One Person Is Responsible For Another
Her mother told her, "...that one of her responsibilities as a housewife was to take care of anyone who is poor." In the beginning, many years ago, she started out by preparing a pot of chicken, adding to the package some flour and butter and then she would deliver the food at night to the needy. It was most important that no one see - to protect the dignity of the recipients. Her personal story is fascinating. A Yemenite, married at 11, she came to Israel in 1943 with her family. She did embroidery and it grew into a factory of 60 women, as she sold her wares throughout all of Israel.
Today the Rabbanit Kapach feeds 1,100 families: the elderly, the immigrants and those who are just plain poor. Her doorbell rings constantly as does the telephone and she provides whenever possible - food, a few shekels, some clothing. In the summer, she runs a camp for 120 children. She collects and lends used wedding gowns for prospective brides and helps them with their wedding, even if it is with leftover food from a soup kitchen. The holidays are the most difficult time and this is when she distributes 5,000 packages of basic Passover food over a 2-day period. There are lots of volunteers to make the packages for the needy and Social Services makes sure that the recipients have a written referral.
Our Involvement
Hands On Tzedakah recognizes the Rabbanit's extraordinary efforts on behalf of Jerusalem's poor and most neglected citizens. In 2003, we purchased a freezer for her and began filling it with 24 chickens every week. The Rabbanit called to report back to us about the success of the chicken! "...one woman was so happy, that the she started to dance." She said she usually feeds her family just chicken wings for Shabbat (Friday night) dinner and that this is the highlight of their week. Another chicken went to a couple that just had a baby. This couple is very special as the Rabbanit made their wedding a few years ago -- an Ethiopian girl and an American man that lost both of his parents.
Hands On Tzedakah increased its grant and fills the freezer with 36 chickens every week with extra poultry and meat deliveries during the New Years fall holidays and Passover. This year we have added diapers and formula to the program.
Contact Information:
Keren Segulat Naomi, direct tax deductible contributions through PEF-Israel Endowment Funds, In., 317 Madison Avenue, #607, NY, NY 10017; The Rabbanit Bracha Kapach, 12 Lod St., Jerusalem. 972-02-624-9296.
