Robert Rosenberg (far Left) and Madeleine Rosenberg (far Right) with children and staff from the Ben Yakir Youth Village. The Rosenbergs, through Shelters for Israel, donated a new playground to the village.

March 3, 2010 / 17 Adar 5770

The Ben Yakir Youth Village received a brand new playground of fitness equipment thanks to Madeleine and Robert Rosenberg of California and Robert Vasl of Israel -  through Shelters for Israel, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that has supported numerous capital projects in Israel. 

On February 23rd, a dedication ceremony for the new playground took place at Ben Yakir with over 20 participants, including the Rosenbergs, their children and grandchildren who came in from the United States, the Vasl family from Israel, and other relatives living in Israel. Also present was Madeleine and Robert's father, the husband of the late Zisel Bat Shlomo HaCohen for whom the playground was dedicated.

Speakers included Rabbi Natan Gutman and Yossi Krothaymer, the director of the youth village, and Robert Vasl. 

The Jewish Agency for Israel supports Ben Yakir Youth Village, located near Hadera, which houses and supports 120 Israeli boys (ages 12-18), most of whom are first or second generation immigrants to Israel from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union, among other countries. The Youth Village offers them a wide range of activities including karate, sports, music and dance, arts and crafts, carpentry and ceramics. Ben Yakir has a therapeutic petting zoo which is largely maintained by the students.