For a charitable organization, the hit can be three times as hard. The value of the donations decrease (if donations are given in dollars), and donors are giving less as the economy gets worse, and prices are going up as inflation rises.
Lema'an Achai has been hard hit by the shrunk dollar & the economic downturn in the US, combined with the rise in basic food and living costs in Israel, hitting us from both sides.
Donations are down 50%, while the need for our help is going up daily....
This has severely impacted Lema'an Achai's ability to help the two hundred local impoverished families we assist - and we are faced with having to say No to new families in crisis.
Lema'an Achai is the only organization servicing the population of RBS with professional in-house teams of social workers, financial counselors, employment counselors, legal/rights advocates, and over 25 volunteer manned programs of aid and rehabilitation services.
For families IN crisis, Lema'an Achai is their route OUT.
Lema'an Achai has no major funders - all our support comes from private donors from the general public.
This dire situation can only be fixed by donors taking up the challenge, and increasing their financial support for Lema'an Achai's critical activities.
Donations details: http://www.lemaanachai.org/
Here is a letter, unprecedented in the wide spectrum of local Rabbis lending their name and support to Lemaan Achai, calling upon the public to donate..
Tizku L'Mitzvos
There are a lot of signatures missing from the letter.
ReplyDeleteit does not include every single rabbi in the neighborhood, but is still a very wide spectrum of rabbis supporting...
ReplyDeleteLema'an Achai is a great organization, which helps EVERYONE in need in the whole of RBS A regardless of religious affiliation or street location (and now even has an independently funded office in Bet Shemesh).
ReplyDeleteThey surely deserve universal support - from donors and community leaders.
I think it is tremendous that so many rabbonim in the community show their appreciation and support for LA by signing this letter, particularly when LA needs the donations now so badly.
There are several rabbonim who, it seems to me, ought to have signed the letter (if only because their kehilos benefit from LA's services) who are curiously absent.
Rafifan-
ReplyDeleteI guess that for "some" rabbonim they would only put their signature for people to take money from Lema'an Achai but not to give.
Gives a new meaning to the word Rabbonim (in some cases).
What a wonderful world we live in.
Kol HaKavod Lema'an Achai and to those rabbonim who realize their amazing work.
Is this one of the organizations that has deceptive and halachically problematic advertisements?
ReplyDelete"Is this one of the organizations that has deceptive and halachically problematic advertisements?"
ReplyDeleteLema'an Achai?
I hardly think so.
They are the only local organization whose finances are transparent.
They make no 100% claims and then try to answer the claim with verbal acrobatics.
Deceptive? Their ads are all quite clear, very positive and non offensive to anyone.
In addition their ads are neighborhood friendly. No wallpaper paste or 5 story banners.
Although I'm sorry to hear about their financial situation I am happy to see that a wide array of rabbonim support them.
Maybe because they support everyone.
anon of 4:39,
ReplyDeleteLema'an Achai is a tremendous asset to our community.
They have helped hundreds if not thousands of people (including relatives and neighbors of mine) in many different ways.
David Morris and Rav Leventhal are pillars of tzedaka and chesed.
I can't begin to fathom how difficult it must be to be out there helping people while community members question your integrity and as to whether you are frum enough.
What must be even worse is that there are Rabbonim in RBSA who won't support their noble work.
Shame on these so called Rabbis.
What will they and those who listen to them answer about this on the Yom HaDin?
"We were just following orders"?
The tzadikim of Lema'an Achai deserve our respect as well as our support.
Chazak V'ematz!
this was simply a call out to help a local tzedaka organization in a time of financial difficulty for many members of the community with a lull period of donations.
ReplyDeleteThere is no need to bash other organizations or Rabbis.
rafi, I am from Canada.The situation as youdescribe is exactly what's going on.Until now, one going door to door usually got a nice donation.
ReplyDeleteNow, either people do not open up because they are embarrased to give so little, or hey give a dollar or two. The financial situation is a big problem for everybody.
Rafi-
ReplyDeleteI agree.I apologize for any lack of respect.
I just wish that we could all get along!
Humbly,
Tzedaka Shouldn't be Political
i can't see the copy of the letter for some reason or other. what does it say?
ReplyDelete