Israel Projects Update | October 2024

We want to continue showing our appreciation to every person across the world who continues to support Daystar’s efforts in Israel. The work we’re doing together is vital and is serving many ministries and families as they rebuild their lives. Here are some latest updates from our partnership with FIRM.

Ofakim Theraputic School for the Youngest Victims of October 7th:

Timeline: Started April 4th. Targeted completion by the end of 2024.

Unlike a typical kindergarten, students will not exclusively come from the surrounding neighborhood. Instead, the 32 children that will be in attendance will be the youngest victims of Oct 7 who one or more parent brutally murdered from all the surrounding villages. Special early childhood therapists will have 2 separate rooms to focus on bringing healing while creating a pathway to restoration for these children and their families. 

This is a first of its kind attempt to bring help to young trauma survivors and as a result we have registered numerous requests for funding of trauma retreat centers and other similar facilities because the need is so large.

Yad Mordechai Community Center:

Timeline: Started April 1st and completed May 16th.

Yad Mordechai is a special community that is directly on the Gaza border and was directly attacked on October 7th. The residents of Yad Mordechai’s are heroes as they recount the miracles they experienced on that horrific day and the way they were able to successfully fend off the Hamas terrorists that were infiltrating their village in the same trenches that they grandfathers had fought in decades earlier.

When we met this community, 90% of the village had been evacuated and displaced and they asked us for help to revamp their community center and add a protective shelter to the space to allow them to have community events and activities again and to give them confidence to return to their homes and to a normal life.

Thanks to Daystar partners, we were able to renovate and revamp this community center and held a “Welcome Home” celebration for the entire community, with food, games, activities, and music — all to encourage families to return to their homes. And sure enough, now 100% of the community has returned and they are able to continue their community activities, even under the threat of rocket fire from Gaza, only a couple of kilometers away.

Renovating and Building a Lone Soldier Home to Protect a Community on the Gaza Border

Timeline: Started June 4th and targeted completion by the end of the year. 

In a community that borders Gaza, we asked families what they needed to return to their homes… and they told us that they wanted more security and protection. That is why we started building a home for lone soldiers will serve several practical purposes:

Fifeteen young Jewish men and women who have immigrated to Israel and who have no family in the country to support them, will serve in the army and live in this home during their entire military service. They will add another layer of security to this village that was attacked by terrorists on October 7th and help people to feel safe and secure in their own homes.

At the same time the community will adopt the soldiers who are without parents or extended family. They will create a community and a family environment for each of these soldiers to have a sense of home in Israel, even while they are away from their homes. The impact with this project is really significant, because it impacts young Jewish immigrants, as well as each of their families in the countries of their origin AND it impacts the 1800 residents of the village.

Since we’ve begun this project and have completed the community center for this community, residents have felt the confidence to return to their homes!

Golan School Shelter Project (a partnership with the Mayor of the Golan):

Timeline: Broke ground in September 2024. Estimated completion by the end of 2024. 

The outdoor Forest School located in the Golan heights serves over 350 children, plus teachers and school staff. This particular village has been under a constant state of rocket attack for nearly 11 months now — hundreds of homes have been destroyed and families are living in a state of turmoil. Most of the schools in this area have no protective shelters and have been forced to shut their doors.

Thanks to Daystar’s matching donation, we are able to help construct 3 new large shelters, that when complete, will create a comprehensive safety environment for all of the students as well as the teachers and staff. 

This partnership with Daystar has inspired the regional government to allocate matching funds to double the safety for these children due to the generosity of Daystar and their supporters!

“We are so blown away by Daystar’s generosity. Not only was Daystar one of the first who started giving to the crisis in Israel at the beginning of the war, but they have stayed involved longer than many others. Daystar is continuing to make an impact, not only in housing displaced people, supporting our IDF troops, and helping those in need, but also in strategic initiatives that are helping to rebuild homes and lives all across the country. We are so very grateful for the deep partnership we have with Daystar!” — Michael Mistretta