So many of us are looking for ways to help families in Israel. In this thoughtful and impactful initiative, in partnership with the Koby Mandell Foundation (KMF) and the Mandell JCC, we have assembled ingredients for stress relief care packages for bereaved children and teens in Israel. These care packages will be distributed by the Koby Mandell Foundation, established by Seth and Sherri Mandell in 2001 after their 13-year-old son, Koby, was brutally murdered by terrorists. Their vision was to identify ways to support Israelis who lost loved ones to terror or tragedy. https://www.kobymandell.org
Today the KMF serves thousands of Israelis who have experienced devastating loss. They provide weekly support groups and healing retreats for bereaved parents, widows, siblings, and children. They run therapeutic camps called Camp Koby, which have been a signature program for over 20 years. Since October 7th, the number of bereaved children and adults has grown tremendously. These stress relief care packages contain carefully curated items with input by KMF to support their work with children. They are a way for us to send love and support from friends at JCCs throughout North America. Our first goal is to send 1800 care packages to Israel and 25 of these complete kits are available to order now.
The kit includes:
82 - KMF branded zipper bags
72 - Rescue Remedy boxes
8 – Bags of Shower Steamers (20 steamer tablets per bag)
72 – 3” Stress Relief Squeeze Hearts
72 – Magic Cube Puzzles
5 – Bags of 1 ounce Play-Doh Tubs (with 15 tubs per bag)
100 – Flyers with yoga and breathing exercises
100 – United States Map Cards to personalize
1 – Large Rolling Duffel Bag for packing
Instruction booklet
Where do we purchase a Kit?
Purchase the Kit containing everything you need to plan and execute a successful event from S & S Worldwide. Each JCC will pay the $1500 directly to S&S and they will ship the kits to you. If you do not have an account with S&S, you will need to provide a tax-exempt certificate.
What else can we plan to make the event more successful?
Add a discussion or invite a speaker to talk about events in Israel, antisemitism, or social media. This is also an engagement opportunity to bring people together to show love and solidarity for our brothers and sisters affected by the war, and to give people an opportunity to do something meaningful during this difficult time.
Who are the ideal participants?
Teens, adults, families, members, community members, board members, lay leaders, etc. We recommend a minimum of 12 participants; each participant can assemble multiple bags.
What do you recommend for the room setup?
Make an assembly line with two six or eight-foot tables, end to end, with the items to be placed in the order indicated by the Steps in the Instruction Booklet. These nine pages can be inserted in 8.5 x 11” Lucite frames, which you supply, along the assembly line. Other tables can be used for participants to decorate and personalize the cards.
What are the United States map cards?
These two-sided cards have a map of the United States on one side and Hebrew messages on the other. The map side provides an opportunity to mark the location of your community. Some JCCs may want to include their name as well. Future maps will include Canada. The side with the Hebrew message is where the participants can personalize, decorate, and send their message to the children in Israel, showing how much we care.
When do you suggest having the participants complete the card decorating activity?
Decorating the cards should be the first activity for the participants. It is the most time-consuming piece. Place markers, stencils and other coloring supplies at each decorating table. Once the cards are completed, participants can then bring their cards to the assembly table and begin to assemble the bags. Cards can also be decorated by other groups at the JCC before the event.
Can we add or substitute our own items to the stress relief bags?
No, we have carefully curated the items with input from the Koby Mandell Foundation.
How do we ensure each bag is complete after being assembled?
We recommend at least 2 adults at the end of the assembly line to check the contents, flatten out the bags, remove the air, zip them shut and place snugly into the duffel bag.
Are there any additional costs associated with planning and hosting the event?
Decorating supplies and refreshments (which we highly recommend!).
How many staff members/volunteers do you recommend to work at the event?
2-4 adults should be sufficient to set up, provide instructions to the participants, clean up, mange additional content (speakers, videos, discussion) and overall supervision.
How do we ensure all 72 bags fit inside the duffel bag?
This program was designed to fill one duffel bag for ease of delivery to Israel. All 72 care packages will fit tightly in the duffel, but you may need to flatten out the bags and remove excess air.
How long should we plan for the event?
1.5 to 2 hours.
How do we find someone that is traveling to Israel to bring the bag with him or her?
Ask among your community members, colleagues and friends for people who are traveling to Israel. If you have any trouble finding someone, please reach out to one of us and we will help you.
Can we document our event with photos and share on social media?
Yes! We encourage you to take photos and share them on your social media channels. Please share all photos with us as well.
Who is the contact at the KMF that we should coordinate with to receive the duffel bag?
Please email Jeremy at
[email protected]. He will give you customs information and everything you need to coordinate flights and receipt.
How will we know if KMF receives the packages?
KMF will follow up with each of the participating organizations upon receipt of the duffel and will provide ongoing updates on care package distribution.
Can we purchase more than 1 Kit?
During the first phase of this project, we are limiting one Kit of 72 care packages to each JCC. Once these are sold out, we will make additional kits available.
Do you have a video that explains the work of KMF?
Yes, there is a KMF impact video that is on our website. You can show the video to your participants during your event.
If our community would like to collect donations for KMF, where are they sent?
Participants can make tax-exempt donations directly on the KMF website www.kobymandell.org or mail checks to: Koby Mandell Foundation, P.O. Box 156, Tenafly, NJ 07670. The final Lucite frame provides a QR code as well.
For more information about these packages, please contact
Kristen Cochefski at S&S Worldwide
[email protected]
800-228-9941 ext. 2707
or
Leslie Sax
Mandell JCC, Chief Program Officer
[email protected]
860-231-6455
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Product Instruction