Slowly but surely, we are settling into the Corona routine after trying weeks of extreme uncertainty. These days, more than ever, Ezer Mizion amazing power has shown bright once again. The tapestry of chessed that emerged and intensified in the last weeks revealed a vast empire of sensitivity and sincere empathy with people’s needs at all levels!
From North to South of Israel and beyond, from morning to night and then some, in numerous service areas and activities and to all segments of the Israeli population, Ezer Mizion has touched tens of thousands of needs and lives!
Petach Tikvah
Asa’el lost his mother and his three brothers in a horrible terrorist attack at their home in Itamar. He himself lost a leg. He could have been embittered about his situation, but, with great courage, he chose not to fall into that black hole, and instead to devote himself to giving. It began with his volunteering to purchase medications for an elderly couple and snowballed into his joining the 12,000 Ezer Mizion Linked to Life volunteers who are providing such vital services during the crisis of delivering hot meals, groceries, supplies and medicine to quarantined patients and seniors in the area. “I absorbed the great dedication and giving from my mother, A’H. This is carrying on her legacy of giving.” What can we say? A real hero!
Yotam Base, near Eilat:
Moriah, an IDF scout lookout somewhere out there on the Southern army base needed special medication. A call went out via Linked to Life. Within one minute (!), a volunteer responded. And no, it wasn’t “on his way”! He made a special 7.5 hour round trip drive for this!
Moriah: “I am in shock that a person should make such a long trip for people he doesn’t even know and with no personal interest! It’s inconceivable!” Don’t you agree?
Ofakim
Yehuda, a young adult with special needs, recently acquired a new friend. A devoted volunteer calls him on a regular basis. At times they learn together; at times they just chat. ‘It’s the highlight of his day,’ says his mother.
Yerushalayim
Corona patients staying at the hotel had no way to wash their clothes… The huge hotel laundry facilities are not available for the patients’ personal clothing and a real challenge developed with a lack of clean clothing for the interned patients who are not permitted to leave the premises. A donation was acquired to fund the purchase of a washing machine, a U-haul was hooked up manned by Ezer Mizion volunteers, and the machine was delivered at the Maaleh Hachamishah hotel for the patients’ use!
Elad
Moshe’s catering business is nil these days. Bitter? Angry? Instead Moshe has opened his business to provide meals for Ezer Mizion recipients. Kudos, Moshe!
Bat Yam
An army of volunteers, wearing masks and gloves, distributed 110 fragrant potted plants to the homes of Holocaust survivors in the city, adding color and vitality to their houses at this lonely time and a total of 1,800 plants delivered to survivors in 25 cities and towns around Israel.
Bnei Brak
340 bags of love were distributed to the homes of survivors, bearing candies, chocolates, scented sticks, a flower and a personal note.
Modi’in Ilit
After weeks of close collaboration with the Municipality, the Home Front Command, and the city’s emergency services, city Mayor Yair Drori had a clear message to deliver about the local Ezer Mizion branch: “You are our city’s outstanding model of chessed and civic involvement!”
“Think, everyone, think!” she cried out. “There has to be something! Something we can do even in the midst of corona.” We all sat there. We’re normally a creative bunch but the ideas were just not coming. Every year we hosted a retreat for families dealing with cancer. It was the highlight of the year for them, a time to bond with their family, good food, fun entertainment – a vacation from cancer. Away from hospitals and tests and treatments. Something to put a smile on faces that almost forgot how. It meant everything to the families whom, in addition to the medical situation, were suffering so much emotionally with many family relationships on the verge of collapse. Continue reading Think!
