National service (Sherut Leumi) program for girls at Aminadav in memory of Danielle Sonnenfeld A”H, for whom helping others was second nature

All around us today live teenagers with special needs: some were born with differing disabilities or have experienced developmental setbacks; others may be “at risk” – coming from difficult family backgrounds of abuse and neglect. Unfortunately, many of these teenagers have been pushed out of normal frameworks, experienced failures and some been relegated to the margins of society.

A moment before they “go out into the world” as adults, we asked ourselves: What kind of life are they going to have in the future? Will they continue to be dependent on social workers and the welfare system and be a burden on society? Or perhaps there can be a positive end to their story, after being given the chance to start over as contributing and productive members of society, as equals among equals?

Aminadav took upon itself the important and challenging mission of giving these girls another chance for a life of dignity, self-fulfillment and contribution to society.

The essence of the program is to create a reversal – to transform these teenagers from those who are supported to those who support others, a reversal which will allow them to discover renewed inner strength. To this end, we have created a special framework with the professional guidance of social workers, spread out into five different centers around the country. The goal is to strive for the integration of these teenagers into society as equals among equals, while equipping them with important tools that will help them build a better personal and professional future. And so the Bishvil Danielle project was founded.

The project is named after Danielle Sonnenfeld A”H, who dedicated her years of national service and thereafter, and all her amazing strengths to ease the pain of sick children at Schneider Hospital and help educate “at risk” youth in Akko. Unfortunately, Danielle was taken from us in a terrible car accident at only twenty years old.

On the 13th of Av 5775 (29/07/15), the program named in Danielle’s memory was launched at a very touching and uplifting event at the Nanotechnology Hall of Bar Ilan University with the participation of the President of the University, Professor Daniel Hershkowitz, Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked, Danielle’s parents, Rachel and Elio Moti Sonnenfeld, and the heads of the Aminadav organization.