No, we will not go into the vast variety of Gemachs
and the huge range of their services, fascinating as this
subject always is, and getting more versatile with time.
Gemachs are created to fill needs, of course, but sometimes,
they are run by people who bask in the human contact that
these provide. Not all gemachs require investment of money
for equipment. Some, like TELEGEMACH, or lost-and-found
gemachs, are no more than a phone -- with a phone bill that
goes along with it, of course.
Our clothing gemach recently acquired three clothes racks,
the kind on wheels that dismantle to four poles and are used
mainly for sales. Someone in our family once noted the
interesting fact that anything we had two or more of,
instantly became a new gemach. Presto, with these hanging
racks.
We connected to the main gemach in Jerusalem so that she
could refer people to us. We learned to our amazement that
its coordinator has sixty racks, almost always on loan. Many
of them, even indefinitely! There are never more than 3-4
available!
"No, they are not used mainly for sales, at all," says Mrs.
A. "They serve for families who cannot afford to buy closets
(in Israel, there are few built-in closets) but are desperate
to hang clothing that must be hung, like men's suits. They
serve people at moving time, which can stretch out to a
month. And, of course, for long-term ongoing sales, which
have become more and more popular, with merchandise being
brought from abroad. People call up to renew after 2 weeks,
and I don't have the heart to refuse."
We started off our gemach by charging a nominal fee, thinking
that since people were going to be making money by selling
clothing, they could pay a few shekels. We hoped to buy more.
But when we got the picture, it changed things.
We also learned from Queen Rack, the lady with the sixty
racks, that they are not even that expensive, after all.
Racks without wheels can be ordered for 120 shekel, and for a
long-time investment, whether for a gemach or for families,
it is not bad at all. They will last forever!
So we just thought you might be interested in this
information, and in a glimpse of behind the scenes. We also
thought that some enterprising person with a bit of room to
spare who likes contact with people, might be interested in
opening just such a gemach, for which there is a huge demand,
but hardly enough of a supply. The initial investment is not
too great. And there is definitely something about running a
gemach that expands one's spiritual vistas.
Nerve-racking, perhaps, but the heavenly side blessings are
so incredible.
Call me for more information. (02-537-2303)
