Chai Lifeline is proud to announce the appointment of Rabbi Doniel Freund as Executive Director of its Midwest Region, where he will lead the organization’s vital support services for families confronting pediatric illness and crisis across Chicago and the greater Midwest.

For families facing serious illness and medical crisis, the holiday season can feel especially isolating, and even the smallest joys of Chanukah may seem out of reach.

Chai Lifeline’s annual Toy Drive helps bridge that gap. It is more than giving gifts. It delivers hope, connection, and a sense of belonging, ensuring that children and families navigating illness, crisis, or loss can still experience the light of Chanukah and the warmth of community support.

In the wake of this morning’s devastating accident on the New Jersey Turnpike that claimed the lives of four young yeshiva bachurim from Lakewood and South Fallsburg, Chai Lifeline’s Crisis Intervention Team has been working around the clock to support families, friends, and community members grappling with shock and grief.

As Jews everywhere prepare their homes for Rosh Hashana and Sukkos, families struggling with the challenges of serious illness face an even heavier burden. In the midst of hospital stays, mounting medical bills, and the exhaustion of caring for a sick child, the thought of Yom Tov can feel anything but joyous.

That’s why, in community after community, Chai Lifeline staff and volunteers are working around the clock to ensure no family is left to navigate the holidays alone. 

Every summer, the Deal community extends the same heartfelt invitation to Chai Lifeline children: forget everything else and just be a kid for a day. 

When over 100 children and hundreds of volunteers and community members took them up on that offer, the result was everything Deal Day was meant to be. 

From August 12–14, more than 700 cyclists from across the globe joined together for Bike4Chai 2025, a two-day, 180-mile journey that raised critical funds to support children and families facing serious illness, trauma, and loss. Now in its 16th year, Bike4Chai has grown into one of the most impactful charity rides in the country, funding Chai Lifeline’s year-round programs and services for over 10,000 families.

Chai Lifeline proudly hosted its inaugural “Leaders Share Smiles with Camp Simcha” event, welcoming members of the New York State Assembly to its Glen Spey, NY campus for an unforgettable afternoon of inspiration, connection, and joy.