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Thoughts of Kindness

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Thoughts of Kindness
Dear Friend,
As mentioned in our previous letter, Karmey Chesed is eager to continue the relationship we have established with all our donors. We hope to be able to provide you with updates of our activities as well some food for thought on a monthly basis.
I would like to share some thoughts with you about Chesed- kindness in honor of the upcoming festival of Shavuot .
According to rabbinic tradition, the main theme of Ruth is chesed, loyalty or faithfulness born of a sense of caring and commitment. Chesed is a Hebrew term used to describe God’s relationship to Israel as well as the relationship among members of a family or a community. All of the main characters in the book, Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz, act with chesed. Naomi, although she technically had no responsibility for her widowed daughters-in-law, was concerned for their welfare; trying to convince them both not to return with her regardless of her own loneliness. Ruth, on her part, had no obligation to Naomi, but she remained steadfastly with her, even giving up her native land and religion; all of her actions were directed toward finding support and protection for Naomi. Boaz extends a special invitation to Ruth to take produce exclusively from his fields and agrees to marry Ruth to perpetuate the family’s name. God also manifested His chesed, by virtue of which the individuals are repaid for their loyalty by finding security and fulfillment, and the family that came close to destruction finds new life and continuity.
I believe that we learn a profound lesson about the nature of true cheseed from the book of Ruth; that the first step to an act of kindness is a thought of kindness. More simply put, that in order to give, you first have to care. Even more than this, however, is that we are shown the tremendous impact of even seemingly small individual acts of kindness.
At Karmey Chesed, (lit. a vineyard of kindness) we strive to incorporate both of these lessons of Ruth. We view Karmey Chesed as a vineyard- an entire organization that is really made up of all the individual acts of kindness of our many donors and volunteers- people like you who care enough to make the world a better place- one act of kindness at a time.
Please take the time to visit our website at http://www.karmeyhesed.org/english/ and let us know what you think. We would love to hear your suggestions to help us continue spreading kindness to those most in need. Please forward this email to your family and friends, and help us continue the tradition of kindness of our ancestors.
With warm regards,
Aryeh Weingarten
Executive Director
Karmey Chesed

What can be done to end poverty in Israel?

Posted by admin under Child Poverty, Children, Disposable Income, Getting By In Israel, Poverty in Israel, Solutions to Poverty, Tzedakah, What can "I" do

Now, that is a fair question. The short of the answer is yes. Or should I say, of course there are! The real question is, what can be done about it? Is there a way to alleviate poverty? Again, the answer is yes! There are many government and not-for-profit programs that address this question, and do indeed work towards solving the problem. Some with more success that others.

The next question is, what are the people in need to do while the problem gets solved. They still need food, clothing, medicine and housing. The basics. That is where Karmey Hesed comes in. Through Karmey Hesed’s programs, those that are in need gain relief from the stresses of poverty until it goes away.

Take the Goldstien family for example. In some ways a typical Israeli family, in other ways, not. There are 5 school age kids at home. The father works at a normal Israeli job, making a normal Israeli salary. The mother works as well. Also earning a typical salary in Israel.

The problem is, its not enough. Between the 2 parents, and even if you include the now reduced government child allowance, there is just not enough to go around. Not only are there seasons where new clothes for the growing children in out of the question, but there are many days, if not weeks, where there is not enough food. Let alone medicines when needed.

Karmey Hesed does its best to help these families. That of course depends on you. Your regular donations to this critical cause are what make it happen.

So please! Open your hearts and click here to donate now, so that those in need  can survive until G-d willing poverty finally ends!

Mobilizing for Poverty

Posted by admin under Getting By In Israel, Perspective, Poverty in Israel, Social Justice, Solutions to Poverty, Tzedakah, What can THEY do

Mobilize!

I am sitting in a cafe near the entrance to the Jerusalem Foreign Media Center. I just overheard one of the reporters say that he has never seen such a massive buildup around the Gaza Strip as what he saw yesterday. The initial news last week reported that the army had asked for authorization to call up 30,000 reservists. “Back then” they said we would likely get 10,000, the same number called up during Operation Cast Lead four years ago. This morning’s numbers are now at 75,000!

I am not a member of any government body. Nor do I write here to question what the government, and certainly not the IDF is doing (though we are certainly allowed to and expected to question the government). I just have a small yet important observation.

If we can mobilize so many, and spend so much (I do not question either the spending nor the numbers) in so short a time. certainly we can find the wherewithal to mobilize against poverty.

Misiles and Poverty

Posted by admin under Getting By In Israel, Poverty in Israel, Terrorism and Poverty

Missiles And Poverty

There are problems and there are problems… There is no question that the 1,000,000 residents under fire in Israel have what to worry about. And to be clear, we all know that the missiles have been flying, and landing, for much more than the past week. They have been flying for years. Since both after, and even before, we left the Gaza strip. And yet, what’s it like to have those missiles land, and sometimes kill, in addition to the minute by minuet struggle of financial struggle?

What is it like to not know when the cut-off-your-electric-bill-for-non-payment missile lands. Or the, there’s-no-milk-in-the-fridge missile lands. Yes, its a daily struggle that pervades the entire country, not just the south (or Tel Aviv…), but 20% to 30% of the population.

This is not to belittle the real life threats of death, or best case scenario, destruction of ones home of course. Its just help keep in mind some of our other struggles as well.

Dear Karmey Chesed Supporter, We hope this letter finds you well.

Posted by admin under Uncategorized

The winter in Israel is already setting in and within a few weeks, the temperatures will drop, the winds will pick up and the rains will come down. Though the rain is a blessing to our country, thousands of families throughout the country will experience these harsh weather conditions without proper heat in their homes or warm clothing on their backs. Karmey Chesed has been helping families in need for over 10 years and with God’s help will continue to do so for many years to come.

Karmey Chesed assists Israelis in many different ways. Ari and his wife and 6 children were a middle class family living in Jerusalem. Ari worked for a small company and spent much of his spare time learning Torah. Over a year ago, Ari fell on hard times and his life turned around. Ari’s company declared bankruptcy and Ari was out of a job without any reparations or signs of future income.

The debts piled up and there was no money to pay the rent. He fell behind. The owner is now demanding $2500 for the past three month’s rent and will evict the family if he does not receive this money within the next few weeks.

At the same time, Ari’s 5-year old daughter had to undergo major dental surgery in Hadassah and the hospital has been calling them steadily for payment.

To make matters even worse, a major plumbing pipe burst, causing a flood in the house. The bill to fix the pipe and to cover the damage to the house came to over $1,000. This has not yet been paid.

Ari needed help and turned to Karmey Chesed. The Karmey Chesed Organization has undertaken the mitzvah of collecting the money needed for Ari and his family to get out of debt and to help them return to an respectable way of life. We are setting up a special fund for him and his family. Every penny you donate will go directly to Ari and his family. Please indicate on your donation that the money should go to fund #45.

If you wish to donate to Karmey Chesed for this endeavor or towards any of the other activities we provide to indigent families in Israel, please go to our website at http://www.karmeyhesed.org/english/ and click on “donate.”

Please help us in this endeavor. Ari is only one of the thousands of families living below the poverty level in our holy country.We look to you, our faithful donors, to help us continue in our efforts to help Ari and the many other people in Israel.

May you be blessed with health and happiness and only good tidings.

Posted by admin under Perspective, Self Improvement, Solutions to Poverty, What can "I" do

Are you saying YES to life? This is such a great concept yet sometimes difficult to use.

Sometimes in life we come across things that aren’t exactly the way we would like them to be. We wake up in the morning, having our day planned, and then all of a sudden “life” hits us. We plan on picking up the dry cleaning at a certain hour only to find out that it will not be ready until the next day. We call our spouse and are blindsided by an onslaught of “questions” that sound more like an interrogation than a search for “understanding”. Or, we planned our monthly budget only to find out that a not so minor repair will be needed at home which blows the budget. Or G-d forbid we receive news of an illness or tragedy in the family.

The question is, how do we look at these things? Should we take them as a bullet to the chest? Or can we take them somehow in some more positive light?

The answer quite simply, and as I mentioned above, is just a YES! That is, we can of course say NO to the circumstance, and either way we will feel pain. We will feel the pain as we fight our emotions, and engage the situation. And we will feel the pain even if we accept the situation (by saying Yes). But, when we say “no” we are trying to fight the reality that just cannot be changed. When we say yes we are in essence accepting the reality, albeit with the pain that goes along with it, but by saying yes we are now empowered to do something about it. That something may well include a plan and the ability to change the reality were presented with. Or, it will be simply to accept that reality and find ways to positively cope with the things we did not plan on and would rather do without. One comes from a point of being a victim, the other of being a creator, a person with power.

So just say yes to life and feel the relief that can bring along with the inspiration.

This perhaps is THE key ingredient to getting poverty “solved” once and for all. On the “poor person’s” side, they must say “Yes” to life’s challenges and work hard to overcome and better their situation.

On the philanthropist’s side, they must say “Yes” to the opportunities to help their fellow man.

On Society’s side, we must all say “Yes” to solving humanities greatest issues.

Yom Kippur

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We are promised by G-D that on Yom Kippur we will have two things happen to us. “Kapparah” and “Taharah”. The first is generally translated as forgiveness. The seconds and purification. The work Kapparah actually means to cover up. Perhaps that’s where the English word “cover” comes from.

That covering is of our past transgressions. It applies only to sins we have committed against G-D. Sins against our fellow man are not forgiven by G-D until the transgressor has received forgiveness from offended.

The second promise, “Taharah” or purification is actually symbolic of getting a fresh start. And how wonderful it must be tp be able to do that. Imagine! Starting the new year, and each day of the new year with a clean slate. With none of yesterday’s messes.

If only that were the case for the needy. Imagine, the person, or worse yet, the family that is in poverty. Having to decide between buying bread for the kids, or meds for mom. Unimaginable but as you know, very true.|

So, please donate now to help a child at least feel like he started his day with a clean slate.

Donate here:

http://www.karmeyhesed.org/english/donations.asp

Rosh Hashanah at Karmey Hesed

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Rosh Hashana

As Rosh Hashana approaches Jew around the world, “affiliated” or not, look forward to these very special days. Whether it be for the fun and pleasant things like the family get-together, or the heightened spirit of these days that empower us for self-reflection and coming closer to G-D.

Karmey Hesed, throughout the years, strives to be there for those families that have much more to think about than self improvement and whether they can keep the peace with aunt Sarah who will be joining them for the festive meals. Some families, well actually, many families, are not even sure yet that they will have running water or electricity for the Holidays, let alone food to put on the table or medication for their chronically ill family members. And who can even think of a new dress for little Ruthie?

It is possible though!

We at Karmey Hesed do our best to help those in need, BUT, for us to continue we need your help. Please accept our request for your donation today as one that comes from the heart. Not just our heart but from the heart of every Jew around the world who feels the pain, as you know, of each and every Jew, and especially those in Israel who are in need.

SO PLEASE, click here to donate now! Thank You!

Wishing you and all the are special to you a happy and healthy New Year!

Shana Tova

The Karmey Hesed Family

Sarah’s Husband Finds a Job and Karmey Chesed Keeps Helping

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Sarah (name changed) is a mother of 5 who was living in a rented apartment all her married life. Her husband had worked consistently as a guard in a government building. One day, he was fired and at the age of 50 found it almost impossible to find another position. Sarah worked as a teacher but her salary was not enough to cover the monthly expenses. They started to go into more and more debt, couldn’t pay the rent and there was very little food on the table. The children were always hungry. Karmey Chesed took control of the situation and began providing monthly food coupons for Rami Levi. In addition, their food warehouse allowed Sarah to come and take the basic foods without notifying anyone. She maintained her dignity. Eventually, Sarah’s husband found a job and the family began to live a better life. Karmey Chesed was always there to lend a helping hand.

Karmey Chesed Helps Chaim and his Family Get on Their Feet

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Chaim (name changed) was a wealthy entrepreneur in Europe, living it up with the elite society. Several years ago, he was riding his motorcycle and was hit by a large car going full speed on the road. His skull was cracked and it didn’t look like he would survive. He spent 6 months in the hospital recuperating. At the end of that time, the hospital sought compensation for his stay by forcing him to sell his business and use every penny to pay his bill.

Chaim arrived in Jerusalem penniless and depressed. Hashem helped him and he found a wonderful wife, a nurse, and had three children. However, his injury prevented him from keeping a job for very long and his wife was unable to support the family on her own. They would fall behind on their rent and had to keep moving. Karmey Chesed came into the picture and started supplying him with bus fare, food, and paying part of his rent when necessary. Their situation started to turn around and Chaim is now out of debt. Karmey Chesed continues to be there for him whenever he needs help.