WIZO Volunteers Gather for “An Hour with a Child” Training Day

This month, around 130 WIZO Israel volunteers from across the country came together at WIZO headquarters in Tel Aviv for a special training day dedicated to “An Hour with a Child” — in Hebrew, “Sha’a Tova im Yeled” — WIZO’s flagship volunteering initiative.

The special program matches volunteers with children to provide vital emotional and social support through a personal, one-on-one relationship. Operating in 27 WIZO branches, the initiative reaches approximately 625 children each year in schools across Israel, supported by 380 dedicated volunteers.

Unlike academic tutoring programs, “An Hour with a Child” focuses on something just as essential: giving children a steady, caring adult presence in their lives. Each child is paired with a volunteer for a weekly meeting throughout the school year, creating a relationship built on trust, consistency, and personal attention.

Children are referred and matched by school educational teams, according to their individual needs. In today’s reality, as children across Israel continue to carry the emotional weight of national trauma, this kind of support has become more important than ever. For some children, that one hour a week may be the only time they feel truly seen, heard, and understood.

One of the volunteers who shared her story was Lucy Halon from the WIZO Daliyat al-Carmel branch. A nurse by profession, Lucy worked for nearly 30 years in well-baby clinics. After the birth of her youngest daughter, who was born with cerebral palsy, Lucy faced a deep personal crisis and a long period of depression. Having spent years in the position of needing care and support herself, she found in WIZO’s program a path back to giving, connecting, and making a difference.

Through the program, Lucy began mentoring a young boy she met when he was in third grade. He was carrying responsibilities far beyond his years, shaped by a difficult family reality and the emotional burden that came with it. Week by week, through listening, encouragement, patience, and care, Lucy became a steady presence in his life. Over time, the change was profound. His behavior improved, his confidence grew, and he found in their meetings a safe place to simply be a child.

“I am not a psychologist,” Lucy said. “I am just one adult who is there, who listens, who hugs, and who tells a child: you are important, you are worthy. And this volunteering does not only help the children — it saved me too, and gave me back my sense of meaning.”

The training day gave volunteers professional guidance, practical tools, and renewed strength for the important work they do in the field. It also reinforced the shared mission behind the program: to stand beside children not only as helpers, but as caring adults who offer stability, trust, and hope.

Across Israel, hundreds of WIZO volunteers continue to serve as an emotional and community anchor within the education system. Through their dedication, they are helping change the lives of children one relationship, one meeting, and one meaningful hour at a time.