Thank you soo much for allowing me the opportunity to go to the best place outside of my home. This with be my 7th summer and will be the greatest summer ever. 

You don’t normally think of the necessities that go along with formal cooking classes. Showing up with an apron doesn’t quite do it anymore. With that in mind, we were excited to help Kerry Brodie, founder of Emma’s Torch which trains New York-area refugees in the culinary arts, by offering a matching grant for the purchase of the essentials.

As classes begin, Adwa, a young woman from Saudi Arabia is seen here in her new clogs, uniform and professional knife.

This weekend the new Brooklyn cafe run by Emma’s Torch students will open and we are sure that Adwa and her classmates will get a lot of practice using their newly learned knife skills.

https://vimeo.com/214125341

Did you know that 1 in 7 college students worry about where their next meal may come from? In California, that number is even more dire–1 in 3 struggle with hunger insecurity daily. Pretty sobering facts when you assume that people who can go to college could surely afford proper nutrition.

In 2009, Rachel Sumekh and her friends, all students at UCLA, used their meal cards to purchase sandwiches which they distributed to hungry people along the city’s streets. Eventually, the number of meals purchased with meal points reached 15,000. With so much unused funding left on students’ cards, Rachel and her friends uncovered an enormous resource that could be used to feed hungry people throughout the community and on campus. Swipe Out Hunger is the organization that Rachel now leads, dedicated to empowering students on campuses across the country to end hunger and homelessness.

We were introduced to Rachel a few months ago and learned quite quickly how this inspiring young woman has already brought the program to more than 26 campuses across the country (with more coming on board), as well as having successfully lobbied the California legislature to address the issue of hunger on campus through student meal sharing practices.

Our matching grant helped make possible a record-breaking $76,000 infusion for Swipe Out Hunger so that students like Emily, the focus of this video, will never experience hunger again.

Much as it is here, Independence Day in Israel is all about barbecues, family outings and the beginning of summer.

For the past few years, Avraham Hayon and our friends at S.A.H.I., an organization which focuses on helping troubled youth through a program that teaches compassion and giving, mark Israel’s independence in a poignant way that reminds everyone of the true meaning of the celebration. While barbecues and beaches are fun, S.A.H.I. participants visit thousands of elders, handing out flowers and hugs and thanking them for their role in building the country. This year, even more groups are involved as “the public is urged to add, each in his or her own way, new meaning to the day.”

It is difficult to watch this film and not get a little teary. It reminds us of the kaleidoscope of different cultures that make up Israel, and also how much strength is gained when everyone comes together.

Yom Huledet Sameach, Israel!

In Israel today, Yom HaZichoron, the country mourns the thousands of lives lost through war and terror attacks. In a place so small, there is no one untouched by these losses. To our friend and grantee, Anita Shkedi, co-founder of the Israel National Therapeutic Riding Association, today is a day of personal pain. Please take a moment to read how one person’s loss has turned into hope for others damaged by war.

Dear Friends,

Today, Yom Hazikaron, is a day of reflection here in Israel as we remember those who have lost their lives in defense of the country. For my family and friends, Yom Hazikaron holds special meaning as we remember my son, Jonathan, who joined the Israeli Army and served his country with pride and enthusiasm. Jonathan died from traumatic brain injuries after being mortally wounded on a rescue mission in the Lebanon. He was a fighter and a very brave soldier. I gave the State of Israel my most precious possession and was left with a choice; either to remain paralyzed at home, or go back to work and cope with this loss by dedicating the rest of my life to his memory. I consider one of INTRA’s most important projects – the mental health and well-being of those who return from war — to be my life’s work, and it is my response to the devastation of Jonathan’s death. It was the best way I knew to help soldiers who return home damaged by the horrors of war. 

Since the Yom Kippur War many thousands of soldiers have arrived home from campaigns with severe injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD is a severe mental health problem that causes intense anxiety, fear, helplessness, and often horror.) Sadly, since the second Intifada  and Operation Protective Edge in 2014 the numbers of soldiers with PTSD symptoms have escalated to tragic proportions. Veteran soldiers suffering from PTSD constantly re-experience the traumatic event, causing them to avoid activities of normal life. PTSD leaves many with a feeling they will always have a gun at their head. Unable to find peace and happiness, they become depressed, have difficulties falling asleep, and when they do sleep they frequently awaken after nightmares and anxiety dreams. The daily news, loud sounds and specific odors remind veterans of combat, and for some, safety is hiding under the bed covers or going no further than the end of the street. They lose contact with their families and friends, are unable to work or study and their quality of life regresses to emotional numbness and mental pain.

Many of these vulnerable veterans come to INTRA wanting to participate in the equine therapy program but we must turn them away as we can only offer places in the program when we have sufficient funding. Currently, only eight veterans benefit from our equine therapy.

 The soldiers of the IDF protect the Land of Israel and, by extension, Jews around the world.  They put their young lives on the line, and many come home damaged by the traumatic experiences they endure. Our responsibility is to make them whole again, but we can only do that with your help. Can you help us rebuild these lives so that fear and pain are no longer part of their daily life?  It costs $2500 to provide one soldier with a year of equine therapy and a chance to live again. 

Thank you,

 Anita

 Dr. Anita Shkedi, Director,  INTRA- Israel National Therapeutic Riding Association

We recently checked in with Joe Labriola, executive director of Second Helpings Atlanta (SHA), one of our Georgia-based grantees making a significant impact on hunger in Atlanta and its suburbs. In the past few years, SHA’s growth has been enormous, as they attract more food donations–from local corporate cafeterias, supermarkets and beyond–and utilize dedicated volunteers, who deliver those leftovers to nearby pantries and soup kitchens, where healthy food is distributed to hungry Atlantans.

In the course of our conversation, Joe mentioned the many food deserts that exist within greater Atlanta. Yes, even today there are places where fresh food is just not in abundant supply. Joe’s comments made me wonder what modest investment could be made so that one of these small local pantries could better avail themselves of SHA’s bounty. After some investigation, Joe shared that a tiny food pantry in nearby DeKalb county could not afford proper refrigeration, which would allow them to accept more fresh food items. With our modest investment of $3,200, Sarah’s Closet, a pantry that struggles to provide for its hungry neighbors, is now the proud owner of this beautiful commercial refrigerator–soon to be filled with lots of dairy products, veggies, and meat.

A tzedakah investment with a significant pay-off–well worth making!