Jerusalem kicked off Hannukah dressed in purple to support of the Shalva organization which provides direct-care services to over 2,000 individuals with disabilities and their families.

The Old City Walls, Jerusalem’s City Hall Safra Square, and the Chords Bridge at the entrance to the nation’s capital were lit in purple lights, the color associated with the Shalva National Center for disability care and inclusion.

Shalva is a non-profit organization founded in Jerusalem thirty years ago. The Shalva National Center operates around the clock with rehabilitative services and programs.

For Shalva, this year’s first nigth of Chanukah marked the highlight of a month-long campaign with a special television broadcast on the Keshet Channel 12. The 90-minute broadcast included performances by the Shalva Band with celebrity artists and featured success stories of Shalva program participants; following their journies with personal interviews and video documentaries.

“Our children receive several therapies every day, in all the paramedical fields, which help them grow and develop to reach their fullest potentials,” explains Avi Samuels, Shalva’s Global Chairman. “We believe that every person can contribute positively to the community at-large and when we work together to support one another everyone benefits. This broadcast is one of many efforts toward creating a stonger, healthier society.”