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    Remembering a Loved One In a Special Way

    August 18, 2008

    August 18, 2008

    Remembering a Loved One In a Special Way

    One of our good friends just called–he is someone who thrives on creative mitzvahs and tikkun olam and trying to make a difference in whatever way possible. He and his brother are about to mark the yahrzeit (anniversary date) of their Dad’s death and wanted to do it in a way that would help others quickly and directly, as well as recall how important the issue of hunger was to their late Dad. The yahrzeit is right around Rosh Hashonah and how special it would be if they could donate funds so that a family in Israel that might not celebrate the new year in quite as festive a way as they would like, could fill their table with good wholesome food and some special treats, as well. Could we find such a family that would benefit from their tzedakah?

    Could we? You bet!

    With one call, we identified not one but three families that are having a difficult time and who would benefit from this simple but important act of chesed. The Good People Fund will match the original donation and add further funds so that three families (which include several children) will truly taste the sweetness of honey that symbolizes a sweet New Year.

    Filed under: Good News Update

    Hunger in America

    August 15, 2008

    August 15, 2008

    Hunger in America

    Pick up any newspaper or magazine today, listen to the radio…in fact, ask your local public assistance office or food bank and you will know that with the worsening economy comes hunger and food insecurity–a situation affecting many, many people including those who have never asked for help before. Rising food costs and the general serious downturn in the economy are taking their toll and contacts we have in the non-profit world are confirming the seriousness of the situation on an almost daily basis.

    Today’s call came from Ranya Kelly, the dedicated and indefatigable founder of the Redistribution Center in Colorado (http://www.redistributioncenter.org/). Ranya’s work is almost legend. Over 20 years ago while searching through a dumpster for a carton to mail some gifts, Ranya discovered over 500 pairs of brand new shoes discarded by a nearby store. It was that discovery that led to the formation of the Redistribution Center, Ranya’s organization which has rescued, since its founding, over 700,000 pairs of new shoes and millions of dollars worth of brand new, perfectly usable clothing, bedding, building supplies and more from local and national retail outlets. What was destined for a landfill is now filling the needs of impoverished people not only in the Denver area but also other parts of the United States. Ranya has sent two 53′ trailers to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, ravaged by Hurricane Katrina three years ago and her efforts have also benefited our nation’s soldiers who have returned from fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    In addition to the incredible importance of recycling all of these hard goods, Ranya began a small food pantry at her facility (located on part of her property) and has been able to fill it with donated food items from both manufacturers and local food stores. There has never been a shortage of needy recipients for the food, but in the past several phone calls Ranya shared that the numbers are increasing and she feared that at some point she would have to turn people away. The need for food was outpacing the available supply. We are certain that this scene is being played out in cities and towns across the country…Denver and its suburbs are not the exception.

    Today’s call was just what I had feared–the shelves of her food pantry and walk-in cooler were bare. For the past few days Ranya has been turning away elderly people living on meager incomes, just "ordinary" people and veterans of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan who have sometimes returned home to no job, a family that has deserted them, and many, many physical and emotional scars.(and veterans’ organizations do not always step in–people do fall through the cracks.)

    How could we help? If she had the funds would she be able to purchase the food from local sources at greatly reduced prices? The answer was a resounding, yes!

    Postscript: We sent Ranya a check on the day she called us and on Tuesday, August 19, 2008, she called to report that she was on the way to purchase as much as she possibly could to fill the shelves and feed hungry people. It was that quick and that simple.

    Filed under: Good News Update

    The War in Georgia

    August 14, 2008

    August 14, 2008

    The War in Georgia

    We have been following the daily updates on the crisis in Georgia and know from both U.S. and Israeli media that this is a major humanitarian crisis and definitely something reminiscent of the 1960’s. As we have done in the past when we do not have any personal contacts on the ground, we are relying on the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) to allocate our funds to those needs which they identify on an hourly basis. We know that "the Joint" uses its resources effectively and efficiently and are comfortable sending what we can to them when we have no direct representation present. Our donation has been mailed today.

    We share the following excerpt from the JDC web site. It is almost as if we are on the scene ourselves.

    JDC SOS Van Delivers Humanitarian Aid Packages

    The JDC van’s next stop was the almost ruined house of the Frankel family: mother Irina burst into tears when she saw the bus arriving at her door. Having no transportation, Irina and her husband could not leave their house; their 15-year-old developmentally disabled son was in shock and unable to go on foot.

    While the father was putting their belongings in the van, a neighbor named Natela was helping her friend Irina prepare to leave. In the conversation with JDC staff, Natela revealed that she and her husband were Jewish. When it was suggested they evacuate, she thanked them but refused: "My husband is a doctor in the local hospital. We just can’t leave when so many people need medical assistance and so few doctors are available. We have decided to stay. . . ." The JDC team left the family with packages of humanitarian aid, enough so that her husband could distribute the packages in the hospital to the neediest patients. "We are facing here every minute dozens of people who desperately need food-today even bread is great deficit! These packages are sure to save the lives of many!" said Natela.

    Today’s report is one more example of JDC’s ongoing commitment to ensure safety and security of Jews wherever and whenever they are in need.

    http://www.jdc.org/news_press_2008_georgia.html

    Filed under: Good News Update

    Loose Change

    August 12, 2008

    August 12, 2008

    Loose Change

    Today’s mail brought a very nice tzedakah check which included a note describing the origin of the donation. We think it bears repeating here so that upcoming Bar and Bat Mitzvah kids who are looking for a meaningful way to celebrate their simcha might duplicate or create their own version of the idea.

    Erin Sharfman celebrated her Bat Mitzvah this past Hanukkah and decided that gelt is one of the many things that we think of when recalling this holiday. Who doesn’t remember the gold-covered coins that were eagerly awaited along with a gift or two? (Sometimes just getting the wrapper off of the small coins took all the patience we had as young children.) So–why not collect gelt from her guests?…the loose change kind of gelt that always adds up to something very significant.

    When Erin’s guests received her invitation six weeks before the actual simcha, they were asked to collect all of their loose change over the next several weeks and bring it to her party which was held on the Sunday of Hanukkah. Well, collect their loose change they did! On the day of her party Erin was overwhelmed with tons of loose change (and some bills too!) After counting and wrapping it all, (and adding some of her own funds to the total) Erin was able to send us a check which she asked to be split between the good work being done by A Package From Home (http://www.apackagefromhome.org/) and the very famous Clara Hammer who provides Shabbat food for poor families in Israel. Erin learned about Clara while attending Camp Ramah, and her family had heard about Barbara Silverman’s efforts when they received an email that described the packages that Barbara sends to soldiers (many of them chayalim bodedim or lone soldiers who have no family in Israel) serving in the IDF. Along with the donation to A Package From Home, Erin also included several letters to soldiers which were written by her guests at the party. Erin recalled that the letters of support were one of the soldiers’ favorite items to receive in the packages.

    Yasher koach to Erin and her family! What a great mitzvah project. There will be many smiling faces in Israel because of your creative ideas.

    Filed under: Good News Update

    Jews Around the World

    August 5, 2008

    August 05, 2008

    Jews Around the World

    "Kulanu", a Hebrew term which refers to "all of us" is also the name of a small, grass-roots organization dedicated to discovering and assisting little-known Jewish communities found in remote corners of the world. (http://www.kulanu.org/)

    We have followed Kulanu’s work for many years and can particularly recall their first contacts in the mid-90’s with the now-famous Abuyudaya community in Uganda, as well as urging people to ship Jewish books of interest there and to other isolated regions around the world.

    Harriet Bograd has been a part of the dedicated Kulanu leadership for many years and in an email last week, she shared that she had recently become President of the group, taking over for Jack Zeller, one of Kulanu’s founders and a major force in the organization’s success over the years. After our initial contact by email, Harriet and I spent some time on the phone reviewing all of the many places where Kulanu has made an impact in fostering Judaism. Of course, the Abuyudaya community was a focal point and it was particularly gratifying to learn that Gershom Sizomu, a long-time leader among the Abuyudyan community, had just returned to Uganda after completing five years in formal Rabbinic training in the States. At last, the Abuyudaya would have a religious leader recognized by world Jewry, and Uganda would have a Chief Rabbi! Harriet went on to mention that with Kulanu’s help, Alex Armah, a leader in the Ghanaian Jewish community was now spending several months studying with the newly-ordained Rabbi Gershom so that he can return to Ghana with more Jewish knowledge to share with his community. Everything that Harriet was sharing was so exciting. Who knew that there was such a burgeoning Jewish community in Africa and what was being done to help foster their Judaism?

    What follows are excerpts from a letter that Harriet shared with us. The writer is Alex Armah, the Ghanaian Jewish leader mentioned above. Alex was in Uganda at the time of Rabbi Gershom’s ordination. After reading the letter I asked Harriet what we could do to help this type of exciting work and with little hesitation and discussion it was agreed that the Good People Fund would offer Kulanu a matching grant of $500 to cover the remaining costs of Alex Armah’s time in Uganda.

    Shalom,

    This is my first report to you. It is a wonderful in my life to experience such an occasion in the Abayudaya community in Uganda. On Monday visitors started coming from U.S.A. The Rabbis and many people also came to witness the occasion.

    Some also from African countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and people from nearby communities in Uganda. The guest house was full of Rabbis…

    I was surprised to see officials from the Government of Uganda, officials from Islamic religion and Christians. On Thursday a long bus of students from many Jewish communities from the U.S.A, Canada, and Israel came to welcome our Africa Jewish Rabbi.

    Many students also came to perform at the ceremony. African drummers and the Abayudaya High School choir also came with their welcome songs for the Rabbis from all over the country. Everyone on the field was very happy.

    On the Friday Sabbath eve the synagogue was full of people from Mbale, Apach and many places. People were standing outside of the synagogue.

    What I have known from the Rabbi is that he is a lovely man, with the Spirit of God, who fears God and is a hard worker towards the service of God. I am so happy to see many African Jews whom I did not dream to meet them at all.

    Due to Rabbi Gershom I hope all the Jews in Africa will come together as one community. So we all share ideas. He is dedicated to the work that he has been ordained to do.

    The Rabbis who came, they did not come only for the installation but they came to share Torah, Mishna, and religious ideas with the whole community that they met on this occasion.

    There are many things that I was surprised about here in Uganda. How the community members are happy to welcome visitors and also dedicated to the community.

    The community has done something that is marvelous in the eyes of many people here in Uganda. They have a school comprised with Jews, Islamic, Christians and other students within the district as a whole.

    My trip here has enabled me to come and experience in the service of the community here and Ghana…

    And I hope this is not the only Rabbi that we will have in Africa. Due to the hard work he is doing here in Uganda he will produce more African Rabbis to help him with his good work done.

    Thank you!

    Yours faithfully,

    Alex

    Alex Armah
    Community Liason

    Indeed, it is olam katan-a truly small world in which we live!

    Filed under: Good News Update

    A Little Bit of Help Can Make All of the Difference

    August 4, 2008

    August 04, 2008

    A Little Bit of Help Can Make All of the Difference

    From time to time we learn of a situation where a little bit of help can make a truly profound difference in someone’s life or in the life of an entire family. Such was the case when we heard from Avshalom Beni, founder of HAMA, and one of Israel’s best when it comes to animal-assisted therapy. In the course of his work Avshalom often encounters such situations, and so he was writing recently to tell us about the G. family. The husband and wife in this Ethiopian family arrived in Israel several years ago as teens and since that time married and started a family which now includes four children, the oldest of whom is 13. Both parents work for minimum wages as caretakers in Israeli hospitals. For this work they receive no benefits of any kind and no job security whatsoever. They are dedicated, highly intelligent workers, so proud that they would never apply for any public assistance no matter what the family situation.

    Their 13 year old daughter recently celebrated her Bat Mitzvah and has one dream that has yet to come true-a computer! How much of a difference a computer could make for this special family.

    Avshalom asked if there was any way we could possibly provide the laptop computer, a printer and ten lessons for the family? The cost? About $1600. With some help from recent religious schools’ donations, this young girl and her family will receive their computer and lessons and who can imagine what other worlds will open up for them with this gift?

    Filed under: Good News Update

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