Jaroslawa Lewicka was but a child growing up in Zloczow (Ukraine) in 1941. As the war raged nearby, many of her Jewish neighbors had their homes confiscated and were not allowed to move about, even just to buy some food. Jaroslawa’s grandfather could not remain silent during this time and with the help of his daughter and granddaughter, not only delivered food and medicine to a large group who were hidden some distance away, but also managed to hide two young girls until the area was liberated in 1944. It was often Jaroslawa herself, only 8 or 9 years of age, who managed to slip past the Ukrainian guards with food hidden in her school backpack.

Today, Jaroslawa lives in Israel and has been recognized by Yad Vashem as a Righteous Gentile. At age 75 she is relatively healthy, lives independently and is regularly visited by our friends at ATZUM, a great organization begun by Rabbi Levi Lauer which focuses on several specific at-risk populations in Israel, including Righteous Gentiles. When Yael Rosen, director of ATZUM’s Righteous Gentiles project, wrote early this morning asking if the Good People Fund could possibly underwrite the cost of some extra help for Jaroslawa the answer was never in question. Saying no is not an option when it comes to helping someone who, at a very young age, risked her life so that others would live.

It is an honor.

POSTSCRIPT
We received this a few days after our posting:
Dear Naomi,

Have a good week,
Yulia

John S.* was the victim of identity theft – a nightmare for anyone, but for John, even more daunting because John is deaf. When his stolen credit cards resulted in nearly $7500 in consumer debt, the card company hired a law firm to collect. The firm had an incorrect address for John and he never received the notice of complaint – making an already difficult situation that much worse. With no response from John, the law firm filed a judgment against him and soon after, his modest wages were garnished. Now John could not pay his rent and with missed rent payments came an eviction notice. John was about to become homeless.

For any of us this scenario would be extraordinarily difficult. For a deaf person, navigating the legal system can be an impossible effort. With the help of Bruce Gitlin and the New York Center for Law and Justice (www.lawjusticecenter.org) that he founded last year, John was able to successfully appeal the improperly served summons and complaint, have his wages restored and the threat of eviction eliminated.

Though a seasoned attorney, Bruce never really forgot his earliest years in practice when he met a deaf woman who was an activist on behalf of the deaf community. She herself was not an attorney but she began a clearinghouse for legal service matters involving the deaf community with the help of others who agreed to serve on a pro bono basis. It was then that Bruce "immediately appreciated the profound need for the representation of the indigent, deaf." As years passed and his regular legal practice continued Bruce’s interest in serving those who lived in poverty, particularly those with a disability never waned. As he began to study for the rabbinate it seemed even more appropriate that he bring all of his professional skills together in an organization that could help those in the New York indigent, deaf and hard-of-hearing community.

We’ve met Bruce a few times and were impressed with his gentle nature, his passion for social justice and his willingness to take on this work. The Good People Fund is committed to underwriting both the cost of ASL (American Sign Language) interpreters who accompany indigent, deaf clients to their attorneys, as well as to the clients’ transportation costs, when necessary.

What a great model for other communities where the indigent, deaf population is underserved and forgotten.

*"John" is a pseudonym.

It doesn’t really matter where you live; a new Harry Potter movie is an irresistible attraction to kids (and adults) throughout the world. As the Hanukkah week was coming to an end the kids at Beit Hayeled (A very special small home we have written about many times. Here, kids who are removed from their parents by the Israeli courts have a chance to live in a loving, supportive environment under the watchful care of Yitz Feigenbaum and Irit Zucker) were treated to a holiday gift from the Good People Fund and several donors. The "gift" was an outing to the mall cinema where everyone enjoyed popcorn during the movie and pizza, soda and ice cream for dessert. We heard that the kids gave the movie four stars and are looking forward to the sequel.

Meanwhile, in Jerusalem 26 kids who come from very poor families in the Baka neighborhood were each presented with gift certificates by Karyn and Zehava who head up a group of neighborhood volunteers who provide monthly food packages to several families struggling to put sufficient food on the family table. Immediately after we completed the purchase of the certificates, Karyn sent the following:

We felt very good about the generous vouchers and the idea of letting the children choose their own toys, given the fact that they are now older and it’s more difficult to decide what they would enjoy.

Thanks for making it possible. You added a lot of joy to these families’ lives this Channukah. Sometimes the basic food items are simply not enough.

It was our pleasure to act on behalf of the Good People Fund’s donors…

It is with a deep feeling of thankfulness and wonder that I sit down this morning and write you this thank-you note. There aren’t enough words for me to express the way you have made this family feel. Thank you most kindly for the water heater. It is something we will use daily and daily we will be reminded of your kindness and generosity. It will be a reminder to us that there are some very wonderful, good people in this world that care for those in need. There are times in life that a person loses all hope, in fact that happened to us and just when we were going to fall and give up you stretched out your hand and helped us up…

The Smith’s*

The writer is the wife of a veteran soldier who is 100% service disabled with a severe seizure disorder. Randi Cairns of Home Front Hearts shared their story with us a few weeks ago and when we learned how this family of four was managing we decided to help. In addition to heating water on the stove to take baths, the family had just saved enough money to install a wood stove to heat at least part of their rustic home set in rural Arkansas. With personal expenses mounting and disability payments decreasing it has become impossible for the family to manage and the coming holiday season will be one with few if any gifts. When Randi shared everyone’s wish list we were not surprised – mixed in with a few personal items like books and clothing were electric mattress pads, warm blankets, flannel sheets…clearly staying warm is on everyone’s mind.

So, in addition to the hot water heater which we purchased the other day, new warm comforters, sheets and some other items from the wish lists are also on the way.

As Linda Smith, the Mom, wrote in one of her emails…These hardships happen in life and we will get back on our feet again. It is just a matter of time. We are happy that the Good People Fund was able to warm the holidays for this special family and hope that the "time" she refers to is really just ahead.

*The family name has been changed.

He’s a young man. His name is Zak and, like most other young Israelis, he has seen active duty as a soldier in the IDF.

Zak’s story, though, takes a sharp turn after he returns from serving in the First Lebanon War. It seems that the only way he can "tune out" the sounds and the images of the war is to surround himself with loud music. And that is how he arrived at the Israel National Therapeutic Riding Association a mere ten weeks ago to begin his therapeutic riding sessions. Anita Shkedi, INTRA’s founder, sent us this picture about an hour ago – she had taken it just as the sun was going down at INTRA’s site along the Mediterranean.

Zak’s war experiences left him with severe PTSD. For nearly ten years he rarely slept, his brain was always running, medications left him disoriented and some medical treatments actually put him in an even worse state. When he came to Anita not even three months ago, the only way they could get him up on a horse was to surround him with music blaring from the arena’s loudspeakers. Time – time was what Zak needed and slowly, after three weeks, he began to appear regularly for his sessions and the loud music no longer accompanied him. The horse became his friend and calmed him. When Anita sent this morning’s email and picture she was in awe of the changes she was seeing right in front of her eyes. Zak was laughing, sitting around INTRA’s grounds chatting with others, lighting up his cigarette. She felt that she was looking at another person and again marveled at the miracles that man and animal can foster.

What better way to approach the lighting of the first Hanukkah candle?

Postscript:
A few hours after posting this and sharing it with Anita, she wrote back:
Tonight I gave him the pictures of him smiling while on the phone. He said it’s all because of the horse. He asked me if he could come in a week on another day, just to be here. — I am very happy.

Without a doubt, the best part of the work that we do is the amazing people we meet along the way – the "good people". But – along with the highs that come with interacting with such Giants is the sadness that comes when they die. This week one of the very best has died. On Tuesday Herman Berman, founder of the Bagel Brigade in Los Angeles passed away at the age of 90.

We should not have been surprised. In the more than ten years that we knew Herman every conversation included mention of his beloved wife Annie who he lovingly cared for over the years of her long illness. Two weeks ago we traveled to Los Angeles to meet Herman and his fellow Bagel Brigade volunteers (as well as several other Good People Fund programs). The day before our scheduled meeting with him we learned that Annie had died only a few days before and despite his grief, Herman declared that "life goes on" and we should proceed with our plans to meet him at his home. Regardless of the passing of several years since we last met, Herman was the same. Yes, he had aged but the sparkle in his eyes and his clear mind were evident. When his grandson and great-grandson stopped in for a brief visit, there was such a palpable resonance of love and adoration radiating between them that you could feel it in the room. When Herman asked us for assurances that the Bagel Brigade would continue in the event that he died, everyone agreed. As our visit came to an end and I bent over to say good-bye, I did not doubt that this would be our last interaction and that somehow, now that Herman had heard from everyone that his work would go on, he was free to join his beloved Annie. Thirteen days later he did just that.

Who will ever know how many people – kids, adults – in the San Fernando Valley went to bed with a full stomach because Herman remembered his early life when food was not so plentiful. It was those experiences that compelled him to begin the Bagel Brigade which gathers volunteers each day to collect leftover baked goods from retail markets and deliver them to local schools, pantries and shelters where they will nourish hungry people. To Herman it was just the right thing to do and so he just did it!