By:  Laurina Driesse

Is it not a wonderful feeling to know you have made a difference in someone’s life?

Well, through your giving to the ICEJ’s “Giving a Future and a Hope” program, you are not only making a difference in one person’s life, but your generosity is impacting many lives!

The Christian Embassy is devoted to touching the hearts of Israelis in desperate need of help. Because of unemployment, financial hardship or simply not having the strength to go on, some find themselves hesitantly knocking on the door of the local social welfare office for help.

One project that the ICEJ is committed to supporting helps with home repairs for Israeli families living in poverty. When Yaacov, a 91-year-old Auschwitz survivor, reached out to an Israeli social welfare worker, his living conditions were in such an inhumane state that immediate action was necessary.

A renovation team of professional workers were not prepared for what they saw when walking into Yaacov’s home. The walls had dirt centimeters thick, there was no shower, windows were broken, and cobwebs were plentiful.

Yaccov lost his entire family at Auschwitz and he has lived alone his whole life. As he grew older, it became increasingly difficult for him to take care of himself, let alone his home! Not knowing that he could seek assistance, he continued living in these dire conditions.

The renovation team began the grueling task of scrubbing, cleaning, and gutting Yaccov’s entire apartment. The repairs took a full month to complete and included a new kitchen, new bathroom with an accessible shower, installing a water heater, laying a new floor, replacing broken windows and doors, and repairing the walls. Not only has Yaacov received new living conditions, but his hope and dignity have been restored. He can now enjoy the last of his remaining years living in a pleasant and comfortable environment.

“It is heart-breaking to see the extent of repairs needed in some of the homes” remarks Nicole Yoder, ICEJ Vice President for AID and Aliyah. “The renovation team is amazing, though! They work with such kindness, in coordination with the social welfare officials, to get the work done as quickly as possible.”

Another home repair took place for a family of six living in severe poverty in a small two-room Jerusalem apartment. The parents had enclosed a modest balcony to create a bedroom for their four children. This room was stifling hot in summer and freezing cold in winter, mold had crept into the walls, and illness soon reared its head. Because of their living conditions, inviting friends over to visit was not possible. Upon hearing of this family’s situation, the renovation team were dispatched and began stripping the moldy wall, sanitizing the apartment, and constructing a new dividing wall in the living room to create a proper bedroom for the children. The family now enjoys a clean living-space, and the children have a safe place to sleep and can finally feel happy to invite friends over to play after school. The family is elated with their renovated home.

Soon, the renovation team headed to another apartment, where an elderly couple live in Jerusalem. The wife is wheelchair bound and the husband suffers from a heart condition. They were physically unable to fix their home, which was poorly lit and had become dilapidated and hazardous, with broken and missing floor tiles increasing the risk of falling and getting injured. The renovation team began by painting the walls, which immediately added an element of light and brightness to the apartment. Then, they replaced light fixtures and retiled the apartment. Next, grab bars and railing were affixed to the walls. This couple can now feel safe and secure living in their home. They were overjoyed with the repair work, and promptly wrote a letter of thanks, stating: “You made our home into a palace.”

Thank you for your support. Your donations to our “Giving a Future and a Hope” fund allows the ICEJ to extend compassion and aid to many Israeli families who are living below the poverty line.