What I saw on my trip was astounding — we brought aid to so many and could see the results of our help over the years. Some were doing well as a result, much improved. Especially if they had at least one family member. For those who are alone the situation was bleak — the poverty is unimaginable. They are far worse off than I dreamed. Alone and forgotten, in small huts that are falling apart (literally), with no other aid given. We were greeted with every kindness and they insisted we share their meager foodstuffs. …We felt like the cavalry in an old western. It was an honor to be the messenger of so much generosity and goodwill.

This is an excerpt from a recent email from Zane Buzby, a Hollywood comedy director whose resume includes such TV hits as Golden Girls and Blossom. It was Zane’s search for her family’s roots in Eastern Europe that changed her life forever. Upon arriving in Lithuania, she witnessed the extreme poverty experienced by (some of) the thousands of remaining Holocaust survivors who live their last days without sufficient food, medical attention or other basic needs. How was it possible that these people who had experienced such pain and torment in their younger years were now left forgotten by most of the world?

This question stayed with Zane long after she returned to the comfort of her home here in America. The faces and the stories of the elders she visited would not go away and she soon knew she had to do something. With the help of her dear friend Chic Wolk who agreed to provide the necessary funds, and Professor Dovid Katz of Vilnius University who first introduced her to some of the survivors, Zane began The Survivor Mitzvah Project in 2004. The program’s goals are simple – distribute modest sums of money directly to these survivors so that their lives might be just a bit easier.

When we spoke with Zane right before her December, 2009 trip to the region, we could not miss the excitement and the passion in her voice as she described the many individuals she has met in her previous trips. We could also hear her frustration knowing that she could not possibly provide for every one of these survivors. The Good People Fund committed funds for Zane to deliver to those she would meet on this trip.

The report Zane sent us recently included the first paragraph of this diary entry as well as some beautiful and poignant pictures of the elders she met. We suggest you visit http://survivormitzvah.org to learn more. This is a meaningful program that surely does save lives.

"Your check arrived in time to pay for the electricity bills for heating and it will (also) enable me to assist the families with medication, tutoring and so many other needs…."

Zev

This belated letter from Zev Birger arrived a few days ago. Several years ago Zev and his late wife, Trudi (z"l), were approached by Teddy Kollek, then the mayor of Jerusalem, and asked if they would "adopt" some very poor families in the Romema section of the city. Since that time, the Birgers have helped many, many families not only with food, clothing and other basics, but also with education costs.

More recently, Zev decided to provide many families with electric heaters to help warm their cold and drafty apartments during the cold winter months. Mindful of the dangers of kerosene heaters, Zev believed that this would be an effective solution to the problem. The only downside are the increased electric bills which most families cannot pay from their meager income. The Good People Fund continues to provide some much-needed tzedakah money to help meet this critical need.

With no staff, no overhead, Zev’s needs provide a perfect way to use our donors’ tzedakah.

In the work that we do, we can always be certain of emotional highs and lows. Some days, the juxtaposition of those feelings can occur within hours of each other. Today was one of those days.

The morning email brought me pictures of smiling little girls in their new ballet shoes. The girls all live in a small development town in Israel and we connected with them through Sophie, a young woman we know who is doing her National Service in that particular town. Sophie works with the schools in the morning and helps run the community center in the afternoon. Since she herself loves ballet and has studied it for more than 15 years, she thought it would be a great idea to offer a special ballet/dance class for two groups of girls aged 8-11. All the girls come from very poor families and many are recent Ethiopian immigrants. The biggest problem would be finding the funds to underwrite the cost of some ballet slippers and perhaps, some tights. When Sophie wrote us, we knew this was a tzedakah opportunity we could not pass up and sent her out to find the best deal she could for her new students. Before long we were talking to a Jerusalem ballet store, arranging payment for twenty sets of shoes and tights for the budding ballerinas. As promised, Sophie sent us some great photos of the girls in their new attire. What a great tzedakah investment!

Within a few hours of receiving Sophie’s beautiful pictures we received an email from a social worker we know–also based in Israel. Her problem? She is working with a single mother whose husband is not living with the family but continues to threaten that he will kill her. They have no bars on their 4th floor apartment and no money to pay for them. Could we help?

So the day goes…

"You are a life saver. Until that check arrived, I did not know how I was going to pay for about $300 of various Rx of eye drops that had been requested and already charged to the credit card. We still have one more to buy tomorrow. The rest of the money will go with me to Cuba for the various needs I encounter…"

So began a letter we just received from June Safran, the founder and inspiration behind Cuba American Jewish Mission, an all-volunteer organization that is dedicated to the revival of Jewish life in Cuba. We have worked with June for years and know that whatever funds we give her will be used quickly and efficiently on behalf of Cuba’s small but very vibrant Jewish community. Medications, baby supplies, help for an autistic child, cultural programs and more, are all part of CAJM’s efforts.

There is no question that the vast amount of work we do is joyous and nearly always brings a smile to our face. After all, what could be bad about helping people?

And yet, on a rare occasion, we are called upon to help in what can only be described as a tragedy. That was the situation one morning a few weeks ago when we opened an email from Pam Koner, founder of Family to Family, which directs its work to helping people who live in rural poverty in communities around the country.

Pam had just received a request from one of her contacts in a Navajo community in New Mexico. The story was simple but incredibly sad. During the night of January 10 a fire broke out in the home of a community member. In addition to the parents, there are 7 children between the ages of 2 and 18. Killed in the fire was a five year old daughter and seriously injured was a developmentally disabled seven year old who was airlifted to an Albuquerque hospital. In addition to housing, the family needed help with providing a proper burial for their young child. Could we help?

How could we not?

"Dear All,

Julie :):)"

That was the note that came in today’s mail along with a very generous check which Julie and her family decided should be used to provide books and other materials for the kids at Beit Hayeled in Israel. Julie is a great lover of books and reading and, in addition to donating books to several places near her home, wanted to help kids in Israel, as well. Yitz Feigenbaum at the group home tells us this will provide a lot of new and interesting resources to the kids living there.

We couldn’t be happier about making the connection, thus allowing Julie to share her interest in books with kids who might otherwise not have this opportunity!