By Sophie Katz-Sulam, VP Global Relations
I recently had the chance to spend time with Tal Amsalem, our dedicated center manager in Kiryat Shmona, and Amit and Lior, the center’s coaches. Their resilience and determination left a profound impact on me.
As many of you know, ITEC Kiryat Shmona has been closed since October 7th, when the war erupted. The ongoing conflict in the North has forced the entire city to evacuate to various locations across the country. The first few months were chaotic, with families constantly moving until they found temporary homes in different cities and towns. Today, there is still no end in sight, and the entire community has been informed that they cannot return home until late summer at the earliest.
As you can imagine, this is beyond heartbreaking to the families impacted.
Amidst these challenging times, I want to highlight one of the most important and special initiatives that often go unmentioned: what ITEC has done and continues to do for our staff and children from Kiryat Shmona.
Through our extensive network of centers, we have found employment opportunities within ITEC for almost all our staff members so they can continue working and providing for their families. The entire management team remains connected, and Tal has even organized several team evenings for everyone, fostering a sense of community and support.
Adopted by Ramat Hasharon
- Amit Kakkoun – coach
- Shoval Baari – coach
- Ofir Avrahami – coach
- Herzl Talker – legendary ITEC maintenance employee
Adopted by Tel Aviv
- Guy – office manager
Adopted by Tiberias
- Lior Shapira – veteran ITEC coach & vice manager of ITEC Kiryat Shmona
Adopted by EVERYONE
- Tal Amsalem – now in a more national role, managing the entire northern region
ITEC Tiberias and ITEC Haifa have adopted over 60 children from ITEC Kiryat Shmona. The whole team is making huge efforts to stay connected with all the children even though they are spread around various locations.
The center may be closed and will be for the next few months, but ITEC has kept the staff and children close to our hearts! This commitment speaks volumes about ITEC’s dedication to our community and reflects our core values.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us during these trying times. Your solidarity and kindness continue to inspire and uplift us all!
If you would like to help the displaced children of Kiryat Shmona, you can donate to our Summer Camp Program fundraiser HERE.