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Bears from Bergenfield brings bear hugs and blessings in its 20th year

Bears from Bergenfield, in its 20th year, chose to bring various groups of do-gooders together to help celebrate the BearsCare anniversary. What unfolded was beyond Rabbi Claire’s bears dreams. An emergency Spring and early Summer toy drive of 1500 stuffed toys recycled by 7 organizations and private civilians, and redistributed by 5 caring and compassionate charities who wanted to see a sad child hug a bear.

So who made this happen and who benefitted? See below.

Rabbi Claire and her newest mascot bear Dina Kit, program director of One Family, a terror survivor organization receiving a new donation from us July 2022

A young orphan receiving a pillow pet from us in Neptun, Romania

Rabbi Ethan J Katz offered his shoulders to an orphan welcoming her newest teddy bear friend in Neptim, Romania

Some of our youngest donors, Eden and Ben Bitton The Bitton children have a play date with children and moms from the Breisheet Israeli school drawing cards and collecting stuffed toys for the Ukrainian refugees relocated in Romania and Israel. The teen counselors at Neptun, Romania playing with toys and art suppliesA letter and drawing from a Tenafly Hebrew school student for a student from the Ukraine on the run .AchAchdus and unity Yad l’olim shop for Ukrainians Child playing with her new toys while Ukrainian mother shops Leket delivers food to Yad l’olim

1- Rabbi Ethan J. KATZ and the Tikvah orphanage children from Odessa displaced to Neptun,

About the Author

Rabbi Claire conceived of the concept Bears from Bergenfield upon a routine check of the Israeli staff at camp SLC August of 2001. She realized that the world needed to wake up and become aware of the suffering the Israelis were enduring as the Palestinians continued their intifada against them. After 18 years and 195,000 teddy bears amassed and redistributed, Rabbi Claire is searching for more public platforms to proliferate and advance her message, that Jewish lives matter, especially with a teddy bear. Rabbi Claire lives in Bergen County with her husband of 38 years, Larry, and their 4 children, Sam, Shira, Seth, and Sarah Rose, plus their incoming son-in-law Ivan. For further information of how to get involved with this endearing project, contact her at lgcg98@aol.com.

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