Tucked away in a remote spot near Israel’s Dead Sea is a hidden reserve called Einot Tsukim—actually the lowest nature reserve in the world. Filled with pools of natural spring water, we can think of no better place for a group of kids  from Camp Shutaf to escape to during their summer camp experience last month.

When Miriam Avraham and Beth Steinberg, Shutaf’s dedicated founders wrote asking if the Good People Fund could possibly cover the cost of a bus that would take the kids on this special outing, who could say no?

The pictures just arrived and it appears that the kids had the best time. Our only regret? Why couldn’t we have been there, too?

Something about this picture which was sent early this morning by the Gabriel Project Mumbai has captivated us…the colors? The look of hope on the women’s faces, perhaps? Or, is it just stunning because it represents one more success for Jacob Sztokman’s dream of helping to alleviate the extreme poverty of Mumbai’s slums? Women’s empowerment groups (those smiling faces) receive micro-credit funding to purchase the ingredients for the meals they prepare daily for the 500 children in the program. These nutritious lunches are the only complete meal the kids may get that day. Now, rather than cook in their individual homes, the women have a central kitchen in which to work and perhaps, even expand their operation allowing for even greater improvement of their own family’s well-being.

Perhaps you’d like to help the Good People Fund purchase some of the utensils the women will need in their food preparation?

For “Solomon,”  life was coming to an end at Jerusalem’s St. Louis French Hospital, a small and historic facility that cares for mostly terminal or chronically ill patients. Though he had acquired many close friends through his life in Israel, “Solomon” had no family and as the end neared it was Rabbi Miriam Berkowitz from Kashouvot who came to visit and offer support. As I read Miriam’s account of her visit with “Solomon” I was both moved by the beautiful heartfelt words she shared with someone whose life was waning, and also stunned to realize that what she was doing was a rare occurrence in a country where rabbis are in abundance and we would expect end-of-life pastoral care to be the norm.

For Miriam and her friend and co-founder, Rabbi Valerie Stessin starting Kashouvot was the culmination of their wish to bring “together our skills, passions and interests with a deep need in Israel for opening meaningful Jewish experiences to a wider range of people.” The two chose the Hebrew word “Kashouvot” which translates to “attentive” in English. Put simply, pastoral care begins with attentive listening and that is what they and their small staff provide to hospital and home hospice patients, residents in nursing homes, and others.

With the help of a Good People Fund grant and additional matching funds, Kashouvot has now started an additional program at Hadassah Hospital as well as at a nursing home further north.

Lest we think that all that they do is associated with death and dying, we were thrilled when we heard their story about the wedding that they facilitated for two nursing home residents (aged 78 and 85). Between the bride and groom and the home’s staff, there wasn’t a dry eye to be found anywhere!

  The three smiling veterans sitting atop this new ‘Gator at Veterans Farm in Jacksonville, Florida could not be happier with their new “toy.” As Adam Burke, Veterans Farm founder wrote today, “

“It is sooo cool to have this and it is already making a difference. It was funny seeing the guys’ reactions as it was like seeing them at Christmastime. This machine has been so very helpful this harvest season. Last month we graduated another group of 5 veterans, and we’ve just started another group of 5 this month. The past 3 months we’ve been working sun up ’til sun down getting the crops out of the fields.“

We can see easily how this small, compact vehicle can zip around the farm carrying both staff and equipment to where it is needed. Certainly one of the Good People Fund’s best investments in Adam’s special work with returning veterans and training them for a new life.