At one point or another, we’ve all heard the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” As we go through life we realize that the grass may not always be greener on the other side.  We know it to be true, and yet, we can’t imagine that the first people we should be offering our help to would be our own friends and neighbors. The woman you stand patiently behind as you wait in line at the grocery store. The beloved elderly couple who sweetly offers your child a treat just because he said hello. The man you sit next to regularly at Minyan.  They don’t really seem so different than you. We all experience turbulent times and while we recognize that no one is the exception to that rule, we forget to look beyond what’s “normal”. We fail to see beyond the familiar faces and those living what seem to be ordinary lives.  What we don’t know is that the woman you were standing behind in line at the grocery store let you go in front of her, because she was mortified at the thought of someone from her community seeing her credit get declined when trying to pay for basic groceries… Again. We may not have realized that the elderly couple who offered your sweet child a treat, actually had an ulterior motive. Due to the fear instilled by Covid-19, they haven’t ventured away from their property in weeks. While they used to consider themselves independent, and relied only on themselves to take care of pharmacy runs and other necessary activities, they are now desperate for younger and healthier friends to offer them services. The man that you sit next to in Shul, the one you’ve noticed has great Kavanah actually feels depleted and has lost all hope because his marriage is crumbling in this time of crisis. His family isn’t used to spending so much time together in such close quarters. While many of his friends are relishing in the new found family time, this man prays that his family will make it through.  The common denominator between these three cases, and so many others like them, is that they are suffering in silence. They don’t know where to turn for help. Their fears and concerns only continue to spiral as they progress into more unknowns.  The lifeboat these people need comes from Ezras Yisroel. Ezras Yisroel offers a plethora of services, all which meet the needs of some many people in discreet ways. The link between Ezras Yisroel and those who need them, is you. You can help pay for a neighbor’s groceries. You can provide an aide for the elderly couple that has never asked for help before. You can save a family by sponsoring private therapy sessions. You can do so much and not even know the effect you’re making.  Ezras Yisroel sees beyond the smiling faces. With your help, Ezras Yisroel can rewrite people’s stories, and allow them to live the life of normalcy that they work so hard to portray.
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