What do you do when you're solicited to donate money for a good cause? How do you decide whether or not to contribute? And how do you decide how much to give? The answers to these questions are very personal and each one of us uses a different set of criteria for responding to a solicitation or for initiating a contribution.
No matter whether you feel strongly about helping needy children or admirable institutions or victims of particular diseases, you will surely be frustrated by the fact that there are so many worthy causes that it's impossible to contribute to all of them.
Indeed, there are hundreds of altruistic organizations which deserve widespread support and recognition for their work. If only all of them could have full coffers so that they would be able to carry out their noble missions unencumbered by financial constraints.
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Unfortunately, in Israel of 2007 each not-for-profit organization must constantly fight two battles simultaneously: the first is to do the best possible job in its field and the second is to raise the funds necessary to do so.
So how do you approach the issue of giving? The practice of helping others is an integral part of the Jewish religion and Israeli culture, and most of us do feel a responsibility towards the society in which we live. Even if we don't have the resources to make substantial donations to all our favorite causes, we still try to support their efforts to the extent that we can - perhaps through volunteering or helping those in need in some small way.
A number of the most commendable causes are spotlighted here; some very well known and others not. Some focus on a specific segment of the population while others have a more universal mandate. More importantly, all deserve a big "thank you" from all of us, regardless of whether we are on the giving or the receiving end.
Amit Nurturing Israel's disadvantaged children Since 1925, AMIT has nurtured and educated Israeli children to become productive, contributing members of society. Its more than 60 schools, youth villages, surrogate family residences and other programs are located
in 21 cities and communities throughout Israel and constitute the nation's only government - recognized network of traditional Jewish education incorporating academic and technological studies. A majority of AMIT's almost 17,000 children come from economically disadvantaged and/or troubled families.
Many are from homes where they face hunger and poverty or have been scarred by violence and domestic abuse. Yet, AMIT students reflect the whole spectrum of Israeli society: religious and secular, Ashkenazi and Sephardi, sabra and new immigrant.
All students are welcome in AMIT's educational environment, where tolerance, respect and the unity of the Jewish people are the basic tenets of AMIT's philosophy. With American headquarters in New York City and Israeli offices in Jerusalem and Petach Tikvah, AMIT is supported by more than 40,000 families in the United States and hundreds of volunteers in Israel, working together on behalf of Israel's most precious resource, its children.
AMIT: 817 Broadway, New York, NY
10003, Tel: (212 ) 477-4720 or 1-800-989-
AMIT; E-mail: info@amitchildren.org,
Website: www.amitchildren.org.
Israel Guide Dog Center Share their vision The Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind trains dogs to respond to Hebrew commands and to navigate the challenging Israeli environment.
In less than 30 days of instruction, sight-impaired Israelis can attain freedom they never dreamed possible. This didn't happen overnight. It took 15 years to go from having a single dog to becoming the source of hope for thousands of sightless Israelis. Whether blinded by disease
or terrorist attacks, the Center has guided these people to new levels of freedom and mobility. Yet so many still wait their turn.
The Guide Dog Center's greatest need is for Partnerships - the lifetime relationship between a sight-impaired Israeli and one of the guide dogs. The program breeds, raises and trains puppies to become guide dogs, instructs blind Israelis in their use and provides aftercare and guide dog replacement when needed. These services - supported almost
entirely through generous private individuals and family foundations - are completely free.
That's why your help is needed. For more information,
please contact: Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind, USA: 732 S. Settlers Circle, Warrington, PA., Tel: 1 267 927 0205
email: igdcbenni.com 1025 Kingston Rd.,
Toronto, Ont. M4E 1T4, Tel: 1 416 690 0625,
email: drmsamson@beachvet.com; Israel:
Beit Oved 76800, Tel: (972 ) 08 940 8213,
Web: www.israelguidedog.org, email:info@
igdcb.org
Meir Panim Providing hope and sustenance for Pesach Meir Panim's 24 upscale soup kitchens and communal outreach centers have been overwhelmed with requests for meals and holiday food packages before the Pesach holiday.
The founder and chairman of Meir Panim, Rabbi Dudi Zilberschlag, has been working diligently with local businessmen and philanthropists from overseas to secure enough funds to deal with the growing demands for help from young families and senior citizens alike. Many of these indigent families have fallen through the cracks of Israel's government bureaucracy. Because poverty does not take a holiday, Meir Panim's staff has been working around the clock to keep up with the demand. In the coming days,
Meir Panim will be assisting the community via several initiatives, including distributing holiday food packages to 5,000 elderly Holocaust survivors; providing 12,000 additional Pesach food packages to disadvantaged families and children throughout the country; and supplying 7,000 hot and nourishing Seder meals for traditional Seders to be conducted at nearly a dozen Meir Panim soup kitchens and community centers throughout Israel.
For further information, tel:02-5011444.
Orr Shalom Providing new homes for at-risk children There are 350,000 at-risk children in Israel. 8,000 of these children have been removed from their biological homes and 1,300 of them live at Orr Shalom.
Motti (not his real name ) was 7 years old when he arrived at Orr Shalom. His little hands would lift up instantly to protect his face in immediate reaction to anyone extending a hand in his direction.
Motti arrived after having been previously rejected by a number of other institutions, and was found wandering through the streets and parks, hungry and barefoot. With boundless love and endless patience, Orr Shalom's house parents and Family Group Home staff managed to prove to Motti that a hand can also be extended with good intentions. After having stayed at the Orr Shalom Family Group Home for 11 years, Motti now serves as an officer in the army. This past Independence Day, he was awarded an Outstanding Soldier badge by the President.
During its years of activity, the Orr Shalom organization's unique system for caring for at-risk children has attained a special status in the field of welfare. The Children and Youth Department at the Ministry of Welfare perceives Orr Shalom as the leading organization in Israel in the area of child welfare, and defines its work as a "model and guide for future frameworks caring for Israeli children who have been removed from their biological homes."
Orr Shalom offers a broad spectrum of therapeutic solutions for children who have been removed from their biological homes due to neglect and abuse, and provides them with a warm and supportive home to help them overcome past traumas, build a better life for themselves and break the cycle of distress.
During the past 26 years, Orr Shalom has given light and hope to thousands of children removed from their parents' homes. Its programs include 25 family group homes, 40 therapeutic foster families, 500 foster families, the Friendship House and School for boys, the Goldshmidt Home and School for girls, an apartment for graduates, therapeutic after-school clubs and two parent-child centers. It also recently established a home for seven orphaned children from Or Yehuda whose father murdered their mother and then killed himself, providing these children with aid from a dedicated staff as well as comprehensive professional treatment.
To help Orr Shalom help many other children in need, please call 02-53337059 ext. 112, or email: info@orr-shalom.co.il; www. orr-shalom.org.il.
Yad Vashem Reaching the next generation Situated on the Mount of Remembrance in Jerusalem, Yad Vashem is entrusted with the mission of safeguarding the memory of the Holocaust and imparting its legacy to future generations. For over half a century, Yad Vashem has been deeply committed to four pillars of remembrance: commemoration, documentation, research and education.
These pillars guide Yad Vashem's main areas of activities. The Holocaust is a story that must be told and retold; a tragedy with meaning for Jews and humanity as a whole. Now more than ever, efforts must be redoubled to reach out, educate, fight antisemitism and intolerance, and ensure that the legacy of the Holocaust will never be forgotten.
A visit to Yad Vashem strengthens our youth's commitment to rebuilding the world that was lost to the Shoah, connects them to their heritage and enhances their Jewish identity.
A unique opportunity exists to help us reach the next generation of our people, to join Yad Vashem in its efforts to transform commemoration into a lasting commitment to the Jewish people, to moral values and to
responsible action.
Help Yad Vashem, reach out to our youth today, for the sake of our tomorrow. Visitors at Yad Vashem - the Holocaust history museum from every sector of the population.
For further information, tel:02-6443420.
Ezer Mizion When there is a need For many Israelis, whenever a crisis erupts, there is one spontaneous response: "Call Ezer Mizion."
Ezer Mizion is a multi-service, highly professional organization whose goal is to promote health and foster independence among physically and emotionally challenged populations.
It offers quality programs not readily available in the healthcare system, occupying a unique niche in Israeli life. With branches in 25 cities and over 10,000 volunteers, each year Ezer Mizion helps over 650,000 people.
The Bone Marrow Donor Registry (BMDR) - the world's largest Jewish stem cell registry with close to 300,000 registrants - is one of Ezer Mizion's flagship programs.
By facilitating stem cell transplants from genetically compatible donors, the BMDR offers hope for recovery to people suffering from cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
Since its establishment in 1998, the BMDR has saved the lives of hundreds of patients around the world.
Other Ezer Mizion programs address the physical and emotional needs of cancer patients, special-needs children, the elderly, the disabled, terror victims, and others in need of a helping hand and a caring heart.
Virtually all the services are provided free or for a nominal fee.
For information, call 03-614-4573 or visit www.ezermizion.org.
The OR Movement Helping to populate the Negev and the Galilee What began with the childhood dream of four friends has grown into the foremost organization dedicated to populating and developing the Negev and Galilee. In fact, OR has already established six new communities and has helped more than 1,000 families relocate to these regions.
In its strategic plan, OR intends to relocate 200,000 people to the Negev and Galilee over the next 5-10 years by offering attractive housing opportunities in places such as the future communities of Carmit, designated for English speakers, and Ira, for the ultra-Orthodox. Many
additional projects are under way, including the Old City of Beersheva project, which aims to reestablish the city as a social and cultural anchor that will attract young families to the south. Such projects are leveraged by OR to continue the process of bringing people to the Negev and Galilee. OR works closely With several partners: foremost among them are JNF-USA and JNF-UK, as well as the Sacta Rashi Foundation, the Jewish Agency and others.
To help support the OR Movement with a donation, or for more information about OR's activities, to receive the OR film or a copy of their strategic plan, please visit www.or1.org.il, call +972-8-6299012 or email:info@or1.
org.il.
The Welfare of Street Cats The Jerusalem Society for the Welfare of Street Cats helps the city's distressed felines
Concern over the heartbreaking plight of Jerusalem's homeless cats has catalyzed residents from all sectors of the city's population to work together to alleviate the animals' suffering.
The cats are forced to scrounge for scraps, suffering from cold during the harsh winters and parching thirst and dehydration in the scorching summers. Most don't survive and die painfully from starvation, illness or injury.
Orphaned kittens are doomed to certain, cruel death. The Jerusalem Society for the Welfare of Street Cats was founded in response to this intolerable situation.
"Jewish sources stress kindness to animals," notes a volunteer. "Rabbi H.H. Donin writes, 'One is duty bound to save every living creature from pain or distress, even if it has no owner'." The JSWCA operates a hotline to rescue felines in distress and arranges veterinary care, temporary shelter and adoptive homes. Volunteers feed and care for neighborhood cats.
Top priority is given to a spay/neuter and inoculation campaign to check population growth and ensure healthy felines who will keep Jerusalem free of disease-spreading rats and vermin. And as a welcome byproduct in a society rampant with religious and ideological strife, the volunteers' common concern for the cats has led to greater tolerance for each other.
Beth Hatefutsoth The Museum of the Jewish People Beth Hatefutsoth, the Nahum Goldmann Museum of the Jewish Diaspora, is a world acclaimed cultural institution dedicated to the celebration and study of three thousand years of Jewish history. The museum, charged by the Knesset's 2005 law to serve as the "International Center for Jewish Communities in Israel and around the World," is undergoing a phenomenal revival and is successfully fulfilling its mission of becoming the world center for Jewish peoplehood.
Visitors to Beth Hatefutsoth experience Jewish history, culture, religion and traditions through fascinating temporary exhibitions, collections, databases and educational programs which provide our generation with the
key to our cultural identity and connection to our people.
Beth Hatefutsoth has embarked on a process of renovating its permanent exhibit, overhauling its computer system, upgrading its unrivaled databases and building a unique School for the Study of the Jewish People. All of this is being accomplished in partnership with the NADAV fund and other partners.
Beth Hatefutsoth, a leading museum and cultural institution in Israel since 1978, is also reputed for its vast photo and video archives, a rich Jewish genealogical database and a vibrant Music Center.
In the words of one of its founders, poet Abba Kovner, Beth Hatefutsoth looks forward to continuing to encourage the Jewish People "to remember the past, to live the present and to trust in the future."
For further information, tel:03-6405953.
Ben Gurion University The Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research
The world's drylands consist of the arid and semi-arid regions (not the harsh deserts), which occupy about 25% of the earth's land area, and are home to a total population of over 600 million. Most dryland inhabitants lead a nomadic lifestyle, living off whatever nature offers them.
In recent years, these populations have grown so much that the rate at which they exploit their natural environment is greater than the rate at which the environment can regenerate itself. Tragically, in their quest for very modest livelihood, these populations are destroying the natural infrastructure off which they live. The result is desertification; regions that could once sustain a nomadic population are becoming barren deserts.
Desertification means hunger, wars and pressure on the developed countries. As part of the global effort to combat desertification, Israel contributes scientific and technological expertise as well as education to young scientists from around the world.
Just this is done in the Negev, the heart of Israel's dryland. On Ben-Gurion University's Sde Boker campus, the Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research is devoted to the development of scientific and technological know-how for preserving the world's drylands.
The two fundamental pillars of the research work carried out on campus are the study of the natural dryland environment and the anthropology of dryland populations. These are accompanied by a range of research activities on water issues, dryland agriculture and biotechnology, desert architecture, solar energy and various aspects of environmental issues.
The Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies is the Institute's educational arm. The mission of the Katz school is to educate young scientists to work together to help fight the global phenomenon of desertification.
The school offers a two-year study program to 200 students who live and study on campus, with around 120 of these students pursuing a master's degree in Desert Studies and the remaining students studying towards a Ph.D. at the university's Kreitmann School for Advanced Studies.
The students come from over 20 countries around the world, and the desert is both their living place and laboratory for the duration of their studies. Living together and being exposed to an interdisciplinary study program, these students emerge well equipped for fulfilling the mission of the school.
For information: Tel 08-6596733 or email - dschool@bgu.ac.il.
Donor Associates in Israel Accountability and Responsible Giving "In the 21st century people want to know where their money is going and be able to 'feel and touch' their donation," says Russell F. Robinson, CEO of the Jewish National
Fund.
Indeed, the common buzzword currently heard in philanthropic circles is "accountability."
In general usage, accountability means being held answerable. In the world of nonprofit organizations, accountability refers to the recipient agency being able to demonstrate that its use of donated funds matches
the intent of its donors.
Here the operative words are "demonstrate" and "intent." The organization demonstrates the fulfillment of this intent through the transparency of its record-keeping and
operations. This information must be publicly available since, at the end of the day, the organization is dependent upon that public for support. Gifts from individual donors are subject to confidentiality; however, an organization's income, expenses, and program activities are not. The organization is obligated to tell all - and truthfully.
"The dimes, and dollars, they are a'changing." Previously most donors were content to receive recognition for their gift - a letter, a plaque, a dinner. Today, knowledge that his or her intent was fulfilled, and evidence that the program's stated objectives have been realized are the hallmarks of responsible philanthropy.
For more information about Donor Associates in Israel, visit www.donor.co.il.
The Weizmann Institute At the forefront of scientific research The Weizmann Institute of Science is one of the world's top-ranking basic research institutions in the natural and exact sciences.
Its 18 departments are organized into five faculties - Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics and Computer Science. Approximately half of the Institute's research projects are in the life sciences and, of these, about half are related to cancer, yielding advanced approaches to diagnosis and treatment. Other biomedical research has led to discoveries such as multiple sclerosis
drugs, advanced robots and computerized vision systems, as well as novel methods for treating brain injuries and effective new antibiotics.
Environmental scientists are explaining large and small scale natural phenomena in collaborative studies involving advanced technologies and modeling systems. Research on alternative energy focuses on developing efficient and economically feasible ways to collect, store, and transport solar energy, and on producing efficient and environmentally friendly fuels. Institute scientists invest enormous efforts in science education, believing that in the age of science and technology, education is society's most rewarding investment.
Activities range from the development of new scientific educational curricula and teacher training programs to the design of special programs that bring youth closer to science, thereby revealing the excitement involved in scientific research. The Clore Garden of Science, the world's first interactive outdoor science museum, allows visitors to experience various natural phenomena first-hand.
Tel:08-9343815.
College of Judea & Samaria The largest and most diverse public college in Israel The steps to upgrade the status of the College of Judea & Samaria to a university center in Ariel are continuing, following a government decision.
This hill-top campus is Israel's largest and fastest-growing public college, and home to a very diverse mix of students who come from Israel's coastal plain and towns in northern and southern Israel, as well as Jerusalem. It is truly a national institution, proud of its key values of academic excellence, Zionism and multiculturalism.
The College's unique dynamic attracts the best teachers and researchers for its 21 undergraduate and two graduate programs in Engineering, Architecture, Natural Sciences, Health Sciences and Social Sciences and Humanities. The more than 200 faculty members are all active in research,
which has resulted in approximately 1,000 publications, 50 books and dozens of patents.
The College currently has over 9,000 enrolled students, with over 7,000 studying for academic degrees. This year, over 1,300 students will graduate with degrees from the College, an institution serving immigrants from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union, Arabs, Druze, soldiers still in active service and students from every socio-economic
segment of Israeli society. Visit the campus. Become a Friend of the College of Judea & Samaria - Israel's next university!
Tel: m-3-9066222.
Yeladim Fair chance for children In today's Israel, there are over 10,000 children who were removed from their families and are being raised in over 80 residential group homes throughout the country.
Yeladim-Fair Chance for Children is a voluntary organization whose goal is to help children living in group care and to provide them with opportunities similar
to those growing up with their families.
Programs include remedial teaching, cultural enrichment programs, art therapy, computers for residential group homes, Hannukah gifts, sports programs, photo albums and child-parent relationship renewal camp. Furthermore, the organization trains and mobilizes hundreds of volunteers
who help children in group care in various ways, including hosting them for weekends.
Eighty-five percent of the Council's budget comes from contributions from foundations, private individuals and the business community in Israel and abroad.
For more information, call: +972-3-6475076, email: yeladim@yeladim.org.il or visit www.yeladim.org.il.
Kav-Or Meeting the needs of hospitalized children Fourteen years ago, when computer usage was still at an early stage, Dr. Bilha Piamenta initiated the idea of installing computers in children's wards in hospitals,
so that hospitalized children could carry on with their school studies by means of longdistance learning. And so, the Kav-Or ("line of light" in Hebrew) NGO came into being.
Today, the Kav-Or Association operates in about 100 children's departments in 27 hospitals around Israel, and will be expanding to even more.
Kav-Or computerizes the educational centers in hospitals and, in addition to long-distance learning, the young patients can be in touch through the Internet with their families and friends, their hobby groups and children
in the Diaspora, and can play in a virtual playground.
Kav-Or is expanding its activities by upgrading the design of the class rooms, to attract the young patients to use them, instead of spending all their time in the hospital ward.
In addition, children can watch presentations on medical treatment that reduce the anxieties about medical procedures. The hours of activity have been expanded by using volunteers - students and girls doing their National
Service.
Special services are provided to children hospitalized for long periods of time as a result of terrorist attacks, chronic illness or accidents. Keren-Or children come from
all sectors of the population and some have never before used a computer, yet many attain impressive marks when they return to school. Some manage to finish their matriculation exams while hospitalized for severe problems. All of them are given the opportunity to join an Internet forum and vent their feelings, and to ease their fears by participating in on-line enhancement activities.
The association works in full cooperation with hospital medical and educational staff, who are well aware that however sick the children are, in other respects they are normal.
The work is carried out with the help of a small, dedicated team together with a constantly growing pool of volunteers. This year the association is giving particular attention to cooperating with hospitals and psychiatric clinics in the north of Israel, in the wake of the war last summer, as well as to enlarging its reservoir of supporters through its Association of Friends.
Learn more at: www.kavor.org or by writing to: infoekavor.org.il
Binyan Olam A unique voluntary matchmaking organization
Binyan Olam is a not-for-profit organization which was established in light of the difficulty that many religious people in Israel and overseas have in finding the right partner.
Unmarried people want to search for a partner with dignity, and not have to wait for some friend or relative to perhaps "think of someone" and suggest a match. Nor do they want a regular matchmaker who is often expensive
and inefficient.
The organization is run by volunteers and donors who are concerned about the continuity of the Jewish people in this era of mass assimilation. Thousands of marriage candidates are registered with the organization: both young and older people, single and divorced women and men, widow(er)s, newly religious, orphans, people who have lost their spouse in terror attacks and some who are mentally or physically disabled. In fact, religious Jews of all types.
Candidates fill in a detailed questionnaire and are invited to an individual interview. The information is fed into a sophisticated, unique computer program that helps the professional matchmaking staff to find, with Divine help, an appropriate match. The whole process is carried out with absolute discretion, always preserving the candidates' dignity.
There is no registration fee. The organization receives no funding from the authorities and must rely one hundred percent on donations. Binyam Olam (in Hebrew "Building the World") has the blessing of respected rabbis and is supervised by them.
When there is a wedding (there were seven in recent months - mazal tov!), the happy couple is not asked for any payment whatsoever.
Yet the organization's expenses are enormous. At this perilous time, when an enemy threatens us from without and mixed marriages threaten us from within, a donation to the
organization means that the donor is helping to build a Jewish home and the Jewish people.
The greater the budget that the organization has at its disposal, the more able it will be to assist marriage candidates from Israel and overseas.
For information, to make a donation and/or to join the team of volunteers, please call in Israel: 1599-545455 or fax 02-5714567 or e-mail: binyanolam@bezeqint.net.
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