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.

Marc Suvall is a regular guy…raised a family, worked hard at a job for many years. Life was good. When the opportunity to retire presented itself Marc realized that this was his chance to do what he really enjoyed…helping people.

When we were introduced we learned about how Marc spends a good part of his week sans suit and tie—teaching at a women’s prison, an inner-city school, helping where he can; places where he can have an impact and hopefully, change lives for the better. One statement in particular resonated with us as we exchanged mitzvah ideas and stories…when the occasion presents itself and Marc hands over a $5 bill to a hungry person or impacts the life of a poor kid in school he feels those are the "moments I found God".

An apt description we think and so, when we heard about IS98 Herman Ridder Middle School in a very poor Bronx neighborhood our interest was peaked. Kids at IS98 come from the nearby housing projects and local shelters. As a volunteer math teacher, Marc knows the conditions these students live in. He also knows that the school’s basketball team currently playing in old t-shirts with numbers painted on with marker, would benefit immensely from more professional uniforms. Having real uniforms would provide a huge lift to the kids and a real sense of dignity and pride.

Could the Good People Fund help? It was our pleasure and pictured above is the team, beaming in their new attire. We suspect this added boost may help them win in many different ways.

Dear Unknown Friend,

Thanks again and again!
Millie

In our previous post entitled Mike and Millie we shared the story of an elderly couple, both wheelchair-bound, for most of their lives. When a devastating neurological event struck Mike he was moved to a nursing home in a mostly non-responsive state. When the electronic lift on the van that was used to bring Millie to a once-a-week visit broke, the family, beset by other financial problems, had difficulty paying for the repairs. A social worker we rely on for cases just like this shared Millie and Mike’s story and we knew the Good People Fund could help.

Clearly, our intervention has meant the world to Millie and her independence…we could not be happier to give her this boost.

Millie and Mike have shared a long life. Despite both of their (lifelong) disabilities which confine them to wheelchairs, they have remained together, stable and devoted to each other’s well-being.

Last year, the unthinkable happened. Mike suffered a traumatic brain injury resulting in numerous hospitalizations and now, confinement in a nursing facility. To make it easier for their son to visit on a regular basis, Mike was placed in a home that is near his son but more than an hour away from Millie. Once each week, their son picks up his mother and brings her to his house and then to the nearby home to be with Mike. Millie reads to Mike, talks to him and holds his hand, certain that despite his lack of awareness he senses that she is there.

And now, a new crisis has occurred. The motorized lift on their son’s van has broken. Without it, Millie’s wheelchair cannot fit in the car and so, when she visits her son she is essentially trapped in the house, requiring help to go anywhere. The cost of repairing the lift was $700 but with very limited income and Medicaid, even that charge is difficult for Millie to cover. (Her son– with the responsibilities of a large family is also living on a limited budget and cannot take on this additional expense.)

A social worker who works with an elderly, indigent population shared Millie and Mike’s story with us this afternoon. Could the Good People Fund help?

Could we not? Within a few minutes of responding we learned that Millie cried when she was told the repairs would be covered. She “couldn’t believe that there were such nice people in this world.”

As we follow the news from Israel, one of the most troubling situations we see is the presence of African refugees from Sudan, Eritrea and other nations who have sought safety in that country. Many are seeking refuge from torture, death threats and systemic rape. The situation is beyond complex.

In the past several weeks we have received first-hand reports about a true humanitarian crisis currently underway in Tel Aviv where more refugees find themselves with neither shelter nor basic food. With an unusually cold and wet winter, the situation has gotten only worse; so much so that a few weeks ago someone actually died of exposure while sleeping in the park.

To meet the extraordinary challenges brought about by this crisis, a few small organizations have joined together to locate an appropriate shelter where many people can spend the night, protected from the cold and rain. With the shelter now in place until warmer weather arrives, we learned about the need for simple mattresses. Within but five minutes this morning a call was made to Israel and we were able to arrange for the purchase of 100 mattresses, at a cost of less than $2000.

Compassion and tolerance…also integral parts of tikkun olam.