Author: David Kramer

Every year during the Jewish festival of on sukkot this iconic poster of the Israeli paratroopers that liberated the western wall hangs in my sukkah. It’s been in my sukkah for so many years that I cannot remember how or when it got here.

Each year I find myself staring at the poster which took place merely minutes from my home in Jerusalem. In fact, yesterday I exercised my “lockdown exercise” right and went for a bike ride with my son and in 5 minutes we were at the walls of the Old City.  We are living in History!!

The other thing that I noticed yesterday while studying the faces of the soldiers, is that they are all (except for two) looking in different directions. It could be an irrelevant observation but it could also be quite symbolic with much relevance for today’s times.

Our society in Israel, like many other places, is made of so many different types of people, that come from so many different places. Different backgrounds, beliefs, ideologies and opinions. We argue about everything in this country. From national defense, the size of demonstrations and prayer services during Corona, to the price of cottage cheese.  In other words, we are all STILL looking in different directions with varying opinions and visions of where this country is going.

YET, the most important thing is that just as in the picture, we must NEVER forget that we are all STILL wearing the same “uniform.” We all share this little place and the same destiny that comes with it. This means that we can argue about everything except the fact that we are all in this together. Our enemies make quite a good point of reminding us of this and when the rockets fly over the border or a terrorist thrusts out his knife, they make no distinction between us, regardless of what camp we belong too.

That seems to be the message of sukkot. When we hold our lulav and etrog together, each part representing a different member of society, only then, can we truly appreciate what we have here and reap the reward of our common future!

The non-profit sector in Israel has been hard hit by the Corona epidemic and this is significant as they represent Israel’s lifeline to the most vulnerable and weak members of society.

Whether it’s hospitals and medical institutions that are directly treating the infected or organizations that feed those affected by the economic repercussions; people with Disabilities; special needs; the mentally challenged; teens-at-risk; wounded veterans etc. the current reality will only exacerbate the challenges that Israeli society faced before the virus.

Israel is refered to as the “Start-Up Nation” but unfortunately, this does not reflect the reality for the majority of Israelis who live, getting by month to month (one third of Israelis are food insecure.) And this was before unemployment rose to 30% as a result of the Corona virus. Only when we get over the shock of this lockdown period, we will be able to emerge from our “caves” to asses the economic and social damage that this global pandemic has had on our society.

Therefore in order to assist and start a process of helping these organizations, which are usually not as “sexy” as the technological innovations that Israel has become so well known for (and for which I derive such immense pride,) I have complied a list of 100 charitable organizations that I feel worthy of supporting. There are obviously many more that should be included and I invite anyone who reads this to contribute other organizations that you are aware of so that together, we can support this vital sector!?

The organizations that I mention below are ones which I have come to know personally through an initiative I founded in 2010, NU Campaign, and which featured in State Of The Heart. The common denominator connecting them is they they are inclusive across the spectrum of Israeli society and appeal to the wider-public. I also do not hold myself as an authority in this field and these are only my suggestions and in no particular order!

THE LIST:

Supporting People in the Periphery and Food-Insecure Populations

Leket Israel– The National Food Bank, is a leading food rescue organization in Israel,  – https://www.leket.org/en/

Latet – umbrella organization providing for the basic needs of populations throughout Israel, living in poverty and food insecurity. https://www.latet.org.il/en/

Meir Panim – Fighting poverty in Israel by providing relief to the poor via soup kitchens & other programs. https://meir-panim.org/

Yad Ezra Veshulamit – mission is to feed poor and hungry families in Israel, with a special focus on providing daily hot meals for children. – https://www.yadezra.net/

Karmei Hair – assisting the most needy members of society to get back on their feet – https://www.carmeihair.org.il/

Pantry Packers (Colel Chabad) – the food distribution arm of Tzedakah Central/Colel Chabad the oldest continuously operating network of social services in Israel – established in 1788. – https://pantrypackers.org/

Sderot Chessed Center – food distribution and social services to over 670 families in need in Sderot and surrounding areas in the South of Israel – https://www.jgive.co.il/new/charity-organizations/364

Afikim – helping and promoting children and youth at-risk in Israel and their families. – https://www.afikim.org/

Ogen, Free Loan Society – Israel’s social lender, creating financial opportunity and building a fairer and stronger economy for all sectors of society. – https://ogen.org/en/

Ethiopian National Project – works to advance the integration of Ethiopian-Israelis into Israeli society. – https://www.enp.org.il/en/

Chasdei Naomi – works with corporations and service providers as well as a network of volunteers to provide food and other basic needs for 10,000 families throughout Israel. – https://www.chasdei-naomi.org/

Helping People with Disabilities And Special Needs

Aleh – Medical, Educational And Rehabilitative Care for children with severe Disabilities- https://aleh.org/

Shalva – Israel Association for the Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities –https://www.shalva.org/

Special In Uniform – integration of young people with Disabilites into the IDF. – https://specialinuniform.com/

Israel Sport Center For The Disabled- center for the rehabilitation of the physically challenged – https://www.afiscd.org/

The Zahal Disabled Veterans Organization (ZDVO) – ‘represents and supports over 51,000 members wounded and disabled while fighting in defense of the State of Israel isabled Veterans https://www.zdvo.org/

Krembo Wings – youth movement in Israel for children and young adults with special needs together with their able-bodied peers https://www.krembo.org.il/default.asp

Beit Issie Shapiro – provides innovative therapies, knowledge and services and promoting legislation and social change for people with disabilities. – https://en.beitissie.org.il/

Shekel – Inclusion and independent living for people with Disabilities –  https://www.shekel.org.il/

Simcha Layeled – improving lives for kids with Disabilities and seriously ill – http://www.simchalayeled.org.il/Homepage

Yachad (Israel and USA) – National Jewish Council for Disabilities – https://www.yachad.org/

Shutaf – inclusion programs for youth with special needs – https://campshutaf.org/

Milbat – inclusion and independent living support for people with Disabilities – https://www.milbat.org.il/

Kesher – inclusion and acceptance of people with special needs – https://www.kesher.org.il/

Gan Sulam – provides educational & therapeutic services for people with Disabilities – https://www.sulamisrael.org/

Kishorit – home for life for adults with special needs in the Western Galilee http://www.kishorit.org.il/en/our-story

TOM:Global – worldwide makers community to create open-ended solutions for people with Disabilities – https://tomglobal.org/

Wheelchairs Of Hope – an initiative to develop, design, manufacture and provide a wheelchair to children in need of mobility.  https://www.wheelchairsofhope.org/

Israel Guide Dog Center – train guide dogs to help the visually impaired navigate the congested streets of Israel and supply Service Companions providing unwavering emotional support. https://israelguidedog.org.il/en/

Alut- National Autism Institute – https://www.alutfriends.org/about-alut/our-mission

Equalizer – provides an educational-social-sportive afternoon framework for children in Israel’s social periphery. https://en.the-equalizer.org/

Emergency Response, Medical, Mental Health, Seniors, Terror Victims

Magen David Adom – Israel’s National Emergency Pre-Hospital Medical and Blood Services Organization. – https://www.mdais.org/en

United Hatzalah – free, volunteer-based emergency medical service organization providing  immediate medical intervention during the critical window between the onset of an emergency and the arrival of traditional ambulance assistance- https://israelrescue.org/

Yad Sarah – enable chronically ill, disabled, infirm, and terminally ill people to live at home either on their own or in the care of their families or caregivers, with dignity https://en.yad-sarah.net/

Zaka –  Israel’s primary rescue and recovery volunteer organization https://www.zaka.us/

One Family –  is the family of Israel’s victims of terror attacks  https://www.onefamilytogether.org/

Koby Mandel Foundation – helps bereaved mothers, fathers, widows, orphans and siblings who have lost loved ones to terror and other tragedies  –https://www.kobymandell.org/

Natal – specializes in the field of war and terror related trauma –  https://www.natal.org.il/en/

Metiv – Israel Center For Treatment Of Psychotrauma – https://metiv.org/

IDF, wounded veterans – https://www.zdvo.org/

Dream Doctors – integrating medical clowns into the hospital healthcare system in Israel. https://dreamdoctors.org.il/

Mercaz Panim – provide emotional and physical support to women and couples facing fertility challenges – http://merkazpanim-fertility.org.il/en/

Melabev – provides a range of high-quality services in the community for individuals who are living with various forms of dementia. – https://www.melabev.org.il/en/front-page/

Zichron Menachem – brings. joy and support to children with cancer and their families in Israel- https://zichron.org/uk/home-gb/

Ezer Mezion – offers  wide range of medical and social support services for Israel’s sick, disabled and elderly, including largest Jewish Bone Marrow Registry   – https://ezermizion.org/

Hospitals

Sharee Zedek Hospital – Jerusalem –https://www.szmc.org.il/eng/home/

Hadassah Ein Kerem – Jerusalem – http://www.hadassah-med.com/patients-and-visitors/hospital-admissions/ein-kerem-hospital

Ichilov Hospital – Tel-Aviv – https://www.tasmc.org.il/sites/en/Pages/default.aspx

Soroka Hospital – Negev-  https://hospitals.clalit.co.il/soroka/en/Pages/default.aspx

Rambam Hospital – Haifa – https://www.rambam.org.il/en/

Ziv Hospital – – Tzefat –http://www.ziv.org.il/?CategoryID=2285

Barzilai Hospital – Ashkelon – http://www.bmc.gov.il/eng

Sheba Medical Center – Tel-Aviv – https://eng.sheba.co.il/

Addiction; Domestic Abuse and Shelters; Teens and Youth-At-Risk

Retorno – rehab facility in Israel, offering detox, recovery, outreach, and prevention services for every type of addiction. – https://retorno.org/

Israel Center on addiction – spearheads the treatment of addiction in Israel. https://ica.org.il/

Elem – works for fate of youth at-risk in Israel, supporting and raising awareness of their distress onto the social/national agenda. (UN status) – http://en.elem.org.il/

SAHI – Sayeret Hachesed – game-changing approach to empowering at-risk youth by turning them into agents of change in their communities- https://sahi-israel.org/

ImpactIsrael (previously Yemin Orde)- The Village is a home, school and safe haven for at-risk immigrant youth from around the world – https://www.impact-israel.org/

Yedidim – helping Israeli youth, regardless of their cultural and socio-economic background, have the opportunity to realize their full potential – https://www.yedidim.org.il/en/home-3

Maagalim – empowers 11th and 12th grade at-risk youth from the geographical and social peripheries of Israel and helps them undergo a process of personal growth- http://en.maagalim.org/

Bat Melech – give Israeli women and children suffering from domestic abuse a life of dignity, productivity and self-respect – https://www.batmelech.org/?lang=en

Maslan – The crisis center for victims of violence and sexual violence in the Negev, works to assist, accompany and serve as a source of emotional and practical support for victims and their relatives – https://www.maslan.org.il/

WIZO’s shelters- provide safety and security for women and children fleeing abusive men. The shelters accommodate families for a minimum of six months at a time.  – http://www.wizo.org/wizo_activities/women/women-projects-battered.html

Haruv – supports children suffering abuse and neglect – https://haruv.org.il/en/

Atara – tackles the critical challenges that teens-at-risk and young adults face as they age out. http://www.atara.org/Our-Story.html

Global Aid Organizations

IsraAid – provides global relief in disaster situations and long-term recovery support.  – https://www.israaid.org/

Innovation:Africa – using Israeli solar and water technology, Innovation: Africa has delivered access to clean water and light to more than 1.7 million people in Africa – https://www.innoafrica.org/

Save A Child’s Heart – improves the quality of pediatric cardiac care for children from developing countries who suffer from heart disease, and who cannot get adequate medical care in their home countries. https://www.saveachildsheart.org/

Tevel B Tzedek- offers international volunteering opportunities in the developing world including Nepal and Africa – https://www.tevelbtzedek.org/

Israeli Flying Aid – delivers life-saving aid to communities affected by natural disaster and human conflict, transcending differences, prejudices, race, nationality, religion, and creed.  – https://ifaid.com/

Sid-Israel – Israeli branch of the Society for International Development (SID), a global forum of individuals and organizations in the field of sustainable economic and social development. https://www.sid-israel.org/en/

Defense Organizations (Unfortunately, Corona is not the only threat we face):

Shurat Hadin – files legal actions on behalf of terror victims – https://www.israellawcenter.org/

Thank Israeli Soldiers – educates, empowers and embraces soldiers throughout their IDF service and beyond – https://thankisraelisoldiers.org/

Yashar Lachayal – help injured, financially disadvantaged, bereaved families of fallen heroes, & more – https://yasharlachayal.org/

Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin – dedicated to meeting all of the physical and social needs of lone soldiers – https://lonesoldiercenter.com/

Have you heard of Pinny Nachmani?

His story is yet another incredible #testimony of people who, facing extraordinary circumstances, were not prepared to compromise on their ideals.

For me, his story answers the question why the Jewish people have survived till now, stubbornly refusing, time and again, to give into challenges and pushing on in the face of great odds

I guess, an important #universal message for now…

Taken from the memoirs of Pinny Nachmini:

On Thursday, April 2, 1970, the Israeli Air Force attacked Syrian tanks and artillery in the Golan Heights. Three Syrian MIG jets were downed, as well as one Israeli Phantom jet.

Israeli pilot Gidon Magen and navigator Pinny Nachmani parachuted out of the jet safely, but were captured by the Syrian enemy. They sat the next three years in the high-security Mezze military prison in Damascus where they spent four Seder nights, the festive first night of Passover.

Writing on small pieces of toilet and wrapping paper, Pinny kept a secret diary of 300 pages; he made the following entry after their second Seder night in 1971:

The Pesach (Passover) holiday has passed, the quintessential national holiday of the Jews. We are amongst the few who are prevented from celebrating with our families. It’s difficult to describe the Passover atmosphere in Syrian prison. On the morning before, we meticulously cleaned our cell (removing any crumbs of leavened bread) in a way that the cement floor had never been cleaned before.

On cardboard, we drew a Seder plate, with a Star of David in the middle and room to place each ingredient on the six protrusions of the star.

In the afternoon, we succeed in organizing permission to shower, albeit in freezing water, after which we donned our holiday clothes and anxiously waited for the beginning of the holiday (at nightfall).

These were difficult hours of contemplation – the memories which swelled up to the point that we choked as we recalled our homes, and tried to feel the atmosphere of Pesach as sundown approached, and sense the distinct smells of the late afternoon.

We yearned to feel on our flesh the festive excitement, the cold winds blowing down from the hills to the valley, wrapping the city of Yokneam in the holiness of the holiday, knowing that the entire House of Israel is dressed in white, that your children and families are waiting in anticipation, and yet, you are helplessly stuck here, turning from side to side on a stinking mattress.

Time inches along, to the rhythm set by the two Pesach Haggadahs (Seder night service booklets) and the crumbs of matzah which were delivered to us by the Chief Rabbi of Zurich. These instilled within us the true feeling of Seder night.

The Seder night flowed. When Boaz Eitan (another pilot who was captured a month after them), the youngest amongst us, almost a child, began to sing the Four Questions, I felt tears in my throat. But those fleeting moments of emotion passed as immediately we broke out in joyous song.

It was the strangest of scenes. Here we were in an enemy country, inside of a high security prison, three Israeli prisoners of a war of freedom, celebrating with song the generations-old holiday of our freedom.
As we celebrated and loudly chanted the Hagaddah, the prison guards appeared and demanded that we stop. In the next cell over sat the recently-deposed President of Syria Nureddin al-Atassi, the very man who when he had imprisoned us declared, “Let the Israeli prisoners age in Syrian prison.” Now, he was in the same boat with us.

Apparently, our singing disturbed him, and he asked the prison guards to shut us up.
We refused to stop! Even the horrid threat of solitary confinement could not stop the roar of freedom.

We concluded the Haggadah with the singing of “Had Gadya.” But, we continued the celebration by singing Israeli songs like “Yerushalayim shel Zahav,” and “Shneinu m’oto ha’Kfar” and others that, though not related to the Pesach holiday, empowered us to continue the celebration into the night, and take our small revenge.
It was the longest Seder night I have ever attended. We had to be captured by the Syrians in order to carry out what is written in the Haggadah, “And they would tell the story of the exodus from Egypt all night.”

Postscript: In June 1972, the elite Matkal Unit of the Israeli army kidnapped five high-ranking Syrian officers as bargaining chips to free the three prisoned pilots. The prisoner exchange was negotiated and carried out a year later on June 3, 1973. See Less

The above image represents a reality that plays out daily, in almost every hospital in Israel, including now, where medical professionals, doctors and nurses work on the frontlines against this deadly virus, regardless of religion, nationality or ethnicity.

The situation is hardly known outside Israel and you will certainly not see it documented by the global media, who prefer to exhibit Israel as a place of war, conflict and hatred. My wife worked in Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem for 8 years and I also had the privelege of working there for a brief period in 2018 and we both saw this up-close during our workday.

The following are ten facts about the Israeli healthcare system that shed light on the subject:

1. Every year approximately 100,000 Palestinians are treated in Israeli hospitals
2. Approximately 20% of doctors and nurses in Israel are Israeli Arabs – reflecting the same demographic in Israeli society
3. Jews, Muslim and Christian patients receive equal treatment throughout all Israeli hospitals
4. Approximately 30% of children patients in Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem are Palestinian
5. Israeli Arab doctors are mostly educated and trained in Israeli universities.
6. Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem train Palestinian doctors and physicians
7. Arab doctors also head departments in Israeli hospitals including Dr. Abed Khalaileh, a Palestinian surgeon and the Director of the Kidney Transplantation Department at Hadassah and Dr. Masad Barhoum, director general of Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya
8. Soroka Hospital in the Negev specialize in treating the Bedouin population in Israel, amongst other demographic groups
9. Following terrorist attacks in Israel, both the victims and perpetrators of the attacks receive equal treatment in Israeli hospitals, often beds apart
10. Israel saves more Palestinian life than probably any other country or entity worldwide.

Photo Credit: Muslim and Jewish doctors working side by side at NICU, Shaare Zedek Hospital. (Shaare Zedek Hospital)

Watching a video of Natan Sharansky speak about his experiences in solitary confinement for nine years as a Prisoner Of Zion, this week on Facebook, reminded me of the following experience I had as a soldier in the Israeli army, (although VERY different.) ?

During my basic-training in the Nachal Infantry Brigade, in 2002 (yes that’s a very long time ago,) we were sent to one of the Nachal basis situated in the Negev desert, not far from the city of Arad. Whereas most other Nachal units underwent their training at the “luxurious” Nachal “Bach” or base, equipped with modern dining room, lecture halls, classrooms, gym, store etc. my unit had the “privilege” of being sent a few miles down the rode to a base with no official name and was referred to by its English speaking inhabitants as “Sh*t-Creek.”

The only access to this base was via dirt-road and it had no concrete facilities, so the dining room, bunks, classrooms and everything else where made of tents or mobile containers. It was there that we spent a chunk of our training and the lessons, experiences and memories gained in that little spot, completely disconnected from the world, retain a special place in my head.

It is only now, due to this unimaginable global #lockdown situation that we find ourselves in, that I am indulging myself and you, sharing this memory and the little bit of advice, just as Natan Sharansky did, in the hope that maybe something can be learned:

1. Challenging experiences make good memories – yes, we will all probably be telling our grand-kids and kids about this Corona thing one day
2. Your team is so important. Invest in the people around you.
3. Toilet paper is underrated. Newspaper works just as fine.
4. Connect with the outside world (we did not have Facebook then.)
5. Food and exercise are key
6. Don’t get shot. That is one way of making sure you will go get out alive.
7. Don’t shoot anyone. It is not a good way of making friends or dealing with your problems.
8. Pray, meditate, smoke or do whatever works for you in connecting with the one above.
9. Set goals and motivate yourself. Have a plan and work toward something.
10. Be positive. Help others. Remember there are always people worse off than you.

And when you come out on the other end, the world will hopefully look a lot better. Not necessarily because it changed but because you did.

With new lockdown restrictions being introduced this evening in Israel and others worldwide joining this reality, these are certainly interesting times. For many, forced home confinement will be a challenging time, denied of the usual daily routines that we all, probably by now, take for granted. How good is it to go wherever you want; sit at a coffee shop with friends; entertain people in your home; go to a community gathering, party or event? Things that we will, Please G-d, get to appreciate very soon!

I have been giving much thought these days to the weaker members of our society. People who during these challenging times face even greater obstacles as a result of natural limitations they deal with. There are many such classifications, but for people with Disabilities and the organizations, volunteers and workers that assist them on a daily basis, this virus and its ensuing restrictions have introduced multiple complications.

Some of these individuals are however, the most inspiring people around and much strength and insight can be gained by learning their stories and the way they have responded to the cards they have been dealt. One of these individuals whom I have come to know is Yoel Sharon.

Yoel Sharon was paralyzed in his lower body after an Egyptian tank hit his APC during the Yom Kippur War, an attack which killed 19 Israeli soldiers and left three wounded. In spite of his severe physical limitations, Yoel was determined to continue the course of life he had been taking before the war. He went on to complete his film studies at Tel Aviv University and started what would become a very successful career in the film industry with offices in Hollywood and Tel Aviv. He also got married, had two daughters and lived a very active social life.

But something was missing. When Yoel was offered to produce a film about scuba diving around Sharm-El-Sheik featuring ex-commando veterans and the country’s top instructors, he listed as one of his conditions that he would only agree to the shoot if he was allowed to dive

The movie producers agreed and against the wishes of his rehabilitation doctor, who thought he was risking his life, Yoel became the first paralyzed person to learn to dive. He later described the shoot as, “the most exciting three weeks of my life. I had simply discovered the underwater world and as a paraplegic, I discovered the feeling of hovering, weightlessness . . . this incredible pleasure.” The experience sowed the seeds for his new life’s mission. When the first automated four-wheel-drive jeeps arrived in Israel several years later, Yoel bought one and organized trips for both abled and disabled IDF veterans so they could appreciate the beauty of the country and to enjoy the natural camaraderie that develops along the way.

When a good friend of his showed him a device from America that provided paralyzed people the opportunity to ski, he joined a one-legged ski instructor and organized Israel’s first snow-skiing course for the disabled in Austria. Yoel described it this way: “Suddenly, I found the ultimate thing – being part of nature as much as one could be at a sports site with everyone else, reaching enormous speeds, passing skiers on your left and right. Truly an amazing experience.” Yoel and his friend pitched the idea to the Disabled IDF Veterans Association expecting them to jump on board, but were met with skepticism. They realized that it was up to them to take responsibility for their lives and they went on to found a non-profit organization, the Snow Skiing Foundation for the Disabled.

They soon realized that skiing limited their scope of operation; they wanted to include all outdoor sports. So in 1994, Etgarim (Challenges) was formed as an official Israeli nonprofit organization. Yoel explains that Etgarim was actually born during World War II. “I am a second generation Holocaust survivor, a child of survivor parents. My mother is a Holocaust survivor from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. My father is a survivor of the work camps in Russia – an amazing story of eight years in a forced-labor camp near the North Pole – with an escape story that is even more amazing. I think that when you are born to parents like these, even if they don’t talk to you about their past, you turn out to be a “survivor” in your genes. I believe that already at Bergen-Belsen or at the work camp by the North Pole, the first seeds of Etgarim were sown.” Etgarim aims to empower the special needs population to meet their potential, extend their abilities in all areas of life including outdoor and extreme sports activities and to be a greater part of their communities.

I pray and hope that members of Etgarim and all of us, will all be out on our “ski’s”, trails and adventures soon and that we will all be inspired by them to ensure that our world is better off when we do!