ONE LOVE: A SAFE PLACE FOR TODDLERS IN TEL AVIV
Toddlers. Seconds to Safety. No Shelter.
In the middle of Tel Aviv, Gan One Love preschool cares for toddlers ages 2 and 3. When sirens sound, families across Israel know the rule: get to a protected space immediately. But this gan doesn't have one.
Help us build a certified bomb shelter — directly on site — so that when seconds matter, these children are safe.
Goal: $150,000 · Timeline: 7 weeks from full funding · Status: Permits pending
A Letter from Mychal Hochstein
I was born and raised in Washington, D.C. — the daughter of Joseph Hochstein, founder and publisher of The Jewish Week. I came to Israel in 1983, and in 1993 I opened Gan One Love in Tel Aviv with a simple vision: a warm, community-centered home for young children and their families.
For more than three decades, that's exactly what we've been. Today, we care for toddlers, ages 2 to 3, every single day.
What's missing
In Israel, every school is required to have immediate access to a bomb shelter. Ours doesn't — and neither do most buildings in this part of Tel Aviv. When a siren sounds, there are only seconds to act. Worse: without a compliant shelter, we are sometimes ordered to close on the days the children and their families need us most.
What we're building
A certified, reinforced bomb shelter, built directly on the premises, fully aligned with IDF Home Front Command standards. It will:
• Provide immediate protection for all children and staff
• Meet every official safety and construction requirement
• Ensure access within the required response window — without leaving the building
Who this protects
• The children in our care, ages 2–3, every day
• Our teachers and staff
• Their families, who deserve to know that when sirens sound, their children are already safe
Budget & timeline
• Total project cost: $150,000
• Construction: ~7 weeks from full funding
• Status: Pending final permits
• A detailed budget and construction plan are available upon request
Our commitment to you
Every donor will receive regular progress updates, photos and documentation throughout construction, and a final report upon completion. Donations are processed through The Israel Forever Foundation and are tax-deductible for U.S. donors.
Questions? Reach Mychal directly at Mymyhochstein@gmail.com or +972 52-676-6797.
Israel Forever is a recognized 501c3 non-profit organization. All contributions are tax deductible and a receipt will be provided.