Archive for the 'israel ops' Category
May 5th, 2008 by elie
I figured I’d share this email I just sent to friends in the Jerusalem area, since the more people who can, the better:
Hey guys -
I meant to write this email to like two people and then I figured, why not let everyone know… I was thinking of donating blood in honor of Yom Hazicaron (thanks, Shira) and then my boss told me about a woman in Efrat who desperately needs a platelets donation from the right type (to battle her cancer)… Basically, at Hadassah Ein Karem in Jerusalem at the blood bank in the main building, they are collecting blood for testing for her; they will donate the blood anyway to those who need it, and then if you are the match, they will call you to take your platelets…
Her name is Paula Goldblum. You give her name so they know it’s for her testing (blood will be donated anyway, so you’re killing all kinds of birds with one stone). I want to go tomorrow or Wednesday, don’t necessarily need to go with someone, but I just thought if that sounds like something you’d want to do, go for it.
Have a wonderful Yom Haatzmaut.
April 9th, 2008 by elie
Pessach is a week and a half a way. Obviously I’ve been leaving everything until next week, but if you’re not, good for you.
And if you’re trying to figure out what to do with all your leftover chametz - breads, pastas, crackers, snacks etc. - there’s a new idea beside selling it:
The Jerusalem YMCA’s gym, Great Shape, is collecting your chametz - or any sealed nonperishable food - and giving it to the Darfur refugees located in Israel.
If you’re interested in dropping off your goods, be sure to do so by April 16th. The Jerusalem YMCA is located at 26 King David Street in the center of Jerusalem. The Great Shape Gym’s number is 02-625-8436.
March 20th, 2008 by elie
The buzz this week - around the Israel blogosphere, Facebook and my inbox - has been about a campaign called Together 4 Israel, which “is putting together the largest ever online rally in support of those living under fire in Israel. All you need to do is return to this site on Thursday, March 20, 2008 at 11 p.m. Israel Time to watch a live broadcast online of solidarity rallies from around the world.”
The plan is to gather 1,000,000 people across the globe, joining together to watch the rally and show support for Israel and Sderot. Here’s their video pitch. You can view the speaker list and schedule at the site.
It’s Purim tonight, so if you don’t plan on sticking around a computer, you can log on to the site before you head out of the house and you will still be counted for the rally numbers.
I see the value in this for those who will still be fasting for Ta’anit Esther at 11 p.m. Israel time… It’s a nice idea to feel like you are together with thousands of other Jews, hopefully recognizing Esther’s fast and the need to pull together when we face threats.
March 18th, 2008 by elie
After I posted about volunteer opportunities with Sudanese refugees in Israel, a few people asked me for more details. While I didn’t have them (but did have the contact details of people who did) I now have more information regarding an opportunity to volunteer teaching English to refugees in Tel Aviv:
Looking for volunteers to teach English to Sudanese refugees (mostly from Darfur) living in Tel Aviv. As of now, classes are held on Monday nights but we are open to holding class on other nights as well. All levels of English are taught (advanced, intermediate, beginners and the ABCs). Knowledge of Arabic is extremely helpful in teaching the real beginners but not required.
No previous teaching experience necessary.
If you are interested or know of anyone who might be, please email: Nina722@gmail.com
February 7th, 2008 by elie
I’m passing this along for those of us who have time and resources to partake. It’s best that we Israelis act the part of good hosts while we are entangled in the Sudanese refugee mess.
After all, we know what it’s like to be homeless.
BACKGROUND
Refugees escaping war and political dictatorship from Sudan, Eritrea and the Ivory Coast amongst other African countries are in desperate need of assistance. The government makes no provision. Basic shelter, food and clothing for over 600 refugees is being provided by donation. The shockingly over-cramped living conditions are highly unsuitable for adults and more so for children.
For example, in one shelter, 190 asylum seekers occupy a 200 metre square space, sharing one toilet and shower and no cooking facilities. Another shelter is located above a shelter for active drug addicts. This shelter remains unlocked and the residents report strangers breaking in during the night. At times refugees sleep outside in the cold and rain.
Of particular concern at the moment is the severe lack of hostel space, the 13 unaccompanied children who need to be found schools/homes and the practical supplies and places to work needed for the older refugees (they do have work permits).
URGENT HELP/EQUIPMENT NEEDED
- Food: 10 kg sugar, 10 bottles of oil, 100+ tea bags/ coffee, 50 cans of meat, sardines, tuna (all on an ongoing basis)
- Women’s sanitary equipment (on an ongoing basis)
- 10 shower curtains
- 300 (or on an ongoing basis) pieces of soap
- 300 (or on an ongoing basis) toothbrushes and toothpaste
- Men’s shoes and winter clothing, socks, woolen hats, scarfs, coats (enough for 350 people)
- 350 Blankets, towels
- 4 first aid kits and 4 lockers to keep the kits in a safe place
- A fund for essential medicines for special cases when the refugees are not able to pay
- 6 (used) cell phones and phone cards for the refugee leaders in the shelters in order to communicate with them to arrange daily life issues (e.g. to pass on information such as where to pick up food and to give the leaders the opportunity to contact us when there are serious problems in the shelters)
- 4 phones (land lines) for the shelters for incoming calls only
- Paint for the walls in the women’s shelter
- Office equipment (computer, telephone, desk, chairs, fax, copy machine etc)
- Space for temporary shelters
- Schools to accept the 13 unaccompanied minors aged 14-15
Contact Gila at gilais@gmail.com. Please note donations need to be delivered
VOLUNTEERING NEEDED
No need for Hebrew unless specified. No need for own transport.
For the following please contact info@ardc-israel.org:
- Volunteers to help in the shelters (e.g. daily check-in, escorting refugees to a doctor’s appointment, the hospital etc)
- Volunteers to help find refugees accommodation
- Volunteer Lawyers
- Volunteer to help with the website
- Volunteers to help with cooking
- Volunteers to help with driving and coordination (e.g. transportation form the shelters to the hospital — car needed)
- Volunteer to help fix the office computer
- Volunteers to take in pregnant women or unaccompanied minors (usually age 15) to their home
For the following please contact Elisheva at eli7meli@gmail.com:
- Volunteers to help find refugees work
- Volunteer Social workers, Psychologists, Therapists, Physicians, Nurses
January 10th, 2008 by elie
I find that lots of people - students or not - desire to volunteer on a day-trip basis when they come a-visiting, so I’m sharing the following:
Standing Together - the organization that sells us the Sderot challot every week - has an initiative set up for tourists to Israel this next month:
This winter, visitors to Israel are invited to share their warmth and gratitude with the soldiers guarding our Holyland 24/7. Standing Together hopes you will join us to distribute hot coffee and pizza to these young men and women who are working so hard and standing outside in the cold. Thousands of Israeli soldiers are protecting the Jewish homeland and they deserve appreciation and recognition from Jews worldwide. Call David Landau, director at 050-558-0822 or email info@stogether.org to set an appointment.
They are also organizing a group trip on January 23rd.
November 2nd, 2007 by elie
On Saturday night an assembly is being held in the memory of Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated 12 years ago in the kikar that now has his name.
Based on the giant sign I saw hanging in the square and based on some of the articles and other signs I’ve see, there seems to be a lot more anger this year than in past years.
There’s reason for it too: Yigal Amir - Rabin’s murderer - has had the pleasure to marry, conceive a child and now give that child a brit mila from prison all in recent time.
I can’t afford to go into a rant about it because it’s emotionally taxing. But if you’re interested, here are the details of the memorial rally:
October 22nd, 2007 by elie
The buzz around my corner of Jerusalem these days is the intense 5-day bike ride to raise money for Alyn Hospital dubbed Wheels of Love. Quite a few of my friends are participating and it’s nice to see.
One friend created this video on his 24km practice run yesterday… Try to put the motion sickness aside, the scenery at the end is all that is Jerusalem powerful.
If you’d like to help sponsor some of the riders, here are two excellent choices: Yosef and Yosef.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKYG3xmETYA]
September 18th, 2007 by elie
I just came across the website of the National Jewish Outreach Program, which I’ve never heard of before. It seems like a great resource though, for North American Jews who want to become more affiliated and educated in their Judaism.
What caught my eye, though, was this: Read Hebrew America/Canada. The free Hebrew reading course is described as such:
READ HEBREW AMERICA/CANADA (RHA/C) is NJOP’s mega Hebrew literacy campaign to win back the hearts of North American Jews. The Annual RHA/C will take place during the months of October and November! RHA/C invites tens-of-thousands of Jewish adults into synagogues and Jewish centers throughout the United States and Canada to foster Jewish identity and create awareness about the importance of Hebrew literacy by running Hebrew Reading Crash Courses Level I or II or One Day Reviews.
If you can’t make it to learn with the course, try getting familiar with the aleph-bet on your own; there is an interactive aleph-bet to learn the Hebrew letters. If you are making aliyah soon and have absolutely no background, it might be a good idea to familiarize yourself a bit before the leap.
The site has some other great features like:
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August 14th, 2007 by elie
Mazal tov! Here is a genius website I have to share, for Israeli celebration-goers in doubt of how much of a gift to give (Hebrew-only): KamaKesef?
My favorite part is that the ’submit’ button says, “Nu, kama kesef?’
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