Just two years ago at the outbreak of the terrible Russia and Ukrainian War, twin 17 year olds, Rina and Dina fled to Israel as refugees and landed in the Or Akiva area. 

With help from the Israeli government and Meir Panim these resilient teens have learned Hebrew, completed high school and have a completely new life. Unfortunately, they are once again living through times of war. 

These young women have been regularly volunteering at Meir Panim and giving back to the community that helped them establish their new lives. As the war continues and their birthday approached, they choose to celebrate this milestone not with a party, but by spending the day helping those in need.

They cooked, cleaned, packaged and delivered meals at Meir Panim Or Akiva and prepared a special festive meal for a Tank unit on the front lines. 

This act of kindness and generosity is the true spirit of these young women as they approach adulthood- understanding the helping hand given to them, and continuing the cycle of kindness.

We are so grateful for their service and were honored to celebrate their birthdays with them, bringing joy to others during this difficult ongoing war.