Lunch Breaks

Since we are in classes all day our lunch breaks are often used as a time to run errands. I ran over to Yad L'kashish one day to pick out a new tallit and do some mitzvah shopping. I know I've told many families about this wonderful organization, but if you are not familiar with it, the organization was started by Myriam Mendilow because she was upset at how many elderly residents of Jerusalem she saw on the streets begging for food and money.
Refusing to accept this as "the way things are," she began a workshop designed to train a small group of elderly and indigent men in the art of bookbinding. Local schools would bring tattered books from their libraries to the workshop, and for a small fee, the elderly would rebind the books. In only a short period, the group of eight beggars rediscovered their dignity and pride and the 'experiment' took root.

Thus, Yad LaKashish (Lifeline for the Old) began. Still located at its original site in the Musrara neighborhood of Old Jerusalem, the small shack which was originally used as the bookbindery has grown into an impressive building complex. The ten workshops today employ 310 elderly and disabled artisans,newly trained craftsmen and women who have rediscovered their pride and productivity. I make it a point to visit their shop whenever I am in Israel as I think the work they are doing is very impressive and worthwhile. I picked up a beautiful new tallit there which you will be seeing at TI when I return to services.

Here are some pictures of the Yad LaKashish buildings.

Blog Activity: Look for the book about Myriam Mendilow in the Mollie Berch library.