The unit, branded “Yirmiyahu the library cat,” will make its way to about 40 evacuation centers from the north border settlements and the south, dispersed throughout the country, including schools and hotels where the children are staying.
In each area where the evacuated children of the envelope and along the northern border are living and studying, the unit will offer a variety of activities, such as: a theater play named “Not Just a Story,” written and produced by Chanoch Reim; puzzles, riddles, and word plays; it is time to look through and read the many books that are in the unit; and in the end, every boy and girl that participated in the activity will get a free book.
The unit looks like a large ice cream truck, designed by the illustrator and writer Orit Bergman, in the image of a funny ginger cat with ears sticking out and a long tail.
The unit’s activity is the fruit of a collaboration between the National Library, the Joint Organization, and the Ministry of Education. The books that the children get at the end of the activity were donated by several publishers, including Matar, Kibbutz Poalim (Hakibutz Hame’uhad), Oved, and with the help of the Israel Book Association.
The unit’s making was done with the generosity of Anni Vart Sandler, Jane and Stuart Wiezzman, and Shila and Bob Yosefberg.
Zila Hayun, head of the library’s education and culture department, says, “In these hard days, all of us need the magic that books, words, and spirit can create, and most of them all—the kids. We at the National Library are heading out to bring something of these stories’ magic to the kids.”
The CEO of Joint-Ashalim, Dr. Ariel Levi, says, “Many kids in the settlements near the Gaza border were exposed to harsh sights on October 7th, some have lost close family members, and almost all of them were uprooted from their homes. It is important to provide them with a supportive and inclusive environment and to produce a safe and calm routine for them. The books unit is an educational and moral activity of the highest level that assists kids to return to the studying experience in an informative and enriching way.”
