Refanah Healing Holidays

Description of Organization:

Refanah Healing Holidays is a non-profit organization in Israel that provides holidays for cancer patients -children and adults- giving them the gift of time away to have fun, relax and create unforgettable memories together with their families. We do this through the promotion of community support by enlisting holiday cabin owners throughout the country to donate accommodations and to host cancer patients and their families based on availability, thus utilizing an available resource – vacant holiday units – for the benefit of those that are so in need of a break. Some 28,000 Israelis are diagnosed with cancer each year. The disease often brings financial hardship to the patient and their family as work is disrupted, making it almost impossible to have the means to go on a holiday. There are no other organizations in Israel dedicated solely to providing a short vacation without financial worries in an ordinary holiday environment for cancer patients, together with their family. Many people, particularly kids, want and need a break from the label of “cancer patient” and just want to go on a regular holiday with the people they love.

Bnai Mitzvah Projects or Volunteer Opportunities offered by the organization for children ages 11 - 13:

There are a number of volunteer opportunities that can support Refanah Healing Holidays. You can choose one of the following possibilities or a combination of some or all of them:
(1) Host a fun fundraising trivia event (content to be provided by Refanah)- as part of your party or as a separate event – where everyone will learn about Refanah and about new and interesting facts about places in Israel where some of our partner B&B’s are located.
(2) When next visiting Israel, whether for your Bar/Bat Mitzvah trip or afterwards – choose to stay at one of our partner B&B or guesthouses. Giving them your business will show your appreciation for their generosity.
(2) Sponsor a family holiday, or a number of family holidays, including transportation and meals for those that need it.
(3) Sponsor the cost of transportation to and from a holiday, or any number of holidays, so that cancer patients with no car can also enjoy a family holiday.
(4) Sponsor meals for those that cannot afford their own during their holiday.
(5) Create your own “mini-Refanah” project in your community: Identify people that have holiday homes and check if they have days or weeks when it will be vacant. Identify people that have had some sort of serious illness, but do not own a holiday home. Try and match between the two – you too can be a catalyst in giving people the gift of time away with loved ones.

Minimum Age to Volunteer:

12

Offer family volunteer opportunities?

yes