A very special holiday gift

by Naomi Gross

Young ladies living below the poverty line, over the age of seventeen, but still living at home, were given a stipend to buy new clothing for the holidays. One of these young ladies told Yad Eliezer, "I try to always look neat, clean, and put together, but it isn't easy. This is the first time in my life that I have new clothing from a store, clothing that is my taste and style and fits me well. Thank you!"

Imagine a family, one of the parents, you can chose which one, is completely out of the picture. Perhaps that parent has passed away, or is physically or emotionally unwell. The remaining parent looks tired. No, completely depleted. The parent is surrounded by a number of children. Perhaps the same number as there are in your healthy stable family.

Beside the exhausted parent stands a young lady. You might guess that she is sixteen. Really she is just past eighteen, but she has experienced more in her young life than many women twice her age. Her facial expression is vague, the cuffs of her shirt are fraying, and the elbows are worn thin.

Your heart goes out to her. She is terribly thin. You hope that some of your donations to a chessed organization may have reached her, helped to keep the roof over her head, and bread on the table. But now the holidays are here. Maybe they will receive something more, a crate of chickens, a home-made cake from a volunteer...

You focus again on the young lady. You notice how she crosses her arms in front of herself, perhaps trying to hide a stain on her well worn shirt. You study her expression more closely. Is she embarrassed? Teenagers like to look good: beautiful, fresh and stylish. She is very mature, she knows what the financial situation is at home. The money that she made babysitting last month was used to turn the electricity back on, and to finally but the toddler his first pair of shoes.

Each time she passes the display windows of the clothing stores she closes her eyes, it's better not to see. She goes home and tries valiantly to scrub a stain off of a sweater that a neighbor left at their doorstep.

Someone saw this young lady and understood that he could make a difference in her life. A generous sum was donated to Yad Eliezer with very specific conditions. The young ladies were to buy new clothing and nothing else, otherwise the other pressing needs would likely divert the funds elsewhere.

But new clothing is also a need, as are self confidence and self respect at this pivotal time in their lives.

With her beautiful new dress, now standing a little taller, and shoulders a little broader you can hardly recognize her.

Join us in helping to provide new clothing for more young ladies and change the that they approach this holiday season. Please donate today."

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