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Good News Update

Saving Jewish Lives

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The story sounds almost as if it was from a history book…Jews fleeing their homeland due to an oppressive environment where their very safety is in question. But, here we are in 2012 and that is exactly what has happened with the few remaining Jews left in Yemen. Though most have found their way to Israel, we learned recently that nine families were settled in a New York City suburb where they now find themselves in a difficult situation.

Despite the help of several local agencies, some of the  families are struggling to survive; a few owe thousands of dollars in back rent, others are unable to provide enough food for their large families.

When we heard about this situation from a trusted source our immediate response was to ask if there were needs that even local agencies were having difficulty trying to meet. The answer was simply “yes”, and that is how the Good People Fund, partnering with another resource, was able to provide funds to keep a Yemenite family in their rented U.S. home!

A Whole Lot of Watermelons!

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We recently learned that several mines had closed down around McRoberts, Kentucky where we have spent much time interacting with the local community. We knew  that there would be an increased demand for food so the Good People Fund decided to send in a trailer load of canned goods, diapers and household cleaning supplies. None of this would have been possible without the help of Joe Lordi from the Youngstown Food Bank who graciously donated everything on the truck…even the four cases of fresh watermelon!

Shabbat for ALL

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…just picture the best prayer you have ever experienced, with the most spirit.

I think that is why I do what I do. There is SOMETHING very, very spiritual and pure and joyful in watching someone who has (experienced) so many stumbling blocks in life, and then they are able to fly.

The song was joyful, ecstatic.

THANK YOU!! GOD BLESS YOU.

Rabbi Judith Edelman-Green has been passionate about creating a community for Israeli adults with special needs for many years. She founded and for several years directed the country’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah for the Special Child which provided religious training and Bar/ Bat Mitzvah experiences for special needs children. Today her focus is on the Rimon Community project which is building a true kehillah (community) for this group. While long range plans call for housing and work opportunities we loved Judith’s idea for Kulanu K’Echad (we are all one), a monthly Shabbat (early Friday afternoon) service. Filled with music and prayer, challah baking and Kiddush, Judith envisioned a joyful experience for everyone taking part.

With the Good People Fund’s financial support the very first Kulanu K’Echad took place this past Friday and from the pictures Judith sent as soon as Shabbat ended, we see that it was indeed a joyful experience and we could not think of a better tzedakah investment.

Sometimes, Even on Vacation

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Sometimes there are mitzvah opportunities that you just cannot ignore even if you are on vacation. Such was Zahava’s story. A single Ethiopian mother of two teenage sons, Zahava currently works as a warehouseman in a Netanya department store.

Life for Zahava has never been easy. She made aliyah with some family friends when she was about 12 years old. She was bright,finished her high school requirements and was offered scholarships to pursue a professional degree but her husband (she was married at this point) refused to allow her to do this. Eventually he became abusive and she and her young sons were forced to flee to a Haifa shelter for abused women. In time Zahava managed to find work and a small apartment, raising her children on her own.

Today Zahava has been offered a full scholarship to nursing school; a profession she always wanted to pursue since her earlier work in a nursing home. Fiercely independent, Zahava knows that without some help she could never take advantage of this opportunity to advance herself and improve her life and the lives of her sons.

The scholarship will take care of the full two years of school but funds for rent and other living expenses are also needed if this was to happen. When our friends at the Forgotten People Fund approached us about helping there was never any hesitation on our part. Here was an opportunity to offer a bright and highly motivated woman the chance to gain a profession and become truly self-sufficient.

With the help of several Good People Fund donors, within two days funds were raised to cover Zahava’s expenses for the full two years of school. We could not be happier.

Unchained at Last

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Hadiya*, Aditi*, and Fraidy – three women, each from distinctly different cultural and religious backgrounds, but sadly, all facing the same crisis in their lives – leaving an arranged marriage.

An arranged marriage…the term seems so out of place in our modern world and yet in our country today there are thousands of women trapped in such marriages, most with little hope of escaping what has often become a life of physical and emotional abuse.

Fraidy Reiss’ family arranged her marriage at the age of 19 and she became a mother at 20. When it became obvious that her husband was abusive, there was little Fraidy could do to help herself. She had no education, no exposure to the modern world. If she thought of leaving it was likely that she could lose custody of her (then) two children and become a pariah in her own community. Life became a nightmare and the whole idea of an arranged marriage took on a much more significant meaning. After more than ten years Fraidy graduated from college, established a career, divorced her husband and, at the same time was abandoned by her family.

Today, Fraidy is a single Mom. Joined by other women with similar experiences, the group recently began Unchained at Last, the only U.S. organization dedicated to supporting women leaving arranged marriages. As we sat with Fraidy recently we could not help but be impressed. Fraidy knows first-hand exactly what these women are experiencing. She is a serious and passionate advocate on their behalf and the organization’s pro bono legal services, social services and advocacy are critically important.

The Good People Fund has committed not only funding to this fledgling effort but also has made numerous contacts that have brought even more support to the effort.

*pseudonyms

A MILLION Pounds and Going Strong!

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Imagine sunny Southern California with its abundance of fresh produce…citrus trees, 12 month growing season…basically a green paradise filled with the healthiest food imaginable. Now, imagine gleaning more than a million pounds of that fresh produce with the help of all-volunteer crews dedicated to the harvest and distribution to local food pantries where hungry people will share the joy of this fresh food. This was the dream of Rick Nahmias, founder of Food Forward, one of our recent grantees.

In a phone exchange this morning, Rick shared that over the weekend the organization reached a significant milestone–a total of more than 1,000,1000 pounds of fresh produce gleaned since starting in 2009.

With the new Farmer’s Market initiative which provides volunteer pickups at three local markets (with more to come after the process is evaluated) we know it will not be long before Food Forward doubles its numbers and more people who rely on food banks for sustenance will be able to enjoy the abundance of fresh produce.