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Itongadol.- The holidays are approaching and many families do not have the basics to prepare for them. Therefore, there are quite a few organizations that are helping those in need of food baskets and coupons.
We visited a special project of the Hartman High School in Jerusalem in cooperation with Chabad which maintains food basket distribution center at the school. In many cases the food baskets are brought directly to needy people\’s homes.
A few days before Rosh Hashanah there is a lot of hustle and bustle in the Hartman school yard. Many dozens of needy people are patiently waiting at the social workers\’ booth of in order to get approved for a holiday food basket and a gift card loaded with NIS 150.
After waiting a few minutes waiting they receive confirmation that they are entitled to receive the food basket and then the school students load the heavy food baskets up on a cart and provide a gift card as another team takes the cart to the needy person\’s house.
Bini Meir, who is in charge on behalf of the school of the project recounts the student\’s great enthusiasm to participate. "This project is part of a series of projects we do at Hartman, mostly initiated by students. This is a project of true help, where the generosity is palpable. We are only emissaries in mid-route when the welfare offices and Chabad are the initiators. Then we only execute the projects."
A woman who lost her son and moved to Israel from France 16 years ago has difficulty containing her excitement at the sight of boys investing their free time helping others. "We live in this country only in the merit of this, the world is sustained only by generosity. Well done!"
Hundreds of other families received holiday food basket because of additional funding allocated by Welfare Minister Haim Katz, as explained by Tzvi Bloy form the association of the Chabad kolel. "Our partners are the Ministry of Social Affairs and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. For the holiday we have received a supplemental budget from the Ministry of Social Affairs that was approved just before the holiday and additional needy people will benefit from this."
Tzvi adds that besides helping the needy there is another dimension of "the educational value derived from the student\’s involvement. We are active in 64 municipalities and we are trying to integrate it wherever possible as it is tremendously beneficial." Boaz, a student concludes, "This is a project that I am proud to participate in, it is the most satisfying feeling."