For 12 kids in Jerusalem, this Hanukkah may be the best ever.

For years, Karyn and Zehava, two friends in the Baka neighborhood have worked in the simplest and quietest way possible, taking on the responsibility of helping to feed and clothe several other families in their area. They lead a group of neighbors who provide monthly food packages for nine needy families, all of whom are vetted by a social worker and all living in extraordinarily difficult circumstances.

We were asked if we could help with some Hanukkah gifts this year, and as in the past, we were excited about what we might make possible with Karyn and Zehava’s suggestions. Karyn wrote that they had thought long and hard about buying toys that would no doubt be tossed aside, broken or forgotten, in a short time. They came up with another idea that, after some thought on our part, we quickly agreed to support. So – this morning, there are, we hope, twelve kids sporting colorful safety helmets, riding shiny new bikes through their neighborhood, all made possible by the kindness of our donors and the generosity of the local bike store!