[COMMUNICATED] In an ordinary school in Jerusalem eight years ago a teacher noticed something unusual one winter. One of her students, a little girl not older than 10 was coming to school every second day. She was a normal child, and nothing seemed off. Only this attendance was amiss.
The teacher couldn’t understand what was going on. She decided to ask the child, cautiously, “Why are you coming to school every second day? What’s going on? You can tell me.”
The young girl sheepishly looked at her teacher and with apologetic eyes admitted that she would love to come every day to school, but she can’t; her mother won’t let her.
“What do you mean? I can talk to your mother and sort it out” said the teacher.
“No, it’s not what you think. You see it’s cold outside and my coat. well it’s not my coat. I share it with my sister. We’re not allowed outside in the cold without a coat so my sister and I need to take turns coming to school”.
The teacher couldn’t believe her ears. A coat is so simple, so basic, and especially in the frigid winters of Jerusalem, so necessary. How can a coat stand in the way of school and education?
With that dilemma, Yad Ezra V’ Shulamit, one of Israel’s best-known charities that feeds thousands of people in over 35 cities, began their winter warmth campaign eight years ago.
The annual distribution of thousands of warm coats, boots, heaters and blankets to those who would otherwise go cold, and miss school, has been a life line for many. This program focuses especially on distribution to the most vulnerable population, children.
Children are born into their circumstances and can’t help themselves. In fact, one in three children in Israel lives under the poverty line. Often coming from single-parent homes with minimal wages leaving organizations such as Yad Ezra V’ Shulamit to provide the community support needed to raise children in good health, keep them warm, and in school.
Yad Ezra V’ Shulamit has been feeding thousands of Jewish children and families since 1988 and continues to support basic needs through providing food baskets, food vouchers, baby formula, and running Children’s Centers that feed and nurture hundreds of children daily.
Once again, winter has come. Yad Ezra V’ Shulamit has pledged to support over2,500 vulnerable children with coats and warm winter items and is looking for people to donate to this important cause. Let’s bring warmth for children suffering in Israel.