Students at RKYHS had the opportunity to view the film “WishMakers,” the recipient of multiple prestigious awards. The documentary tells the story of the Tulip winery which was established in a residential adult special needs community. The Village of Hope, in Israel’s Jezreel Valley, fosters a caring environment while providing employment, dignity and purpose for the residents. The winery employs people with special needs in most aspects of the wine production. Some of the proceeds from the non-commercially sold label, WishMakers, benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation—Israel, providing the residents with an additional opportunity for gratification.

The inspiring film was produced by award-winning filmmaker and humanitarian Cheryl Halpern. Halpern received the Tolerance Woman of the Year Award by the World Tolerance Awards committee, as well as the A.F.I. World Peace Initiative’s Cinema and Humanitarian Award and was recently awarded the NYC International Film Festival’s Humanitarian Award. Following the screening, Halpern, a former JKHA/RKYHS parent, participated in a Q&A session with the RKYHS students.