"For you were a Stranger..."
Much has been said, written and commented on involving refugees from Africa and specifically Darfur who have made it across the border and have found haven in the Jewish State.

Well, several thousand refugees and seekers of asylum currently live in Israel. Many are situated in South Tel Aviv, Eilat, and lower-class neighborhoods of Jerusalem.

A few weeks ago Mara and I began babysitting two evenings a week for a family from Darfur. The parents go to Hebrew classes and we stay with their kids as volunteers. We have completely fallen in love with the family and I'd like to post a few pics of them here.

The oldest, Mudasir, who was born in Sudan, is 7 and goes to 1^st grade in Jerusalem – he speaks Hebrew like an Israeli. Abi - born in Egypt, the 3.5 year old speaks like a 3.5 year old – kind of mumbling a combination of Arabic (which they speak at home) and Hebrew. And Tal, born in Eilat, the baby girl, is only 6 months old. So cute, and Mara is crazy about her. The family has been in Israel for 2.5 years and while the father speaks Hebrew well, the mother does not. They have official refugee status and thus are allowed to stay in Israel for the time-being and work, but it is not clear what will happen to them in the long term.

In the short term spending time with them really brings a human face to all that is happening in the country and in the world.