Hi, I'm Eli Rose, a senior at Harriton High School near Philadelphia. This January I'm heading to Israel for two months with Alexander Muss High School in Israel.

In 2022, I had my bar mitzvah party at Elite Sports Factory, an indoor sports and play space where I later worked as a kids' party host. That summer I visited Israel for the first time and read Torah at the Western Wall, and it's felt like a second home ever since.

After October 7th, I couldn't stop thinking about the kids in Sderot, a town less than a mile from Gaza. They have as little as 15 seconds to reach a shelter when the rocket sirens sound, so for years they often couldn't play outside. The Sderot Indoor Recreation Center gives them a fortified playground where the play areas double as bomb shelters, so kids can just be kids.

In honor of my trip, I'm raising $5,000 for the center by December 2. Every gift, big or small, helps keep this safe space open. Thank you for supporting me and the kids of Sderot!

Todah rabah,
Eli