Lighting the Fourth Candle while Recognizing the Good

At Amal’s headquarters gathering for the fourth night of Hanukkah, Director General Karen Tal spoke about the light our community brings, especially during challenging times. She reminded the leaders of Amal community that while their work is often demanding, facing difficult realities, they must also pause and count their blessings, achievements, and the good we create together.

This week, that light shone brightly through remarkable accomplishments as two Amal schools were honored with the Regional Excellence Award for 2025 by the Ministry of Education’s Southern District: Amal Reut School in the Neveh Midbar Regional Council, led by Tamir Hasson, and Amal Ahad Multidisciplinary School, Hura, led by Salah Abu Rashid.

Karen also highlighted another inspiring initiative from Amal Yigal Alon Ramla, where students and staff organized a special visit to honor wounded IDF soldiers. The school community prepared heartfelt gift packages for the Brothers for Life organization at Kfar Truman, which supports soldiers, men and women, recovering from physical and emotional injuries sustained in combat. Upon entering, the group was greeted by the words that embody the organization’s spirit: “And you shall choose life.”

During the visit, students met a soldier who was severely injured in Gaza and is undergoing an extraordinary rehabilitation journey, as well as one of the school’s own graduates who was wounded in the past and continues to “choose life” every day. The Amal delegation came to give and encourage but left deeply moved and inspired. As Avishai, a member of the organization and a wounded veteran himself, told them: “There is no limit that cannot be overcome.”

As Karen reminded us, Amal’s light is its people: principals, teachers, and staff who illuminate the path for our youth. The students we invest in are worth every bit of effort and dedication. Together, we keep that light shining strong.

Happy Hanukkah!