Executive Summary

The second quarter (Q2) was a complex period. The ongoing war continues to affect all citizens in Israel. This situation is especially hard for people living in Sderot and other conflict zones. Despite these major challenges, we worked hard to support our community. We focused on keeping life as normal as possible, building strength, and helping those in need.

Holiday Events Under War Restrictions

During this quarter, we marked many important holidays:

• Passover
• Memorial Day (Yom HaZikaron)
• Independence Day (Yom HaAtzmaut)
• Lag BaOmer
• Shavuot

People had a strong desire to come together and mark these days. However, the war made this difficult. We had to follow strict safety rules from the Home Front Command. This meant limiting the size of crowds and changing how we gathered. Even with these rules, we found safe ways to bring people together and keep our traditions alive.

Summer Break and Youth Activities

The school year is now ending. Children are starting their summer vacation. This is a key time for our teams. We run special programs and camps during all school breaks, but the summer break is the biggest one. Our main goal is to give young children safe, fun, and meaningful activities.

Financial Support and Inclusion Policy

We believe in encouraging responsibility while making sure every child can participate. Our core policy is that there are no "free gifts," so every participant contributes a small amount. However, we ensure that costs are never a barrier:

• Welfare Families: Families supported by social services pay only a very small, symbolic amount. We cover the rest of the cost. This summer, our programs will serve over 200 students from welfare backgrounds.
• Ethiopian and Bnei Menashe Communities: To encourage participation and avoid any discomfort or stigma, children from these communities do not need welfare approval. We are welcoming around 100 additional children from these communities this summer. They pay a low fee of only 50 ILS. If this small fee still creates a financial difficulty for a family, we cover the full amount.
• Our Guarantee: No student will ever be kept out of a program because of financial difficulties.

Special Afternoon Care (Tzaharon) Program

Unlike other children in Sderot, we provide an extra layer of care for "our" participants. We ensure that every single child in our program is enrolled in afternoon care (Tzaharon). This structured setup guarantees that when the children arrive for their daily activities, they are already well-fed, well-hydrated, happy, and fully energized for a full day of fun.

Resilience and Outdoor Programs

We are running special activities to build the mental and emotional strength (resilience) of our youth. This is very important because of the ongoing war. Some of these popular programs include:

• Surfing camps
• Kayaking
• Sea and beach activities

These programs require special transportation to the beach and extra fees for equipment. We cover these costs and give the children a much-needed break to enjoy nature and build confidence.