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23 Kislev 5761 - December 20, 2000 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Vaad Harabbonim Helps Eretz Yisroel's Poor on Chanukah and Year Round
by Moshe Schapiro

Chana looked at the stack of unpaid bills in front of her and felt the tears trickling down her cheeks. There was no way she could pay them all -- the rent was due in two days, tuition by the end of the week, and then there were the gas, electricity and water bills, all of which had to be paid by the end of the month.

Then, on top of everything else, Dovid had come home from cheder today bursting with excitement over the trip his class would be taking on Chanukah. The trip cost $10 -- a small sum, but money Chana just didn't have.

It's hard to believe Chanukah is just around the corner, thought Chana sadly -- and it would be the children's first without their father. It had all happened so fast. She had gotten a call that Yaakov, just 32, had a heart attack at work. The next thing she and the children knew, he was gone.

Chana and Yaakov were baalei teshuva, and both sets of parents had cut off contact with them years earlier. When Yaakov died, Chana was suddenly alone. Friends and neighborhoods sent over food packages and played with the children, but it was Chana who had to deal with the day-to- day reality of living without a husband.

The couple had never been wealthy, but they had always managed to scrape by. After Yaakov's death, Chana began working full time, but whatever she earned, it never seemed to be enough.

And now Chanukah was coming and there was no money for bills, much less Dovid's class trip or even small presents for the children.

What hurt Chana the most wasn't that her children lacked material things, but that she had so little time to spend with them. She knew there was no way she could cut back on her work hours. Then again, she also knew her children needed her. Leah was still waking up with bad dreams in the middle of the night and Dovid was having problems at school.

Fortunately, an avreich from the neighborhood had recently started to learn with him twice a week. It wasn't much, but it seemed to be helping. For months Dovid had been falling behind in his learning and was getting into constant fights at school. At least now, things were starting to improve.

Chana's thoughts drifted back to her 10 years of marriage -- and the 10 wonderful Chanukahs she and her husband had shared. She recalled the first year of her marriage, when Yaakov had lit their small, dented brass menorah on the porch of their tiny Yerushalayim apartment, his deep voice echoing out into the frosty night air. She had made potato latkes -- and they weren't bad, especially considering they were the first she'd ever made.

The next year Dovid was born, and two years later, Leah. More menorahs were added to the windowsill, and Chana perfected her latke-making technique. Three years ago the family had moved into a slightly larger apartment, and pictures of the family dancing and singing near the candles and munching on crispy potatoes latkes flitted through Chana's mind.

Last Chanukah had been particularly beautiful -- though no one knew it would be Yaakov's last. They lit candles, played dreidel and ate lots of latkes. And then, on the last day of Chanukah, the family walked up and down the neighborhood counting the dozens of menorahs glistening from porches and windowsills.

"Ima, look how many candles there are," Leah had cried. "It's like the world is celebrating Chanukah. Everyone knows that Hashem does miracles."

At that moment, Chana was overcome with pride. She and Yaakov had sacrificed much to build their Jewish home, but it had all been worth it.

I still have that Jewish home, though Chana, coming back to the present. She resolutely wiped away her tears and made a silent promise to herself to make sure her Jewish home remained strong.

Chana thought for a moment and then picked up the phone. She called Dovid's rebbi, who was already familiar with the family's financial situation. Reb Yitzchok told her Dovid could go on the trip even if she couldn't afford to pay for it. Chana thanked him profusely and hung up the phone. At least now Dovid would go on the trip -- though she knew he hated feeling like a charity case.

Chana crossed that expense of her list, but the relief she felt was minimal. She went over the numbers again and again, but there was just no way she could pay off all her bills.

A knock at the door interrupted Chana's thoughts. It was Shlomo, the avreich who learned with Dovid. But it was Tuesday and he learned with Dovid on Mondays and Wednesdays.

After giving Dovid a warm hello, Shlomo walked into the room where Chana was sitting. Before Chana could ask Shlomo why he had stopped by, Shlomo placed an envelope on the table.

"Take it," he said. "It's a little Chanukah gelt from Vaad Harabbonim."

Chana opened the envelope and couldn't believe what she saw. Inside was enough money to not only pay off all her bills, but also to pay for Dovid's class trip and to buy Chanukah presents for both the children.

Chana tried to protest, but Shlomo was already on his way out the door.

"Happy Chanukah," he called and was gone.

Chana had heard of Vaad Harabbonim, the volunteer organization that distributes tzedokoh throughout the year to families in crisis, who have nowhere else to turn. She knew the organization operated under the guidance of HaRav Yosef Shalom Eliashiv, HaRav Moshe Halberstam, HaRav Shmuel Auerbach and other Torah leaders. What she didn't realize was how great a difference the organization would make in her own life.

With tears in her eyes, Chana thought back to what Leah had said just the year before, while she was counting the many menorahs in their Yerushalayim neighborhood: "Everyone knows that Hashem does miracles."

"Yes," said Chana softly, "He really does."

Money can be given to the Vaad HaRabbonim by credit card at 1-800-22-36-36. Its address is c/o Rabbi S. Blau, POB 98108, Jerusalem 91050

 

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