From January 29 through February 9, Chai Lifeline will send a group of 12 inspiring teenagers to Israel as part of the annual Hartman Family Foundation Wish at the Wall program. The trip is Chai Lifeline’s celebration of life for those who have completed treatment for cancer. Each participant is invited to share the memorable journey with a parent.
“Wish at the Wall is a culmination of months and years of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgeries, as well as the loneliness and isolation that accompanies the arduous cancer journey,” said Rabbi Shlomo Crandall, Wish at the Wall director and director of Chai Lifeline Midwest. “This program builds a unique bond between the teens and their parents and creates friendships and memories that last a lifetime.”
Upon arrival in Israel, the group will hit the ground running, getting the full Israel “experience” during a jam-packed 10-day expedition. They will travel across the country, visiting Masada, the Golan and Kineret, as well some of the holiest Jewish locations, including the Kotel and the old city of Safed. The teens will ride camels in the Jerusalem hills and tractors in a northern moshav, float in the Dead Sea, and tour excavation sites. They will also spend a day in visiting with Jewish and Arab hospitalized children currently undergoing cancer treatment, sharing their own personal experiences and words of encouragement.
“After battling for their very survival, these incredible teenagers deserve the opportunity to get away, to recharge and to reconnect with their family and their homeland,” said Rabbi Simcha Scholar, Chai Lifeline’s Chief Executive Officer. “They return from Israel with a renewed sense of confidence, joy and hope for their future.”
Chai Lifeline is grateful to the Hartman Family, whose foresight and initial support made Wish at the Wall possible, and whose foundation continues to take the lead on this and other Chai Lifeline programs in the Midwest.
Chai Lifeline is an international children’s health support network, providing emotional, social, and financial assistance to more than 5,800 children with life-threatening or lifelong illnesses and their families. To learn more about Chai Lifeline and its services, please visit www.chailifeline.org.
