Nursing students visit Renanim Boarding School

As part of Good Deeds Day, in March of this year, Hillel Yaffe Nursing School students left their pens, computers and papers and participated in an especially welcome activity they initiated - a festive birthday celebration for children at the boarding school (aged 8-17, who are all defined as suffering from psychological distress for various reasons). The concept behind the activity: sending a message that the nursing staff is also concerned with psychological and social welfare and not only treatment-physical welfare.

The preparations for the party including an e-mail sent by Dr. Merav Ben Natan, Director of the School of Nursing, in which she asked the students to donate cakes, cookies, clothing, dolls and more, objects that could make the children who live at the boarding school happy, and to take part in a joint activity with the students at the school.

"The response of the students was overwhelming," said Dr. Ben Natan. "I was shocked by the sheer number of things were were able to get, but when we gave them to the children and celebrated with them, they were truly amazed. The initial response was: 'All this is for us?' I don't think there was a dry eye in the room, especially when in one of the activities, we asked them to let go of a balloon and make a wish. Some of them made their wishes out loud, and they were heartrending, but at the most basic level, all they wanted was to have a warm home.'"

"We clearly felt like we had done something good for people who needed it," said Dr. Ben Natan. "Sometimes, that's more important than any lesson taught in class about anatomy and the connection between body and soul."

Nursing school team of volunteers

Some of the toys donated for the event