Translated from Hebrew, “Simcha Layeladim” means “happiness and joy for the children” and that’s exactly what one wish granting organization from Israel gives to children and families facing critical illness. Since 2010, 362 Israeli wish families have flown (over 6,000 miles) to Orlando to visit the Village as a group, ready to enjoy the magic of Give Kids The World and Central Florida’s theme parks.
The wish families who stay with us from Simcha Layeladim are Jewish families who follow kosher law. As our villas and kitchens accommodate families from varying backgrounds and beliefs, part of creating a week of “yes” for these families is creating a kitchen where they can prepare their food to keep kosher.
Just like many of our families, their needs are unique. Of course our answer to whether we can accommodate those needs is always “yes.” Here’s a look inside what it takes to make Simcha’s wishes come to life.
What does it take to create a kosher kitchen from the ground up?
Every department at the Village is ready to help in some way. Our Engineering team helps to outfit the tent as a space for them to serve and eat together. Their goal is to make sure everything is running smoothly and safe for guests.
“I run the power cables to the tent right after we finish setting it up. This year we added water and drains,” shared Engineer Mike Cool. “Once the generator is set up I make sure the AC is up and running.”
Our Food and Beverage team purchases the requested food for the group while Support Services purchases and supplies needed drinks. Everything that goes into planning their trip is just another day at the Village. Making sure these families feel comfortable staying with us while maintaining their religious law is all part of making wishes come true.
“The way I look at it whatever you are doing, you have the opportunity to create a positive experience for not just one, but every family in the group.” – Mike Cool
We’re extremely proud to help fulfill wishes for these critically ill children and their families. At Give Kids The World we are not just serving families from all 50 states and 76 countries, but families with varying needs and beliefs. Making sure all of our guests feel comfortable in order to have the best week ever is one of our top priorities.
Tags: International Wishes · Simcha Layeladim · Wish Granting Organization ·
