To say that Shani hadn’t had an easy life would be putting it mildly.  Raised in a home that was far from stable, Shani acted out in school and the more her teachers criticized, the more determined she became to disrupt the classroom even farther.  Eventually Shani was asked to leave her school and she began keeping company with other disenfranchised boys and girls who turned to  drugs and alcohol to soothe the hurts that were just too painful to bear.

Thankfully, Shani became involved with an organization for at risk teens in Brooklyn and she slowly began spending more and more of her free time at their drop in center.  In time, Shani moved into a residence for at risk teens, but while she was protected from the influences of drugs and alcohol, she began to feel a void in her life and found herself yearning for the beauty of Shabbos spent with a warm and loving family.

Since going back home wasn’t an option at this point in time, Shani’s social worker called the Agudah’s Constituent Services office for assistance.  In no time at all, a young, outgoing family that loved having guests was identified and Shani now spends her Shabbosos and yomim tovim with them, soaking up the beauty of these special days and reconnecting once again with her yiddishkeit.

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