The Beit Chaggai family
The Beit Chaggai familyNachshon Phillipson

Arutz Sheva visted the Beit Haggai Youth Village, which assists at-risk youth in Israel. The youth village is holding a special fundraising drive.

Joe Bornley, the village's development manager, explains: "The Beit Hagai Youth Village is a place that provides solutions to distress of at-risk youth, takes them, rehabilitates them and integrates them into Israeli society."

On the spot we meet Miri Hakak, an educator at the youth village that once served as a parent in the village family which works with the youths. "The village gives the boys the possibility of a normal life in the future", she says, "There is no other word for this."

Hakak says that the most important thing in working with the boys is to give them love. "You have to give them love, of course, but the main thing is love and trust, to believe in them and to believe in us."

Dror Tal, a parent in the village family, explains to Arutz Sheva what brought him to the site. "I came with the desire to give, because beyond that no logical reason will bring people here, everyone wants to have his career and progress in life, but just before this race, anyone who wants to give something of himself to the people of Israel can do it here in an amazing way."

Bornley says that that the heart of the village is the family home. "A pair of parents who trained ten boys from all over the country from the north to Eilat and that is the heart of the village. They are the model for a normal life, a good home that protects and includes them, and that's how we manage to rehabilitate them."

Dror, who, apart from his biological children, is raising ten boys, speaks about the village's mission. "The children's home gives the youngsters a solution to their needs, from the smallest to the largest, even outside the village."

Miri elaborates on the important personal example of the family's parents. "This is their home, we have boys here who do not even have a home to return to for a weekend or vacation while they live here. They live here until the age of 18. Beyond that they see how a normal relationship should be conducted, how parents behave to their children, and how to arrange a room, but above all it is their home."

She says that this is not an easy task and that it requires a lot of resources. "You have to come with a full capacity to give, and this is the most beautiful time you can have in your life with the greatest satisfaction."

Dror has been accompanying the boys for three years now, and he speaks of the sense of satisfaction that comes with the boys' progress. "You are picking the fruits after a long time when you see how the guys get out of here and how they progress and think about themselves and their lives and see how they become good people and good citizens for society. "

Miri also has special experiences with the village graduates. "There are boys who come back later with their families or come to contribute to the village and they say: The village gave us life as a gift."

Joe Bornley calls on the public to support the village. "These are the last hours of the campaign, and we want the boys to have a permanent home, and we ask everyone who can give what we can because every donor matters. We need your help."

Click here to donate to Beit Haggai Youth Village