(Courtesy of Chai Lifeline) Chai Lifeline welcomed in the Jewish New Year by helping families living with pediatric illness prepare for the Yomim Tovim through a variety of programs and services.

Last month, Chai Lifeline regions from coast to coast organized a variety of creative activities in honor of Rosh Hashanah. Chai Lifeline New Jersey prepared families for the upcoming holiday with a day camp for kids and culinary activities for the whole family (including baking Rosh Hashanah honey cookies). At the Chai Lifeline West Coast office in Los Angeles, Simcha Junior’s middle-school volunteers entertained Chai Lifeline kids with apple crafts, games and treats. In Florida, i-Shine Southeast kicked off its afterschool programming with two pre-Rosh Hashanah events, one in Miami and one in Boca Raton, where children created their own honey dishes.

In preparation for Sukkot, financial assistance was provided to help families cover holiday expenses. Chai Lifeline New Jersey distributed sukkah-decorating kits to its client families. Volunteers in New York assisted in Sukkah building and decorating in Chai Lifeline families’ homes. For family programming during Chol Hamoed, Chai Lifeline will be organizing amusement park trips. New York families will enjoy a day at SportTime USA, an indoor amusement center in Elmsford, New York, while New Jersey families will be heading to Keansburg Amusement Park in Keansburg, New Jersey.

Dedicated volunteers from Achim B’Yachad, Chai Lifeline’s division for chasidish families, and members of the Young Builder’s Society, adorned hospital rooms with colorful sukkah decorations to give hospitalized children the Sukkot experience away from home.

In Jerusalem, Chaiyanu/Chai Lifeline Israel distributed 170 sets of Arba Minim to children with cancer and their families. The children, many of whom are immunocompromised and unable to choose their own Arba Minim in a typical setting, were able to select beautiful sets in a sterile environment, thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor.

“For families living with serious illness, the holiday season can be especially daunting and isolating,” said Rabbi Simcha Scholar, Chai Lifeline’s chief executive officer. “Our dedicated staff and volunteers are working tirelessly to assist all those in need and to make this Sukkos truly a zman simchaseinu.”