Angels: the couple who raised over 50 children and youth at risk for 20 years

When they were in their late twenties, Ofra and Ehud Mansour decided to serve as a foster home for children at risk in the "Or Shalom" association, and since then dozens of children have passed through their home as they grew up, got married and started new lives.

Meet the couple of angels

Voila system!

health

09/19/2022

Monday, September 19, 2022, 07:15 Updated: 07:37

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Videocast of the local scene with Tali Chalaf, CEO of the organization 'Or Shalom' (Walla)

It's a story about a woman you don't meet every day.

Ofra was born into a family with many children, she has six sisters and brothers.

"Ever since I can remember, I took command of the house. I was responsible for cleaning, and I took care of and raised my six younger brothers, because my father was sick and my mother was with him most of the time," says Ofra.

In 1984 she married Ehud and they moved to Eilat together.

At the age of only 28, she and her husband Ehud decided to open their home and serve as emergency nanny parents.

When the court determines that toddlers/children must be removed from their parents' home immediately due to a tangible danger to their lives, there is an urgent need to find an alternative and safe framework for them that will provide them with a warm home temporarily.

Emergency nanny parents are prepared with beds, baby food and children's clothes and are ready to receive the children 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

This week, Ofra and Ehud Mansour, together with their children and the 12 children of the family daycare center they manage, will move to a new home.

"There is nothing as exciting as moving into a new home, which for our children is much more than a few walls and a roof, but an envelope of warmth, love and support that they need every day," says Ofra excitedly, who has already raised and educated over 50 at-risk children.

"Children who need a home, warmth and love on the weekends"

"I worked as a chambermaid in a hotel, but all the time I had a burning desire to help and take care of children who have no one to look after and protect them. It may be because I was unable to get pregnant for several years or because of my past and that I raised my siblings, but I felt that this was our calling in life. I remember that I continued to work as a chambermaid, and the hotel's CEO would call me 'angelic'.

He was so impressed and moved by what I did that he helped me a lot with equipment, beds and food for the children," she says.

At the same time, they opened their hearts as a host family on weekends and holidays to children without a family, those children and youth at risk who are in institutions, but have nowhere to go on holidays and vacations "That's how we got to know the Or Shalom organization, which takes care of children and youth at risk who were removed from their parents' custody by the welfare authorities due to extreme lack of protection and difficulties in parental functioning.

They connected us to children who need a home, warmth and love on the weekends and holidays."

A pair of angels.

Ofra and Ehud Mansour (Photo: "Or Shalom")

After a while Ofra realized that connecting with children who need a home and a family is what she does best and that she wants to turn her home into a family residence and together with Ehud save as many children as possible.

"While I was a mother to my 3 children and 3 emergency nanny children, we received the approval, moved to a new and large house in Be'er Sheva and became the parents of 12 children and boys between the ages of 8-18," says Ofra, "children we became in an instant To be their whole world and they became our whole world. Children, all they needed was a home, parents who would believe in them, a whole team to help them and a framework."

"Little by little we find the way to reach their hearts"

From then until today, for 22 years, more than 50 graduates have left their home, some of them are already married with children of their own.

Ofra and Ehud saw quite a few adults and even served as godparents to their children, "Even my biological children, who grew up in such a unique model of family, feel that they have 50 brothers and sisters and are an integral part of the family."

During all these years, Ofra and Ehud receive ongoing support and guidance from the professional staff of the "Or Shalom" organization (legal advisers, psychologists, instructors, coordinators, maids, etc.). The children also receive help around the clock, from assistance with studies to weekly emotional therapies from Profession.

Ofra's secret to raising children is that "you have to know how to listen and accept each child, each one comes with their own package, but little by little you find the way to reach their heart.

When you love your job and do it with all your heart, you can't play or fake feelings."

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• parenthood

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• Foster care adoption