Why we opened this campaign
For many of us, Rosh Hashanah means a round challah, apples and honey, a festive table, children gathered around, and hope for a good and sweet new year.
But for some families, preparing for the holiday begins with a very different question: after rent, bills, medication, and essential expenses, will there be enough left for even the basics?
This Tishrei, Yad Yitzchok plans to support 310 families.
Our overall goal for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot is to raise ₪250,000.
Each family will receive between ₪500 and ₪1,000, depending on the size of the household. The average amount of assistance is approximately ₪800 per family.
These are not identical food packages. We know the families, review their circumstances, and provide direct financial assistance so they can decide for themselves what they need most.
Behind the number 310 are real families
Most of their stories will never be made public.
Not everyone is comfortable telling strangers that they can no longer make ends meet. Not every mother wants to explain why she has to calculate every purchase before the holidays. Not every elderly person is ready to speak publicly about illness or about having to rely on the help of others.
But behind every name on our list is a real person.
Here are just two of the families we have been supporting for several years.
Marina: an entire family depends on one person
Marina is a mother of three. Her eldest son is currently serving in the Israeli army, and her two younger daughters are teenagers.
Her husband has a 100% disability and suffers from a serious illness, which means most of the responsibility for supporting the family falls on Marina.
She is the only person in the household who is able to work.
Her job, the family's everyday expenses, caring for her daughters, and supporting her seriously ill husband — Marina carries all of this every single day.
Yad Yitzchok has known this family for several years. Marina continues to work and does everything she can to give her children a normal life, but one income is often simply not enough for a family of five when one parent is living with a severe disability.
As the holidays approach, the financial pressure becomes even greater.
“I would be very grateful for your help,” Marina says.
For Marina, support from the fund means being able to buy what her family needs without having to decide which essential expense will have to be sacrificed this month.
Alla and Maya: a daughter with a disability and the mother who continues to care for her
Alla is 51 and has a 100% disability.
Her condition causes severe tics and involuntary movements. Everyday tasks that most of us rarely think about can become a serious challenge for her.
Always by her side is her mother, 75-year-old Maya.
Despite her age and her own serious health problems, Maya continues to care for her daughter every day.
Maya suffers from blood pressure and thyroid problems, a herniated disc and serious spinal issues, as well as severe problems with her knees. Doctors have told her that she will need joint replacement surgery.
Alla and Maya have been under the care of Yad Yitzchok for several years.
To us, they are not simply another application in a file. We know their story. We know the challenges they face, and we try to be there when they need help most.
Alla says:
“Thank you so much for remembering us and continuing to help us.”
For this small family, even a relatively modest amount of support can make an enormous difference.
There are 310 stories like these
Marina, Alla, and Maya are just a few of the people on our list.
Among those who need help this year are large families, single parents, elderly people, families coping with illness or loss of income, people with disabilities, and families who until recently were managing entirely on their own.
Many of them are not asking for ongoing support.
They simply need help getting through a difficult period. Buying groceries. Covering essential expenses. Giving their children a holiday. Entering the new year without taking on another debt.
What your donation can provide
₪180 — contributes toward a family's assistance
₪500 — supports a smaller family
₪800 — on average, fully covers the assistance for one family
₪1,000 — supports a larger family
₪1,600 — supports two families
₪8,000 — supports approximately ten families
Or choose any other amount.
You do not have to support an entire family on your own. Several donations come together, allowing another family on our list to receive the full amount of assistance they need.
“Send portions to those for whom nothing has been prepared”
In the Book of Nehemiah, we read in connection with Rosh Hashanah:
“Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and send portions to those for whom nothing has been prepared.”
In the days leading up to Rosh Hashanah, we think about the year ahead. We pray for health, for our children and families, for livelihood, and for peace.
At the same time, we have an opportunity to do something very real today.
We can give another family the chance to sit down at their holiday table with dignity and peace of mind.
Tzedakah is not a transaction, and a donation does not guarantee that a particular wish will be fulfilled.
But it does have a result we can see right now: another family receives the help they need and knows that they are not facing their difficulties alone.
Our goal is ₪250,000 for 310 families.
Help us reach every family on the list.
So that before the holiday, we will not have to decide who gets to hear “yes” — and who has to hear, “This year, there simply wasn't enough.”
May the coming year be good and sweet.
Shanah Tovah U’Metukah!
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