{"id":1640,"date":"2016-04-20T03:55:08","date_gmt":"2016-04-20T03:55:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.grantnews.press\/blog\/?p=349"},"modified":"2025-10-29T17:11:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T21:11:47","slug":"the-empty-chair-program-a-peaceful-solution-to-terrorism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.grantwatch.com\/grantnews\/the-empty-chair-program-a-peaceful-solution-to-terrorism\/","title":{"rendered":"The Empty Chair Program | A Peaceful Solution to Terrorism"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Empty Chair Program<\/strong><\/h6>\n

Imagine you are gathered for the holidays\u00a0but because of terrorism, there is an empty chair at your family table. For\u00a0families, this\u00a0can be devastating. It can re-hash all the memories of the loss and make the holidays a difficult time. The Empty Chair Program of the Navah Organization<\/a> hosts the Seder for families of victims of terror. This provides comfort and hope and gives the families a sense of community.<\/p>\n

Husband and wife,\u00a0Yitzchok and Tehilla Friedman began the Navah Organization 13 years ago.\u00a0Most nonprofits begin when individuals begin working to address an unmet social need. According to Tehilla Friedman, “Our idea began as an act of kindness. We had to learn the hard way how to run an organization.” She admitted, “We began successfully fundraising, but, after the Crash of\u00a02008, we faced a crisis in funding.”<\/p>\n

Tehilla and Chavi<\/strong><\/h6>\n

The Empty Chair Program credits Chavi Ehrenfeld, from\u00a0Navah with the original idea for the community Pesach Seder for these families. \u00a0The program is now one of the many Navah programs to help families of victims of terror.<\/p>\n

Tehilla Friedman, herself\u00a0witnessed a terrorist attacks as a young child. This experience gave her the motivation to begin philanthropic initiatives.<\/p>\n

Tehilla Friedman explained,<\/p>\n

“We are an organization that supports people that have gone through terrorist attacks,\u00a0working in a terrorized\u00a0country.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Beginning Their Campaign<\/strong><\/h6>\n

Starting a campaign with a nonprofit\u00a0can be both challenging and rewarding.\u00a0 While it begins as an ideal mission, nonprofits can always be improved upon. As you further develop your nonprofit goals, funding, and projects, your mission statement will also evolve.<\/p>\n

A great example of this adaptive nonprofit strategy is the Empty Chair Program of the Navah organization, a nonprofit that brings solidarity to the families of terror attack survivors. In Israel,\u00a0it\u00a0brings\u00a0them together for the holidays. According to Yitzchok:<\/p>\n

“People come in very confused. A lot of anger, pain, hurt. It’s hard for them:\u00a0the missing chair.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

To learn about the Empty Chair Program, funded by the\u00a0Navah organization, watch the following video:<\/p>\n