Avigail and Miri Kaplan, residents of Teaneck, collected over 200 stuffed animals to donate to Bears From Bergenfield. They set up collection boxes at their school, RYNJ, and also outside of their house. Additionally, they plan to bring a duffel bag of stuffed animals when they go to Israel in August, to donate to various hospitals and rehab centers around the country.

Bears From Bergenfield was started in 2002 by Claire Ginsburg-Goldstein and her son Sam after he was hospitalized and they realized how important it was for kids to have stuffed animals to hug while in the hospital. They hoped to collect 100 bears and send them to Israel. To date, they have collected over 200,000 stuffed animals! The stuffed animals are packed in duffels and sent to Israel where they are cleaned and then donated to hospitals all over the country.

The organization accepts donations of new and slightly used stuffed animals. They also need people who can bring the duffel bags full of the animals to Israel; these individuals will receive a letter for the airline containing the necessary information and will be met at the airport in Israel by someone who will receive the bag.

Bears From Bergenfield also needs donations of funds to help send the duffels to Israel. For more information or to donate, please go to http://www.bearsfrombergenfield.com/ or contact Claire Ginsburg-Goldstein at [email protected]. The local drop-off point is 394 Churchill Rd., Teaneck.