattered. There was a time when his family laughed together, when his parents left for work each morning, and he and his younger brother enjoyed school, friends, and carefree fun. But two years ago, everything turned upside down.
Ori’s family crisis and emotional struggles
Ori’s brother was diagnosed with a rare, debilitating form of cancer, and since then, the family has been living a nightmare. “As Ori’s parents began taking his brother to specialists around the world in search of a cure, both his father and mother lost their jobs, plunging the family into poverty,” explains Boys Town Jerusalem Principal Rabbi Yehudah Rosencrantz. “Ori has suffered severe emotional trauma, which has also affected his academic progress. Now we’ve placed him in a small Special Education class where he receives more focused attention, care, and love.”
How BTJ is supporting Ori though the hardest times
The BTJ community has stepped in to support Ori’s family in their time of distress. “Thanks to generous donors worldwide, we immediately waived Ori’s tuition and began sending food packages to the family,” Rabbi Rosencrantz shares. “We’re now providing Ori with expanded after-school activities, all at no cost, to help provide structure and companionship.” Most importantly, Boys Town Jerusalem’s dedicated social services team is working intensively to strengthen Ori’s emotional resilience and help him face the challenges of today—and tomorrow.
Standing with Ori as he faces an uncertain future
“As Ori endures the growing anguish and uncertainty that weigh on his family, his Boys Town Jerusalem family stands firmly at his side,” Rabbi Rosencrantz affirms. “We continue to pray for his brother’s full recovery and for Ori and his loved ones to regain strength, hope, and joy.”