Help Preschool Kids with Disabilities in Ashkelon

Dear Friend,

In Ashkelon, the city that has received the most rocket fire in Israel, Chimes Israel continues its mission to protect and nurture preschool children with disabilities. These children, some unable to walk, speak, or reach shelter on their own, are among Israel’s most vulnerable. During every round of rocket fire, their safety and development hang in the balance.

Our current early childhood centers, spread across four small residential houses, are overcrowded, lack wheelchair access, have steep stairs, and are minimally protected. When sirens sound, there are only 30 seconds to reach safety. The children never get down the stairs to the safe room in time, which doesn't even fit all. This heartbreaking reality drives our urgent project to build a fortified rehabilitative early childhood center designed specifically for children with disabilities.

A Major Step Forward: Securing Land for the New Center

We are thrilled to share that Chimes Israel has identified land for the new center and is moving forward to obtain it. This is a major step toward our vision of creating a secure, purpose-built home for the children of Ashkelon. While the municipality had originally planned to allocate land, that option is no longer available. By acquiring the property ourselves, we will ensure that our children’s safety and care are never dependent on external circumstances.

We are about 60% funded and must bridge a $1.5 million gap to make the project a reality.

Why It Matters More Than Ever

This year’s conflicts—from Gaza to Iran—have underscored the urgency of our mission. During repeated missile attacks, our centers were forced to close. Children lost access to therapies, regressed in their progress, and families were left struggling at home. Our staff responded heroically, providing therapy equipment, remote sessions, and even home visits under fire. But the reality is clear: children cannot thrive without a safe, fortified center to call home.

The new building will include protected classrooms, therapy rooms, accessible playgrounds, and a large, reinforced shelter that can hold every child and staff member. It will allow uninterrupted rehabilitation and early intervention, even during emergencies, giving children the chance to keep learning, growing, and developing their abilities safely.

Together, We Can Build This Sanctuary

Donor support has already brought us nearly two-thirds of the way toward this dream. With your continued partnership, we can cross the finish line and give these children the secure, nurturing environment they deserve.

Each gift brings us closer to a place where no parent in Ashkelon will have to choose between their child’s safety and their child’s progress.

Thank you for standing with us and believing in a future where every child, no matter their challenges, can learn, grow, and thrive in peace.

With gratitude and hope, The Chimes Israel Team

Dear Friend,

When we last shared an update from Ashkelon, we told you about the urgent need to build a new, fortified early childhood center for children with disabilities. These children—some of the most vulnerable in Israel—had been left without access to care for months during the war, as rocket fire made our current facilities too dangerous to open. Our current makeshift center, spread across four repurposed private homes, was never meant to carry the weight of this responsibility—and the war made that heartbreakingly clear.

Today, we want to share an important and game-changing development.

In order to build a facility that will truly protect and nurture our children, we have decided to purchase the land ourselves. This was not in our original plan. Until recently, the municipality was expected to allocate land for this project, but that option is no longer available. If we want to make this center a reality, and secure our children’s future, we must act now.

This shift brings both opportunity and challenge. The opportunity: We will own our land, making our organization stronger and more stable for generations to come. The challenge: Our funding gap has increased to $2.5 million.

It’s a steep hill to climb, but we are more determined than ever.

Land in Ashkelon for public services is almost gone. We’ve identified one of the last available parcels suitable for our needs. If we don’t act now, it will be lost. Owning this land means we’ll never again have to compromise on the safety, accessibility, or dignity of the care we offer.

Can you imagine the relief of a parent knowing that their child, who may need a wheelchair, a feeding tube, or constant therapeutic care, is in a purpose-built, secure environment, even when sirens sound and rockets fall? This is the sanctuary we are building: a place where children can grow, develop, and thrive, regardless of what is happening outside.

We are deeply grateful for every donor who has joined us on this journey. You’ve brought us 60% of the way there. Now, we need your help to cross the finish line.

Please consider sharing our story, renewing your support, or connecting us with someone who might join this mission. Every gift brings us closer to the day we break ground on this life-changing facility and a more hopeful, secure future for children with disabilities in southern Israel.

With gratitude and hope,

The Chimes Israel Team

Links:

• Chimes Israel Ashkelon Project Video