In order to encourage Youth Futures children to contribute to the community, we arranged two events where the children contributed to others who could not afford to celebrate the holiday:

• The children of Meir School, together with their trustee, Sari Mordechai, volunteered for Rabbi Asulin's charity efforts and helped wrap holiday food packages for needy families.
• Second-hand fair: Youth Futures children collected items from their homes that were no longer being used, such as costume jewelry, toys, books, clothes, etc.  The items were sold to city residents at a token price of 1-5 shekels.  The children helped set up the stands and had a good time that day selling the articles; some even bought some for themselves.  A large group of Ethiopian new immigrants living on Beit Alfa, on their way to the Beit Shean market which is usually held on Wednesdays, noticed the goings on at the second-hand fair.  They approached the children and purchased numerous articles at very low prices.  The children were excited by this unexpected visit of the olim who swarmed the market; they encouraged the olim to buy other useful items such as clothing and household utensils.  Thus the children felt their contribution was twofold.  The entire proceeds of the fair were donated to the Darkei Zion charity fund in Beit Shean.  "I was very moved by the contribution of the Youth Futures children," says Meir Simchon, director of Darkei Zion, "Tell them they've done a very great mitzvah.  I hope that in future holidays, Youth Futures children will continue to bring joy to disadvantaged families.  In return for this mitzvah, may the Lord to repay them with happiness for their good deeds."