For the past several weeks Efrat teens have worked to collect and sort supplies for Syrian babies, and currently have collected a stock worth tens of thousands of shekels.
"We publicized our initiative on the community center's Facebook page, but we had no idea we would get such an outpouring of support. We figured we would manage to collect a few containers of formula and a couple packs of diapers," an Efrat Regional Council spokesman said.
Efrat Community Center Director Shoshu Bugosh said volunteers had created a WhatsApp group for residents interested in donating supplies.
"The WhatsApp group saw a lot of responses, and the youths helped us collect and sort everything," Bugosh said.
But in just a few days, over ten thousand shekels worth of supplies had already been collected.
"We decided to collect supplies for babies because we didn't want to be seen as taking either side," an Efrat resident said. "We aren't interested in aiding either side in the Syrian war, but we think it's important to help babies who got caught in the middle of such a cruel war.
"We want the Syrian nation to know that all the descriptions they read of Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria aren't true. The worry and compassion we feel for those in need are real, and we share these emotions with everyone."