August 2025

Clutching the present tightly, his eyes darted from our team to the wrapped parcel. We gently explained that he is loved, cherished and not forgotten. His eyes widened again at the realization that someone, somewhere, cared enough to mark his special day.

Later, as we left the school, we saw Shlomi laughing with friends, still holding the gift close to his chest—as if it were proof that he mattered. We marveled at the change in this little boy. Over the past few months, we’ve watched him begin to blossom…thanks to the generosity of Christians from around the world who care deeply for Israel’s most vulnerable children.

Shlomi is one of more than 300 children currently enrolled in our Feed a Child program, each one now receiving what they need to thrive in the classroom. But thousands more are still waiting.

The Hidden Crisis of Going Back to School

September 1 marks the return to school for Israeli children. For many, it’s a time of nervous excitement—new teachers, new friends and new discoveries. But for nearly one in four Israeli children, it means shame, anxiety and dread. They know the routine of school already: arriving hungry, unequipped and already behind their peers.

Over 1.2 million children—that’s 39.6% of Israeli kids—live below the poverty line. Moreover, over 325,000 Israeli families suffer from severe nutritional insecurity. And things have only gotten worse since October 7. The war has touched every corner of Israeli society. Prices have surged. Fathers called to the frontlines can no longer provide as they did. Many businesses have closed their doors. Mothers are stretched impossibly thin, bearing the weight of two roles.

The Faces of Poverty

Statistics paint a bleak picture, but let’s look beyond the numbers. Experts tell us that hunger undermines concentration, memory and the ability to process new information. Without proper nourishment, the building blocks for a successful education begin to crumble.

And hunger is just the beginning.

Many of these children already feel like outsiders. Their parents can barely afford rent and food, let alone the extras that school requires: backpacks, stationery, text books, field trips, after-school activities, clothes or basic electronics. The things their peers take for granted are simply out of reach for them.

They look different. They feel different. And that difference leads to isolation.

This often marks the beginning of a devastating cycle: poor performance, social exclusion, crushed confidence and ultimately, limited opportunities for the future. Without intervention, the cycle of poverty continues.

You can help break this cycle.

When you give to Bridges for Peace’s Feed a Child program, your donation does far more than simply meet a need; it fuels a new future. It provides a child with a hot, nutritious meal every school day, giving them the strength and focus to learn and grow. It equips them with a backpack filled with school essentials so they no longer feel different or left behind. It covers the cost of school outings and after-school activities, offering them the same opportunities as their classmates. It even ensures they have the basic electronics they need to keep up in an increasingly digital learning environment.

But beyond all of the tangible things, your gift communicates something far deeper: a message of love, dignity and worth. It tells a child who may have only known struggle and scarcity that someone sees them, values them and believes in them. It tells them they are not forgotten, that they matter.

Just like Shlomi.

The Children of Israel Need You Now

Israeli children have endured a year and a half of war. Then came 12 days of relentless terror: sirens; missiles like ribbons of fire in the sky; trembling buildings as interceptors boom; suffocating hours in bomb shelters dreading a direct hit.

The trauma in this tiny nation runs deep. Many of its youngest citizens will carry invisible scars for a lifetime. But love heals. Love shields. Love steps in when darkness threatens to swallow a childhood whole. Today, you can be that love. You can say to the children of Israel: “You are seen. You are loved. You are not alone.”

This is Christian love in action. These are the seeds that will fuel the Israel of the future.

Will you give to Feed a Child today?

Shalom,

Rev. Peter J. Fast

International CEO   

*Name changed to protect privacy