By Frimet Blum. The streets around Yerushalayim’s Rechov Bar Ilan teemed with people this week, as thousands of Jews from across Eretz Yisroel flocked to the Aperion Hall to participate in Mesamche Lev’s Yom Tov distribution. They came wheeling empty baby carriages, wagons, and shopping carts; and left with heavy boxes and happy hearts. The boxes were filled with meat and poultry that will appear on Yom Tov tables; bringing joy to families that would otherwise not be able to celebrate Zeman Simchasainu properly.
The activity began several days before the distribution, when large trailers pulled up to the hall, and unloaded one hundred giant skids stacked high with cases of meat and poultry. Volunteers armed with computer printouts repacked the meat, filling thousands of boxes with the meat and poultry each family ordered in advance. The distribution was a logistical marvel, with each box placed in a specific location, and each family’s order easily retrieved and distributed. The families “paid” for their orders with Mesamche Lev coupons sponsored by generous donors.
The distribution was very significant to these families, including many who are so poor; they eat meat only when they receive it from Mesamche Lev. Some haven’t tasted meat since the organization’s Pesach distribution. They consider even poultry a delicacy; and enjoy just a taste on Shabbos – when there is money to pay for it. The Mesamche Lev distribution assured that there would be enough meat and poultry to satisfy every man, woman, and child in the recipient families; for the entire Sukkos.
The families were absolutely thrilled at the amount of meat they were receiving. One volunteer saw a cluster of women schmoozing, while their children peeked inside the giant boxes for a glimpse of the meat they had heard so much about. One little girl was so excited; she rushed to tell a classmate standing in line that her mother had promised her a whole entire schnitzel!
In addition to meat and poultry, Mesamche Lev distributed a large number of grocery coupons to hundreds of talmidei chachomim and poor families. The grocery coupons will enable the families to buy food and household essentials for Yom Tov. That is no small thing. The poor struggle all year; but somehow, things get so much harder before Yom Tov. Rabbi Dovid Weber, at Mesamche Lev’s Israeli office, explains:
“Before Yom Tov, everyone is caught up in the frenzy of preparations, but the poor are left out. They see the tumult in the streets, they hear the neighbors talk about cooking for Yom Tov, they see the children skipping in and out of stores, and they feel like there’s a glass wall between them and the rest of the Jewish world. They don’t have food to cook; and they can’t go shopping for new clothing, because they don’t have money.” Mesamche Lev breaks the glass wall, and gives these families the ability to purchase all the food they need.
The barrier is toughest for widows and orphans. They live with such grief and loneliness; and endure so much deprivation and hunger; they feel as if the joy in the streets can’t possibly pierce their hearts. Mesamche Lev breaks this barrier, by giving widows large checks for Yom Tov.
Mesamche Lev’s Widow and Orphan Fund is a mainstay of the organization’s activities. Over the past few weeks, Mesamche Lev mailed out hundreds of thousands of dollars in assistance to hundreds of widows. The money brought great simchas hachag to three hundred eighty six homes in Israel that struggle mightily to purchase even the most basic necessities.
It also reached closer to home. In recent years, Mesamche Lev expanded its activities to address the needs of American widows. This Tishrei, one hundred sixty one widows from our community received very generous checks that enabled them to purchase new clothing, shoes, robes, and more for themselves and their orphaned children. The checks were very well received. One American widow said that the money meant that her teenagers feel “normal,” because they have new clothing and shoes, just like their friends.
“They feel different because they are orphans, and new clothes go a long way towards making them feel like part of the crowd.” She thanked Mesamche Lev for bringing simchas Yom Tov to her home.
Her gratitude was shared by the thousands who thronged to the Aperion hall to pick up meat, poultry, and grocery coupons. Many people penned notes expressing their heartfelt appreciation to Mesamche Lev and its donors.
The Yom Tov distribution was sponsored by generous donors from the United States and beyond who wished to take part in this massive effort to bring simchas Yom Tov to their brethren. Many donors purchased coupons sponsoring meat or groceries for one or more families; fulfilling their obligation to provide tzorchei Yom Tov to the poor. Others had the great zechus of contributing larger amounts and helping more families. All of the donors played a significant role in ensuring that the poor will celebrate Zeman Simchasainu properly.
“It is hard for Americans to understand what it means not to be able to afford a chicken for Shabbos,” says Rabbi Berel Ashkenazi, Director of Mesamche Lev in Eretz Yisroel. “It’s quite normal for several families to chip in for a single chicken, and each get one quarter. They divide it into teeny bits, so that each child gets fleishigs on Shabbos. Zehu. That’s it.”
“Mesamche Lev wants to make sure that at least Yom Tov is different. On Yom Tov, there should be enough for everybody. On Yom Tov, there should be meat.”
Mesamche Lev spends many months preparing for each event. Amazingly, even while volunteers served families at the Sukkos distribution, the administration was preparing for Pesach, when the organization’s massive shoe distribution takes place. Mesamche Lev has just placed its order for forty two thousand pairs of shoes – and paid a deposit of a quarter of a million dollars! This deposit was due at the very same time that the office was raising funds for the Tishrei distribution. The remaining balance for the shoes will be paid when they are delivered, just in time to bring simchas Yom Tov to children who would otherwise not get new shoes for Pesach – or in the months afterward.
Mesamche Lev has been alleviating the pain of widows and orphans for over forty years. Rabbi Zalman Ashkenazi, zatzal, the renowned founder of the organization, dedicated himself to their plight, and devised creative programs that would make their lives bearable. He made sure that they had food, clothing, and money for Yom Tov; and he relieved them of the great burden of marrying off their children. Under his leadership, Mesamche Lev mushroomed into the giant chesed empire it is today. Before Yom Tov and every day of the year, Mesamche Lev continues the legacy of its remarkable founder, Rabbi Zalman Ashkenazi, zatzal; and achieves its noble mission of Bringing Simcha to Life.
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