Care, Resilience, and a Brighter Tomorrow
When Hadassa Tadessa first brought her son, Thiago, to Chimes Israel’s Shulamit Rehabilitative Early Childhood Center in Ashkelon, his health was precarious. At just two years old, Thiago had already endured chemotherapy, was living with renal failure, and required nightly dialysis and daytime feeding tubes. Leaving him, even for a few hours, was not easy. But Hadassah recalls her first decision clearly:
“I knew that putting him in a rehabilitation class at Shulamit would be the best place. I was not wrong.”
A One-Stop Shop for Intervention & Care
Chimes Israel pioneered the rehabilitative early intervention model in Israel. It was the first organization to offer diagnosis, therapies, education, care, and parental guidance all under one roof for infants and toddlers with developmental delays, autism, genetic syndromes, and complex medical needs.
Today, Chimes operates eight such centers across the country, providing a comprehensive, multidisciplinary program for children ages six months to three years. The approach integrates therapeutic and educational services with family support, helping each child reach their potential while equipping parents with tools and guidance at home.
Chimes Israel’s early childhood centers operate in partnership with the Ministries of Welfare and Health and local authorities, providing individualized developmental plans and daily therapeutic care in a warm, nurturing environment designed for children with complex needs.
Over time, Chimes Israel became not only a safe space for Thiago’s development, but also a lifeline for Hadassa, a single mother of four.
Enduring War, Surrounded by Care
When war erupted, Hadassa faced an unthinkable situation: how to keep her child alive through daily dialysis during massive rocket barrages. Chimes Israel stepped in immediately. Days after October 7th, in the midst of constant rocket fire in Ashkelon, a Chimes manager sent police officers to find an open pharmacy with his life saving medicine. They found it and brought it to Hadassa after hours of searching and waiting in line.
Ashkelon also endured eight-hour power outage spans, which made it impossible for Hadassa to give him nightly dialysis.
“Because he needed to be connected to his dialysis machine at night and his feeding devices during the day, I couldn’t disconnect him and run to the safe room. It was simply not possible. There was so much stress, and we had to evacuate,” recalled Hadassa.
Volunteers risked their lives to leave shelter and bring Hadassah and other Chimes families medicine, diapers, and groceries. Chimes caregivers and therapists provided remote therapies via iPads, so Thiago’s development would not regress. As it became clear that the war wasn’t ending anytime soon, staff braved the missiles to visit each family once a week, providing therapy and parental relief. Later, when conditions allowed, Thiago was taken to the center each week for a few precious hours of therapy, which also provided safety, structure, and respite for Hadassa.
“Their compassion, care, and willingness to leave their own safety to help us felt like a blessing from above,” said Hadassa.
A Mother’s Letter
With the worst of Thiago’s medical ordeals and the initial crisis of the war now behind them, Hadassa wrote a heartfelt letter to Chimes management and the staff at Shulamit, expressing her gratitude.
“Every staff member gave 200%, they were professional and humane. My child was happy and looked forward to coming every morning. He found a place that was enveloping, calming, loving, caring, and encouraging.”
“These are things you don’t see in other places. You have a very special staff with good energy, smiles, and real love. Please take good care of them. They are a truly winning team.”
New Hope After Transplant
Thiago underwent a successful kidney transplant and no longer needs dialysis for the first time in his young life. After the surgery, he continued to receive weekly therapies from Chimes’ paramedical team, and joined his classmates on Zoom to stay connected.
Chimes was also able to provide the family with financial assistance as part of the Families in Growth program, helping Hadassa cover basic needs during this difficult recovery period. She describes the support as “life-saving.”
“Thank you for the two years for my son and for the team’s support of me too. We appreciate you very much and love you dearly,” said Hadassa.
At the start of this school year, Thiago began a new kindergarten, one that is not geared for children with disabilities.
Looking Ahead
Hadassa’s story is one of survival, resilience, and hope, but it also underscores the urgent need for a new fortified early childhood center in Ashkelon.
Jorge Zimmermann, CEO of Chimes Israel: “Thiago’s story reminds us why we must keep striving to get our new building off the ground. Every child deserves not only life-saving care, but also a safe and nurturing place to reach their full potential, even in the shadow of war.”
Help Ashkelon Children Like Thiago
This is a critical moment for Chimes Israel and Ashkelon. We may be in a ceasefire, but the situation is far from secure. Soldiers are still losing their lives, and families in the south continue to live with fear and uncertainty.
Right now, preschoolers with disabilities receive care in four small residential houses that were never meant for rehabilitative early childcare services. When a siren sounds, there are only 30 seconds before impact. Only three of the buildings have safe rooms, and those are too small to fit all the children and staff. With steep stairs in all the buildings, the children never reach shelter in time. When there is prolonged conflict, time the centers must close, and children lose hard-won progress. Skills like walking, speaking, and connecting with peers can regress, sometimes permanently.
Your support helps ensure that these children will soon have a fortified, therapeutic environment where they can keep learning, growing, and reaching their potential, even during emergencies. You can help make their safety and development non-negotiable
