Poverty & Winter Chill in the Start Up Nation

by Karen Reiffman

0 Comments | Friday, November 16, 2018 under Emergency Fund, Winter Warmth Campaign

Despite Israel's Advances, the Country's Poor Suffers Through the Winter

"Anyone know where to get lined winter boots in the merkaz (center of the country)? Willing to spend more if they'll last.."

"Hey, Jerusalemites, I need good, down feather duvets for our kids' room. Best place to find?"

"Tons of cold air comes through the windows of our apartment..Which type of heater is the most economical to buy for our space (about 150 sq m)."  

By the Facebook posts, you can tell what time of year it is. Despite the misconception that since the country is located in the Middle East (so it must always be warm), winter is cold in Israel!  As you can read in the posts above, winter items are a necessity here. Outside it's windy and chilled, and inside Israeli apartments, it's really not much different. They're notorious for being poorly insulated, yet somehow able to retain the frigid air that comes in, making the home feel freezing, often even colder than the low temperatures, outside. 

Though older and substandard building construction is not on the list of Israel's best accomplishments as the Start Up Nation, luckily the country is thriving and for the most part, up to speed with the rest of the modern world. Malls, shopping centers and websites of course, are full of pretty much every kind of product you may want. This includes the most stylish apparel, home items and products to make your life easier, year round. All you have to do is go to a store or click.

Unless you can't.
Because maybe there is illness in the home and piles of unpayable medical bills.
Maybe neither parent has found a solid job in years.
Maybe there's only one parent, a mother who can't make ends meet on minimum wage.
Whatever the circumstances, when it comes to families in poverty, just 'picking up a few new winter items' is often not an option.

Then you have to get resourceful. 
How many towels will it take to fill in the gaps between the window and the wall?
If the towels are used for that, what can the kids sleep under, at night? 
If the heater is left on in the bedroom for just ten minutes, will that be long enough to help them fall asleep, so it can be turned off again?
Can two of them switch off wearing the old coat and a heavy sweater? Will their friends notice?

In the Start-Up Nation there are thousands of families who've become this kind of resourceful, because they have no alternative.
But Yad Eliezer is pretty resourceful too, which is why our Winter Warmth Campaign is in full swing. We hope that with your help,
we can outfit kids with new coats, families with heavy blankets and heaters, and make life better for those who can't 'just click'. 

Please help today with your click.

 

 

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