How many of us have ever heard of Suriname?

If you have, did you know that there is a Jewish community there?

In fact, Suriname is not only the smallest country in South America, but also home to the oldest surviving Jewish community in the Americas.

Our friends at Kulanu who are dedicated to discovering and assisting little-known Jewish communities found in remote corners of the world, were in touch a few months ago to ask if we might be able to help with their latest Suriname project. When we learned what it was, we could not say no. Kulanu has initiated many different programs to awaken Jewish interest in the small community, but the one program that they so much wanted to make happen was a birthright Israel trip for 16 young adults. When birthright agreed to fund the trip and provide a Dutch-speaking guide, it was left to Kulanu to find the funds which would get these young travelers to Miami where they would catch the flight to Israel. The local community would do some of their own fund-raising and the Good People Fund offered Kulanu a $2000 matching grant to get them on the way to the full $12,000 they needed.

It didn’t take long for others to step up and meet the challenge, and tomorrow 18 young people from Suriname, along with an advisor, will depart for the Holy Land.

As one of them wrote:

…the family that I descend from came to Suriname at the end of the 17th century. I want to learn much more about Judaism. I just started to have lessons with Rabbi Haim Beliak who left a few weeks ago and now I study with Mr. Jules Donk, the president of the community.

I’m very excited about the Birthright trip to Israel; I can’t wait to see Israel. I’m hoping the trip will become an unforgettable experience.

We know it will be….

How many times does reliable transportation prevent an individual or family from rising above economic distress?

We suspect it is not a rare occurrence so when we spoke recently with Marc Fogel, chairman of Yad Chessed, a small, highly efficient Boston-based organization which provides funds for families and individuals who suddenly find themselves without the means to survive economically, we learned of a chance to possibly reverse one family’s downward spiral.

Marc shared the story of a family where the wife has lost her job and run out of unemployment benefits.

Her husband has the potential to make good money as a court stenographer but only gets called for jobs intermittently. Recently, one call seemed to turn the situation around when it led to other calls. Sadly, the jobs are in a wide geographic area (up to 50 miles away) and he has no car. If he turns them down he is sure to jeopardize future assignments. (A serious back problem prevents him from using public transportation). If he uses a cab, sometimes the fees are so high that they wipe out the very income that he makes by taking the job.

How could we help? Working with Yad Chessed, the Good People Fund contributed funds to allow the family to purchase a decent used car that will provide reliable transportation and perhaps, forestall the inevitable collapse that could come from this difficult situation.

A wise investment, for sure.

Joe Lordi has run the Youngstown Community Food Bank for years. Quietly, and often at great personal expense, he helps those living in the Mahoning Valley around Youngstown, Ohio who struggle to put food on their table each day. Whether the temperature soars to unbearable levels or drops to single digits, Joe (and his volunteers) can be found outside, loading and unloading trailers and greeting those who count on the food bank for help.

It was no surprise to us a few days ago when we received a call about an effort in progress to help make life better for Joe and his family. We knew that his selfless nature, devotion to others’ welfare, and his modesty would not allow him to reach out for his own needs but, fortunately, some of his volunteers recognized that the time had come to lend a hand to the Lordi family. And, lend a hand is just what they did. Local businesses, craftsmen and volunteers are about to finish their own "extreme makeover" of the Lordi house and when we asked how we could be part of their effort, we learned that some new furniture would be a welcome addition to the freshly painted rooms, replacement windows, new roof and flooring.

How good it feels to give back to someone who gives so much. The Good People Fund hopes that Joe and his family spend many good years in their "new" home and that the volunteers who were part of the mitzvah realize just how important this was.

Even though we do this every year, there is still excitement and satisfaction when we complete our plans for the purchase of supermarket scrip for Rosh Hashonah food. Between Israel and the United States, more than $10,000 in scrip and food will be distributed in the next few weeks. Who will enjoy a sweeter new year because our donors (including several generous religious school classes) cared enough to contribute to this need? …elders living on minimal limited funds…many Holocaust survivors who struggle daily in so many ways, the "working poor" who despite a job never quite have enough money left for sufficient food, let alone something sweet…

Knowing that so many families and individuals will hopefully experience some joy as the new year approaches makes us feel good this warm summer morning when the prospect of a quickly approaching New Year seems particularly strange.

"Ella"* spent the years during the Second World War in a work camp. Her two brothers were less fortunate – they were among the six million who perished during the Shoah.

Now in Israel and also widowed, she, like so many others, lives on less than $15,000 a year.

When our friend Darla Oz from House to House recently visited Ella she saw immediately how difficult life was…her stove was broken, her gas dryer was also in need of repair. Someone to help clean the tiny apartment would also benefit this 80+ year old woman.

But, as Darla shared, her most important need was clearly working hearing aids. Speaking to Ella on the phone was almost impossible, face-to-face was only slightly easier. Socializing with friends was difficult, leading her to even greater isolation. When Darla inquired about the aids, Ella explained that she did go to the audiologist but when she asked him if he could repair them he only laughed. When she asked why, "He said, ‘Look, your hearing aids are 40 years old! What do you want?’"

Through the generosity of one of our donors, Ella will have a new hearing aid and who can imagine how the world will open up for her!

*To respect her privacy, we are using a pseudonym.

Dear Gary,

I just got a call from Ranya Kelly outside of Denver. She runs the Redistribution Center and has a small pantry which is helpful to many local people who just don’t have enough to eat.

I told her to register with AmpleHarvest.org months ago and she got a call from the local community garden! They will be delivering lots of fresh produce to her as the crop starts to comes in….
AmpleHarvest.org really does work!

For those of you now reaping the crops you planted in the Spring, visit AmpleHarvest.org to find a local soup kitchen or food pantry that will gladly take the excess food you cannot use/give away to friends and family.

And…speaking of Ranya, we are so proud to know her and to be part of her very special work. The lives of thousands of people have been changed because of her never-ending dedication to retrieving new merchandise from manufacturers and retailers and getting it to people who need it. In fact, we are not the only ones who are impressed…Ranya was recently named a finalist by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society for Citizen Service Above Self.

An honor we know is beyond deserved!