Willow Tree

Something Beautiful

While all the ugliness is around us...an article about the giving and loving spirit of Israel and her people.
I was weeping by the time I was through....

Technorati Tags: Israel, Charity, Love, War

Bring Me His Head on a Silver Platter

We were talking, a group of women, about the war, would any group of Israelis not talk about the war at some point? And one of the women said "I wouldn't mind being brought Nashralla's head on a silver platter."

I heartily agreed; at first. Then I thought--- how much better it would be for us and the world to see him charged as the mass murderer he is---costing the lives of Jewish citizens and Lebanese citizens. How much better for the world to see him put on trial and evidence brought out to bear against his vilness, that everyone sees his cruelty, his inhumanity not only to his enemies, but to those whom he supposedly loves. How vile the man that would deliberately place babies and the elderly, the weak and the poor in the way of danger as a publicity stunt, for that is all it really is to him. A way to get him accolades, a way to turn the world against Israel. Those who are wise will protest his actions and demand he be punished for his evil.

Too many however fall into his plan and, either because they are fools or because they simply hate Israel make demands on Israel that is contrary to her health.

Those who want to protect the lives of the innocent will wage a protest, and a continous protest, against the tactics of Hamas and Hezzbullah for the deliberate attacks against civilian populations and the continued use of their own civilians as shields to launch attacks.

Technorati Tags: Israel Lebanon, War, Hamas, Gaza

Another Way to Send Support to the Israeli Troops

You send a message, they send chocolates.
It does do so much for these soldiers to hear that someone cares and is praying for them. Please send a hug to the soldiers today, and ask your friends and family to send a hug along as well.

Technorati Tags: Love, Israel, Soldiers, Hugs

You Can Save a Girls Life

Nazanin is a young Iranian woman who has been sentenced to die for the crime of defending herself and her niece from rape. (story here and here)

There is a petition to save her life. THESE PETITIONS DO SEEM TO WORK at times. It certainly can't hurt to try and overturn this vile verdict and allow this young woman to grow.

Please sign. Please let your friends know.

Hurricane Relief Fund Information

Katrina did horrible damage. Anyone who is partly awake knows that. How can you help?

I found this on the web. A whole bunch of different places you can donate to. Here's another place.
If you know of others post them in the comments.

Praying for those who have survived this disaster, that they can swiftly rebuild their lives.

My condolences to all who have lost loved ones.

Can You Help?

MaxedoutMom links to a story of a man trying to save the life of his unborn child. His wife had cancer, collapsed and is now brain dead. They have her hooked up to machines, trying to keep her body going long enough to bring the baby out alive. I can't imagine that type of ordeal, the emotional strain on a loving husband.

He has quit his job to stay with her in the hospital, and the bills are mounting.

Can you help? Here's the link to the fund.
THE SUSAN M. TORRES FUND

Thanks you all.

UPDATE!!
I knew I forgot something.
I found the link via Esther of OUTSIDE THE BLOGWAY! I really apologize for not linking her, as I should have. It was careless editing. I am sorry Esther.

STICKY TAPED: Where To Send Funds For Gush Katif

(remember to scroll down for latest blog entries.)

Ask and you shall receive, quite quickly I might add. Thank you Mirel.

Here's the information friends.

btw, if anyone has any other sources, put it in the comments please and I'll add it here. If you e-mail it I may never see it. Too much e-mail too little time.

Paamonim. com is platforming for tax deductible donations to Lemaan Achai, the fund for Gush Katif victims.

Israeli and American checks can be sent to the Israel or US offices.

In Israel, send to
POB 1423
Bet El 90628
ask for a tax receipt

In the US, send to
Rabbi Hershel Schachter,
24 Bennett Ave (apt. 26A),
New York City, N.Y. 10033

Make the check out to Paamonim, and earmark it Lemaan Achai.

In the US: call 718 438 1498 paamonim to get more info

UPDATE!!!!!
another e-mail and more information on this particular organization including where to send UK funds. Scroll down to DONATIONS if you don't want to read the blurb.

Lema'an Achai (RBS) - Emergency Campaign for Gush Katif

9,000 Israeli citizens have become displaced persons overnight. They have
been torn from their homes, jobs, friends and communities. Scattered in 42
locations around the country, in hotel rooms, kibbutzim, caravans and
tents, all their household possessions are stored in 20 ft containers
somewhere in the Negev Desert. Many are still wearing the clothes they were
evicted in; their shirts torn in the traditional sign of mourning.

Friends, it is our privilege to help them come to terms with their trauma
and begin to rebuild their lives.
The residents of Gush Katif did not ask to be placed in this situation,
they were always self-supporting, and in fact brought in millions of
dollars to the Israeli economy through their exports of flowers, herbs and
organic produce. Their family and friends gave their lives for what the
Israeli Government deemed to be the security of the country. Yet now they
are dependent on others' generosity as a direct result of the actions of
the Israeli Government (with US approval)- yet the compensation, solutions
and response of the government are totally inadequate. The Government
Disengagement Authority (SELA) and the Statutory Welfare Services, who are
technically responsible for the care of the evacuees have already proven
themselves to be incapable or uninterested in providing effective
care. The people of Gush Katif need your support to help them reestablish
their lives.

Lema'an Achai (RBS) is an award-winning nonprofit social services agency
based in Ramat Beit Shemesh. It has successfully pioneered the concept of
"Smart Chesed" in Israel, combining primary aid to families in distress,
with numerous rehabilitation programs, run by a committed core of
professionals and around 400 volunteers. While continuing to serve the
ongoing needs of our 1000 local recipients, Lema'an Achai will now use our
expertise to separately provide mental health and crisis services to the
evacuees of Gush Katif.

In the weeks leading to the evacuation, Lema'an Achai gathered together a
voluntary team of fifty leading psychologists, psychiatrists and social
workers and established a forum in which they were able to exchange
information and recommendations. In this way, Lema'an Achai was
immediately able to dispatch volunteer social workers and psychologists to
hotels in Jerusalem, Beersheva, Ashkelon, Eilat and the Dead Sea as the
first bewildered evacuees arrived at their temporary accommodations. Our
services were coordinated together with those of other organizations, such
as Paamonim-Lemaan Achai Verei, in order to maximize efficiency and reach
all those in need.

On Sunday, 28th August, these 9,000 people are due to be thrown out of
these hotels and into a void. They want to stay together in their
communities, the only connection that remains to their former lives. The
government has offered no real solutions to their plight.

* Lema'an Achai is launching an emergency campaign to raise funds for vital
programs * that will help the people of Gush Katif to cope with their
trauma and gather together their community resources to rebuild their
lives. Specifically, Lema'an Achai are planning the following short term
and long term programs (adapting to the dynamics in the field) :

- National Trauma & Crisis Relief Services
The goal is to provide a quality level of professional counseling and
therapy to people wherever they are. Some of the evacuated residents will
suffer the effects long-term, even for generations (as happened with
Yamit). For these families, professional trauma and crisis intervention
starting now and continuing until no longer required, will enable them to
regain their balance and to rebuild their lives again as self-sufficient,
industrious and motivated Jews. Your help can keep 1,800 families together.

- Atzmona/Shalabim/Beit Shemesh - 75 families (a staggering 800 people!)
from the village of Atzmona are being hosted in Shalabim and have been
'adopted' by Beit Shemesh. Lema'an Achai (RBS) is taking a leading role in
this, including supplying primary aid (including towels, fans, diapers,
etc..) and professional rehabilitation services.

- Virtual Communities:
The goal is to help the dispersed residents to restore their cohesive
communities through the provision of internet community websites, forums
and list-groups that will enable them to maintain contact with one another
however physically distanced they find themselves. Access to their virtual
community will provide them with the group support and a renewed identity
until they are able to physically come together. Internet and email
communities are relatively unknown to the Israeli public - Lemaan Achai
will recruit hi-tech volunteers to set-up and maintain the virtual
communities and teach the evacuees how to use them. We will provide free
laptops and training so that no evacuee need ever feel alone.

- Show Them You Care
Many of the evacuees feel abused and abandoned by society. They need to
see your concern and support for them. Lema'an Achai is establishing a
service that will allow caring Jews all over the world to scan and send
letters and pictures of support, for us to distribute to these people
during their sorrow. Show them you care. (Until we have the system
running, please email scanned letters as LIGHT jpeg attachments to
carmi@lemaanachai.org )

My dear friends, the residents of Gush Katif have been turned into
transitory dwellers, at least for the next few years. Let us show them that
we have the ability and the intent to be there for them, wherever they may
be.

Thank you,

David Morris
Chairperson, Lema'an Achai

DONATIONS:

Israel Tax Deductible Donations should be made out to "Lema'an Achai",
earmarked "Gush Katif Fund",
and sent to:
Lema'an Achai (RBS), 40/7 Nachal Lachish, Ramat Beit Shemesh 99093, ISRAEL.

Secure Online Donations: Go to:
http://www.lemaanachai.org/donate.asp#Online

Credit Card Donations: Call (+972-2) 999.99.33 for Credit Card Donations 24
hours a day

US Dollar Check requiring US Tax Deduction:
Please make checks payable to:
"American Friends of Lema'an Achai"; on Memo Line indicate: "Gush Katif
Fund"
c/o Simon Fleischer
35 West 96th St #1F
New York, NY 10025

UK Tax Deductible Donations: should be made payable to "The Jewish Aid
Committee" and mailed to Lema'an Achai (RBS) in Israel.
Canadian Tax Deductible Donations: should be made payable to "Shaarei
Tefillah" and mailed to Lema'an Achai (RBS) in Israel.

For more information, please
contact david@lemaanachai.org. or call
+9722-999-7107

Please pass this on to you close family and friends, with your personal
recommendations.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David Morris, Chairman
Lema'an Achai - It's All About Caring

www.lemaanachai.org
david@lemaanachai.org

Direct Tel: +9722.999.7107
Office: +9722.999.1553
Fax: +9722.9992398

40/7 Nahal Lachish
Ramat Beit Shemesh,
99093 Israel.

Retrieving Stolen Property

Can someone help this woman? She is living the simple life in up state NY, supporting her family with her knitting and spinning; then someone came and stole
the equpment she needed to keep them in hearth and home.

Please take a look at the items listed here in two albums, especially if you frequent those places where these items may be sold/displayed. (THe first picture has only one item, the second has several items) Keep an eye out; this is the work of some very cruel low-lifes. The loss of my wheel and spindles would be distressing to me; her loss is the loss of financial independence.

Help the Vicitims of the Tsunami

If you want to help but don't know where to go or who to donate through, the Command Post has a list of agencies offering their services.

Food Glorious Food

And shelter, and clean clothes and all those basic items of life that we deem important. It is reather embarrasing to write these words after my last post, with its complaint about immediate gratification.

There are people in Israel who are hungry, and without the basics of life-- a refrigerator, or a bed, a hot meal; Meir Panimprovides these items for the indigent, quite a bit more; providing as well such services as legal counseling and health care tailored to those who have difficulty navigating through the normal health services.

This is another great organization well worth one's consideration. I realize I tend to beg a lot for these various charities; I don't expect anyone (save for perhaps Donald Trump who isn't reading this post anyway) to donate to all of them. But there are so many to choose from; choose one or two, a few dollars here and there, and you may very well end up saving a world, a hero without ever knowing it.

Help One Another

What can one do? That is the question one inevitable asks when confronted by the sorrows of others. How can I help? Such feelings overwhelmed me as I read Random Pensees post about the tragedy in Zimbabwe. and other areas of Africa. In a comment on one of the posts I wondered allowed what I could do to help. Me, sitting here in Israel, what could I do? He answered in this post.

So if you have a few extra dollars lying around, maybe instead of that new whatever, a few could go this way?

And mom, now you know what I want for my birthday. Yeah, I know I'm not suppose to expect anything, but in 46 years you have never forgotten me; I don't expect you to start now. :-)

Strengthen The Good-English Lessons

As an English teacher to English speaking children in a school system where there is a dearth of books suitable for my crew, I can tell you how difficult the lack of books makes my task. Everything has to be purloined; from the web, from books on hand, from half-filled in workbooks that another child has used.

And finding a reading book for the children on their level? This is a task indeed.

Yet I am lucky; we do have a library here, I have my own set of books, and the school has a couple of shelves of books, which has a few books for the girls I teach; can you imagine trying to teach without any books? Strenghten the Good highlights one such school where that is the situation. A new school in Bratislava, Slovakia where the name of the game is to teach the teenagers---who are quite enthusiastic and want to learn---English and American studies. What do they need?

Books. More than I do, and I am never ashamed to beg for books! There is a list on the Strengthen the Good site of books they are looking for, but they are looking for other books as well. If it struck a chord in your heart it is sure to stimulate the interest of someone else. And if you haven't read the book in yeas, well what are you waiting for? Share the wealth and send a book their way.

UPDATE!!!!
There was a slight error in writing the address. It should read Benadicka 38; once again, here's the address, corrected.

Douglas Dart
C.S. Lewis Bilingual High School
Benadicka 38
Bratislava 85106
Slovak Republic

Strengthen the Good provides a link to a site where you can calculate shipping and handling costs as well.

Delta Flyer Miles Anyone?

via civilization calls

Chief Wiggles is asking your help to help a little girl, nicknamed Tabby, who is suffering from a disorder called hemangioma; they have doctors who are willing to operate her, but they have to bring her to South Carolina.

Can anyone reading this blog donate their Delta travel miles? I promise you, if I had miles to give I would, but I don't, I can only ask. Please go to this post to find information on how to donate your miles.

There is a Jewish saying, "he who saves a life, saves a world." Who knows what wonderful gifts this child can bring to the world if we can only bring her to America for corrective surgery?

Change a child's life, change the world.