(Courtesy of B’ezri) Summer is an exciting time … for those who can afford it. But for many Israeli families, says B’ezri, summer camp is far out of reach. A weekend getaway is way off the table. Even three meals a day is a lucky treat.

For the families that American Friends of Yad Eliezer/B’ezri supports, when the kids are in school and if the parents can work, families can scrape by. But without school lunch, missing meals becomes a serious problem. And not being able to afford a summer outing, or even a bus ride into town, makes for a summer of misery.

B’ezri is looking to change that.

Speaking of a widow in Jerusalem (who wished to remain anonymous), B’ezri CEO Sori Tropper described the woman’s panic, frightened that without the help her family readily offers to her the rest of the year, she may not be able to keep her job through the summer. When it comes to the summer months, everybody is too busy with their own plans to even think of her, the widow said. While she’s grateful to be able to have food to put on the table, she goes on, her children are miserable, stuck home for weeks on end without even the most basic outlet.

“It’s hard to describe the pain that parents go through when they have to say no to their children,” explained Chezki Hartman, director of development of B’ezri. “During the summer kids have so much free time and they’re desperate to fill it. But when you struggle to put food on the table, extra spending money for a treat is totally out of the question.

“It is our mission to bring joy back into summer. “

With your help, American Friends of Yad Eliezer and B’ezri will be helping at least 3,000 families this summer.

Anyone wishing to help can donate to the summer campaign at www.Bezri.org/SummerRelief.