Mmm …it’s summertime and the fruit around our way is juicy and plentiful. Peaches, nectarines, plums, grapes, melons…. All are abundant and healthy.
Imagine a life without fruit. For most of the kids living in the slums of Mumbai fruit is not part of their diet. For so many, even one simple meal each day is beyond reach. But, for those kids fortunate to be part of Gabriel Project Mumbai, a program started by Jacob Sztokman and dedicated to fighting hunger, child labor, malnutrition and illiteracy for the children living in the slums, hunger is no longer a significant part of their lives.
Now, almost two years since beginning its work, GPM has begun to see the benefits of the kids’ daily meal…attendance at school is up over 50%, kids are more attentive, healthier…it just makes sense.

When Jacob recently came to us with the idea of adding fruit to the kids’ diets we knew the outcome could be only good. After all, isn’t fruit an integral part of all of our diets? Vitamins, minerals, fiber…the benefits are huge. $18,000 will provide 1000 children with daily fruit for one year.
The Good People Fund has agreed to match up to $9,000 to make this program possible. After all, life without an apple or strawberry is no life at all…

 

We have written many times about Gideon Ben Ami, our friend in Tel Aviv who derives great pleasure from feeding people who are hungry and with so few resources that a nutritious meal is beyond their means.

Gideon’s latest venture involves the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables grown in Israel and how, with Gideon’s hard work and the generosity of Leket, Israel’s premier food rescue organization, we are now getting this nutritious bounty to people who rarely enjoy tomatoes, eggplant, sweet potatoes, corn, beets, peppers and more.

A true entrepreneur long before the term became fashionable; Gideon always finds creative, economical and meaningful ways to improve others’ lives. This is what seems to fuel his very soul. From feeding breakfast to African refugees in Levinsky Park some years ago, to daily pick-ups from Tel Aviv’s restaurants, bakeries and supermarkets, Gideon seems to be guided by the mitzvah of lechem l’r’eyvim, feeding hungry people.

Between Sunday and Monday this week Gideon picked up and distributed nearly 100 cases of fresh produce along with some “bonuses” like hot pretzels and hamburger rolls. Who benefits? Several homeless shelters, victims of domestic violence, daycare centers for refugee children, and individual families he helps whenever he can.  Do not doubt that he is always thinking of new ideas; know that some of the tomato bounty currently growing throughout the country has been turned over to Gideon’s “soup-making” team who are now cooking huge batches of tomato sauce with lots of fresh basil. The sauce is delivered to several of the aforementioned daycare centers where it tops the pasta lunch originally served with bottled catsup!

The cost to the Good People Fund for this beautiful program? About 300 shekels ($88) for the rental of the trailer that hooks onto his van and the gasoline and insurance to run the van. Gideon estimates that before a year passes we could easily rescue and feed tons of fresh produce to hungry people.

Worth every shekel, for sure.

Though the troops have left Gaza many soldiers remain in place on the border. Tzvika Levy,  the retired lieutenant colonel in charge of a group of chayalim bodedim, lone soldiers. For the past four weeks Tzvika has been a constant presence among his soldiers offering support in any way possible. One of the most popular requests he gets is fleish al ha aish, or quite simply, a barbecue. As you can see there are many satisfied faces as Tzvika’s soldiers gather around him with burgers in hand. A few of these barbecues were made possible because of the generosity of the Good People Fund’s donors.

Judging by the news releases from the past several weeks we would imagine that food for Israel’s soldiers was not in short supply.

SPECIAL NOTE TO EDUCATORS: The Good People Fund recently produced a Grab’n’Go lesson on Tzvika’s work. You can download the lesson at https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/jewish-learning-about-tzedakah/gpf-grab-n-go-lessons/

Birthdays just come. They don’t care if there is war or peace, quiet or the sounds of rockets exploding overhead.

Thanks to the good work and creativity of Ruthie Sobel Luttenberg and her programs Birthday Angels and Design for Change, kids forced to spend the long summer days in bomb shelters won’t have their special day forgotten despite the reality surrounding them. As Ruthie has arranged in previous wars, a contingent of Israeli volunteers  travel south to bomb shelters several days each week and  provide games, songs, what certainly looks like an amazing birthday cake — and a chance to forget what is happening outside.

Added to the parties this year is a moving meditation exercise Ruthie created with help from some talented volunteers who wrote the music and the words. Watch this clip–it is guaranteed to touch your heart and mind. Though the words are in Hebrew we include the translation below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJzB4yqWIDE

The Good People Fund is honored to help Ruthie make these parties possible. No one should miss a birthday.

ANGEL MEDITATION

Find a place where you can lie down on the floor.

 And then, whenever when ever you are ready, just close your eyes.

 Listen to the music and let it take you to the quiet, safe place you have inside yourself.

In this place, everything is calm and peaceful. 

In this place, there are birthday angels who watch over all of you.

 

These are the malachim, the guardian angels.

They make you strong and protect you from harm.

Each angel stands in a special place – and each one has a special job to do.

 

In your imagination, picture the archangel Michael standing guard at your right side.

Michael is kind and loving.

He understands and accepts you just the way you are.

He reminds you that you are a very special person.

He makes you feel good about yourself and everyone around you.

Whenever you are feeling sad or lonely, Michael will stay with you until you are happy again.

 

Standing to the left of you is Gabriel.

This archangel is powerful and brave.

His gift to you is strength and courage.

With Gabriel’s help, you can let go of anything that makes you feel afraid.

Whenever you are frightened, all you have to do is call to Gabriel

and he will be there to protect you.

In front of you is Uriel – the angel of knowledge.

Uriel is wise and all knowing.

If you are feeling lost or confused, just ask Uriel for help

and he will show you what to do.

Uriel will always lead you in the right direction.

He will always help you find your way.

In back of you, stands the archangel Raphael.

Raphael is in charge of healing.

He is like a divine magician who knows how to change the bad into something good

When you are sick or in pain, Raphael will help take care of you.

Just tell him what is wrong and he will use his magic powers to make things better.

Whenever you need the archangels, all you have to do is close your eyes and imagine.

 

Michael will rush to your right side and shower you with love.

Gabriel will take his position on the left to keep you safe from harm.

Uriel will stand in front of you to light your way.

And Raphael will be there behind you, in case you need his healing help.

 

In a moment it will be time to open your eyes.

 

But even when the birthday party is over, even when you go back home,

you will still feel happy and calm, relaxed and secure  because you know you are protected by the angels.

 Here we go…

One…

Two…

Three…

Whenever you are ready, just open your eyes.