Dear Friends,
Passover is a holiday of freedom, hope, and the journey from darkness to light. This year, against the backdrop of a painful war, the concept of freedom assumes a more profound and personal significance than ever before. For the second year in a row, many families will gather around the holiday table facing an empty chair, carrying deep sorrow, while their loved ones remain without the freedom they deserve. Our hearts are with those in captivity, and we pray fervently for their swift and safe return home.
We are proud to share that this year Chimes Israel has launched a groundbreaking, organization-wide initiative to become a trauma and abuse-aware environment for people with disabilities. The goal of this program is to train and equip our professional teams with the tools they need to ensure that Chimes is a safe, secure, and empowering setting—one that enables each person to grow, develop, and reach their full potential without fear.
This program has already been integrated into our organizational quality standards. It will serve as a protective service model for people with disabilities—not only within our organization but also, we hope, across many others.
In response to the emergency challenges of recent years, we established the Department of Knowledge and Training. This department is developing advanced online learning infrastructures for ongoing staff training. The platform will serve as a hub for all essential knowledge needed to operate our centers at the highest professional level. Expanding our organizational capabilities and establishing a robust and comprehensive foundation is crucial to resilience in times of crisis, so we can continue providing essential services to all those in need, even if our physical centers are ordered closed.
As Passover approaches, it is also a moment to offer our since thanks to our partners, supporters, employees, Board members, management team, and professional collaborators. Because of you, we are able to deliver high-quality services, develop new programs, expand our impact, and create a safe, compassionate, and professional environment for those who need it.
We wish you and your loved ones a joyful Passover filled with hope, health, and good news. May we soon celebrate true freedom together—with the safe return of the hostages.
Warm regards,
Ms. Shulamit Gildner, Chair
Mr. Jorge Zimmermann, CEO
