Caring For The Elderly on Chanukah
Over the course of the Chanukah holiday, United Hatzalah’s Ten Kavod (giving honor) project teamed up with the Ner Levi non-profit and the municipality of Beit Shemesh and distributed winter packages containing blankets and warm clothing to senior citizens in the city.
The distribution of the packages to the elderly citizens of the city was organized and spearheaded by Etti Peretz, who heads the Ten Kavod project for United Hatzalah in the city. As part of the project, Etti organizes emergency medical service volunteers to visit with the elderly once a week and provide them with free basic medical checkups and a social visit in their homes.
The winter packages consisted of a warm blanket, emergency lights, a quilt, a portable heater, warm sheets, and a Chanukah gift package consisting of a menorah and candles.
At the end of the distribution throughout the city, Peretz, together with United Hatzalah Chapter Head Dovid Leff and a representative from Ner Levi, Heftzi Roblin, went to the home of the Grossman family where the couple invited the volunteers in, in order to say thank you, light candles with them, and regale them with stories from their past.
Peretz spoke about the importance of the project: “In spite of the challenges imposed upon us by the Coronavirus, the project of providing winter care packages to the elderly in the city took place this Chanukah thanks to the donations of the Ner Levi organization. It was particularly inspiring for me to visit with two of the recipients, a couple who are Holocaust survivors who told us stories of how they celebrated the holiday in the Ghetto many years ago and how happy they are to be celebrating this year with the dedicated volunteers of United Hatzalah’s Ten Kavod project. We are thankful to be able to warm both the hearts and bodies of the elderly throughout the city during this wonderful holiday of giving.”
Director of the Ten Kavod project and head of Volunteer Development Department of United Hatzalah Ariel Ben David praised the volunteers for their efforts in distributing the packages and assisting the elderly in the city. Ben David added: “Ten Kavod’s mission is to enhance the lives of the elderly all across Israel. Our trained volunteers visit participants weekly to ensure they are being taken care of and supervised medically on a regular basis and to provide them with a sense of emotional support and friendship in order to alleviate the sensation of loneliness that many elderly people feel.”
To learn more about the Ten Kavod project click here:
