Before the Israel trip even began, the leaders invited the parents and the teens to create a tzedaka fund.. Through the parents and kids generous hearts, we managed to raise over $350 dollars.The hope was that we could leave “tzedakah tracks” in our trip and give to Israel as well as draw from it rich experiences that strengthened our Jewish identity. Our leaders Amnon Ophir and Jeffrey Schein had also shared wih us the tradition of being a shaliach b’dvar mitzvah: if you went on a trip to Israel doing the noble work of Tzedaka your chances of a safe return are heightened.
With the money all collected, the teenss took a vote to see where the money would go. There were six choices reflecting six experiences of the AFUWOFI group during the trip., The clear “winner” was the “unrecognized Bedouin-Village” that we visited from earlier in the trip which will receive $240 or approximately two-thirds of the money However, there are three other organizations that are receiving $36 (double Chai) donations from us.: the Arab Community Center in Jasar Azarka, the refugees of Southern Tel-Aviv, and the Eisha Project that helps breast cancer awareness in orthodox women. These donations would not be possible if it had not been for all of the families generosity
One of the purposes of the trip was to expose us to the other the Israel, t, often unseen challenges to Israeli society. If our Tzedaka choices were any measure the trip met its goals. Perhaps not coincidentally either, , three of these four projects are supported either directly or indirectly by our Cleveland Jewish Federation.