Our trips to Israel are always jam-packed with meetings and exciting opportunities for the Good People Fund to invest the tzedakah dollars our donors entrust to us.

This latest trip several weeks ago was no different. In the very last hours we spent in Israel we had our traditional sit-down with Phyllis Heimowitz, her daughter Tamar Heimowitz-Richter and Rina Kahan, all deeply involved in the Amuta for the Support of Girlfriends of Fallen IDF Soldiers. Meeting with them always reminds us of the tragic days following the start of the second terror war in 2000. The years that followed saw the Amuta grow as more and more soldiers lost their lives in the ongoing war.

It is 12 years later and much has changed. The Amuta still provides therapy and other support services to these girlfriends and fianc̩es, but today the loss of their soldier is more likely from illness, an accident or even suicide (sadly, a not uncommon occurrence) while on active duty. As we discussed the most recent participants to join the current support group, Phyllis shared the story of A., a sweet, gentle young woman whose beloved died tragically from cancer several months back. As is the case with all of these women, A. was inconsolable Рbelieving that life could not and would not go on.

Phyllis told us a bit about A.’s background and that she was a sweet and very intelligent young woman whose army release stated that she was "exceptional and responsible". More than anything else, A. would love to attend college and become a lawyer. She has the capabilities in every way but one…her family is profoundly poor; her father an invalid and there are just no funds available to make school possible. In fact, in order to even seek scholarship funding the school requires a registration fee which A. is unable to pay.

When we heard the amount needed to pay this fee we knew donors who would agree that this was a great opportunity and arranged to cover the cost. Phyllis was thrilled and reported that A. could not help but cry when she heard the news.

A relatively small investment for the Good People Fund to make, but one which may pay huge dividends in the end…exactly what we love to do.

We just received the following link from Anita Shkedi at INTRA…what a beautiful article and every word of it true… Anita and Giora have developed a truly magical place where miracles are a daily occurrence…

http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-story-of-true-hope-and-inspiration/

Dear Naomi,

Miriam and Beth

On a recent visit to our programs in Israel we had a very productive conversation with Miriam Avraham and Beth Steinberg from Shutaf, an exciting program which provides inclusion programming for special needs kids. When we learned about their upcoming Pesach camp for teens and how difficult it was to find appropriate programs that would grab the teens’ attention, we immediately thought of INTRA-The Israel National Therapeutic Riding Association and how a day with the horses and the beach and the sea could be fun and therapeutic.

With an introduction to Anita Shkedi at INTRA, Beth and Miriam and their staff were quickly on track to arrange a great day. When we saw the many, many pictures they shot, much like the one we have here, we knew that this was an excellent tzedakah investment. The kids could not have been happier–and neither could we and the Good People Fund donors who made it all possible.

Sometimes the request is so simple; the only answer can be a resounding, "Yes!"

This email from Dalia Abbot (who works with the elders) at Project Ezra on the Lower East Side just popped up…

I have run into a bit of road block and am hoping the Good People Fund would be able to help out. I have a client who was very active with us for over 10 years. The past 2 years she has deteriorated tremendously and is now actually living in a nursing home. She is mentally with it, but physically broken down. Since moving into the nursing home, she has actually never left the home once, except to go to the hospital for admission…

Unfortunately, the transportation that the temple provides is not able to transport wheelchairs so I need to hire a private ambulette. The cost for this service is $325 round trip. Her family can contribute towards the cost but cannot cover it all. Before I make the arrangements, I need to secure the remaining dollars. Is this something that the Good People Fund would like to be involved with? And would a pretty please help?

No, Dalia…pretty please won’t help, but the Good People Fund will gladly cover the remaining cost.

And…to make this an even more meaningful tzedakah investment the source of the funds to cover this cost? In yesterday’s mail was one of those letters that puts a smile on your face. It was from a person we have helped with Pesach needs. The letter thanked us for the supermarket gift cards we sent but explained that this year, despite losing their home, the family is in better shape and will not need the cards. Could we pass them along to someone else for whom they will make a better holiday? Accompanying the letter and the cards was a check for $100 which was to be used "so that someone else on your list may enjoy the forthcoming holiday with a little less to worry about."

Everything happens for a reason, no?

The human suffering and the hopelessness in Levinsky Park is palpable. Without this morning’s meal, hundreds of people would have gone hungry until later tonight. I honestly don’t know how they are surviving in the cold and rain…The forecast is for temperatures in the 40’s tonight and 50’s during the day tomorrow.

These were the words we read upon awakening this past Friday morning. The author is Allen Katzoff, a Good People Fund board member who is fortunate to be spending the winter months in Tel Aviv. Allen has been our eyes and ears following the African refugee crisis there very closely. Several weeks ago when visiting Tel Aviv we ourselves saw first-hand the humanitarian disaster that is brewing there.

We are more than sensitive to the very real political and social ramifications of the current refugee situation and know that it must be resolved. But, we also believe that while the refugees are there, while employment options quickly dwindle and government sanctions take hold, they must have sustenance. For that reason each morning we are providing a modest breakfast that will sustain these individuals until the evening meal is served in the park.

Can you help us provide this simple but very important meal? With the help of our friend, and most definitely one of our Good People, Gideon Ben Ami (who has volunteered his talents to put this all together and run the program daily) and some excellent connections we can provide breakfast to 500 refugees for a cost of about $205 (or 40 cents a meal) each day. A donation of any amount will help us keep the program running for as long as it is needed. (Coincidentally, talking about "running"…when Sivan Slapak, a friend and Good People Fund supporter heard about our breakfast efforts she wanted to help. Appealing to friends and family, Sivan solicited donations to sponsor her run in the Jerusalem half-marathon, held the day of our first breakfast serving. With Sivan’s help we have covered several more days of sustenance.)

For a more detailed description of this breakfast program check out the following blog post which Allen posted a few weeks ago. http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/from-africa-to-tel-aviv-part-1/

We could not help but smile when we received this link to an article in the weekend edition of the Jerusalem Post…http://www.jpost.com/Magazine/Features/Article.aspx?id=261971

The Good People Fund has known Anita and Giora Shkedi and their groundbreaking work with therapeutic riding for nearly 20 years. Once you see Anita and this therapy firsthand you know that while it may seem magical, there is science behind it and…it works! Anita’s strong connection to the horses only intensifies the effects.

Should you be planning a trip to Israel, a visit to Israel National Therapeutic Riding Association-INTRA is a must.