Tyler Hochman – A Blessing for Israel – American Wheelchair Mission

Meet Tyler Hochman: a 13 year-old young man who decided he wanted to make a difference.

In late 2009 he set out to change the world for his Bar-Mitzvah project, raising $42,000 to fund the delivery of an entire sea container of 280 brand new wheelchairs to people without mobility in Israel. After many months of hard work and determination, Tyler travelled to Israel with his family to help deliver mobility into the lives of terror victims, injured labor workers, people with no hope of affording a wheelchair, the elderly and hospitals in need of mobility for their patients.

The trip to Israel took place in mid-June, and Tyler was justifiably excited to be seeing the Holy Land for the very first time. Working closely with both Rabbi Yossi Swerdlov and Rabbi Ahron Pruss of the Chabad Terror Victims Project, Tyler was able to deliver hope into the lives of people from all walks of life without mobility.

The first destinations on Tyler’s distribution schedule were hospitals across Israel. From Tel-Hashomer Hospital in the Gush Dan region of central Israel, to a hospital in Karmiel of northern Israel by the Lebanese border, to hospitals located on the Mediterranean coast between Ashdod, Tel-Aviv and Haifa, Tyler and family were very busy for the two-week duration of their stay.

Labeled as “Tyler’s Hoch-Mobiles,” the wheelchairs were eagerly delivered to each location by Tyler himself, with the help of his two younger siblings, Harrison and Brynn. Every hospital delivery was met with the same extent of warmth and gratitude by the appreciative staff, often celebrated by energetic outbursts of dancing, clapping, and singing! With the help of the accompanying Rabbi’s there was no language barrier, and Tyler was showered with praise and thanks time and time again. Some of Tyler’s wheelchairs even made it to the fabulous Yad Sarah facility in Jerusalem, which loans medical equipment to any citizen of Israel who needs it.

During the second week of the trip, Tyler and company entered more intimate environments as they switched to making home-deliveries throughout the surrounding areas in the city of Ashkelon, an hour’s drive south of Tel-Aviv. Special deliveries were made for elderly folks who no longer had the means to transport themselves around, and for people in Sderot who have suffered greatly.

The success of Tyler’s mission in Israel had such a large impact that it made the Israeli evening news, which aired an extensive segment about his project and how greatly it was helping the Israeli people. The “mitzvah,” Hebrew for blessing, truly came full-circle when Tyler was approached the following day at the Wailing Wall by a young lady his age who exclaimed, “Hey, you’re Tyler! I saw you on the news last night! What a cool project.”

This is the kind of work we do. Giving mobility to a child, teen or adult immediately improves the quality of their life, and the lives of every member of their family. The gift of freedom allows a person to be a part of their community, attend school, go to work to provide for their family, or get out of a bed they may have been in for sometimes five, ten, or fifteen years. A wheelchair gives a person hope, dignity, and independence.

We are changing lives and answering prayers! Tyler saw the impact he had on literally hundreds of lives, and he readily took on the task. The inspiration of his story touches hearts everywhere, but the best part is that you can make a difference too. $150 dollars sponsors and delivers a brand-new wheelchair to a person in need, giving them the gift of mobility and changing their life forever.

Please watch the videos below about Tyler’s project and click on the Donate button, or on the downloadable donation form to support his mission of improving our world.