Mention Passover anytime in March and every family member’s blood pressure goes up. Each year it seems to be an insurmountable task even though we managed the year before. But what if this year is different from all other years? What if this year the family is coping with serious illness? What if everyone is running back and forth to the hospital? What if they are emotionally drained by fear and worry?
That’s when Ezer Mizion takes over.
In addition to transportation to and from the hospital, hot meals for the family member staying with the patient, trained volunteers to do homework with the children at home etc etc etc, Ezer Mizion goes all out before Passover.
This year 280 families received large packages, valued betwe
en 1000 and 2000 NIS each, containing an array of food for the holiday and quality cleaning products. Each package was initiated, packed and delivered by volunteers so that not one cent of the donations for the project went into administrative costs.
When a family who is drowning in a myriad of logistics due to their current situation, the package means so much more than the individual items it contains. It represents caring. It represents emotional support. It represents a compassionate pat on the shoulder.
And Ezer Mizion did not stop with food packages. Patients and siblings received a surprise gift for Yom Tov. Each gift, donated by people who care, was personally matched to the child who would receive it by volunteers who knew them well. The gifts were gift-wrapped and accompanied by a note written by the volunteer who understood which words would bring a smile to a child who may not have smiled in days. 
As Jews everywhere approached the finish line with Passover only hours away, volunteers ignored their own needs for last minute preparations and invited 150 children to join them on a pre-Yom Tov trip, enabling the families to take care of their remaining tasks and greet the holiday in a calm frame of mind.
For further info: www.ezermizion.org
