By REVITAL ARANBAEV
Thanks to an Evangelical Christian organization, a town victimized by terrorism will have many smiling children on Monday when they become the recipients of an inflatable bounce castle.
"Nothing is as fulfilling as hearing children laugh and play," said Brenda Giles, the founding director of Hugs for Israel, which is donating the castle to The Gilo Community Center.
Created in May 2004, Hugs for Israel is a non-profit, Evangelical Christian organization that works to enrich the lives of children effected by terrorism. They provide these children with toys, games and other personal items.
Giles created a unique program called Bundle of Hugs which visits children in the hospital and at home after a terrorist attack and provides them with gifts of their choosing.
"Every child deserves to enjoy their childhood," Giles said. "These terrorist attacks attempt to rob children of their youth."
Both Jewish children and Israeli Arab children injured or traumatized by terrorism are taken care of by Hugs for Israel.
In the following week, the organization will donate four bounce castles to children from the former Gush Katif communities who are currently living in Jerusalem hotels.
Bounce castles were already donated to Sderot, Beersheba, Netanya, Karnei Shomron and Hadera.
"Since I am not Israeli and not Jewish, I want these children to know that there are people outside of Israel that care about them and want to help them here," Giles said.