September was a busy month. With 432 gift bags to pack plus an additional 1296 food bags to pack and distribute needless to say we put our volunteers to their limits. We had a total of eight Shabbats in the month. Three were related to the three fall feasts of YAH and the other five were weekly Shabbats.

For us that meant we had a total of 16 fewer days to work; and on top of that we all needed to make our own personal preparations for YAH’S Feast. I know of no other organization that has better volunteers than those of Hope For Sderot…We are truly blessed to have each and every one of them.

Over the past four years we have become a family, a community within the community and anyone from any part of the world that comes to volunteer with us instantly becomes part of that family as well.

September brought with it three trips to the hospital. Eti had a tumor removed from her face which involved putting a hole in her sinus and the removal of two good teeth. Everything was going well until the infection set in. She was readmitted to the hospital via the emergency room. A week later she was released with the swelling down but not completely gone.

She is experiencing sinus headaches and will continue too have them until the hole heals. They say that should take about 2-3 months. If they persist, an additional operation will be necessary.

Yefeem has been off his feet with great pain since his heel became infected. It has been almost two months since he has come to help. Here is a man who has come to help for the past three years. He comes in, puts his crutch in the corner and moves cases of canned goods, and then packed food bags. He is also there on delivery day, when we get our 6 tons of food. For Him not to come and help should tell you how much pain he is in.

We received a call that Pinkus was taken to the hospital by ambulance. As he was preparing to go to the synagogue on Yom Kipper he became light headed and complained of shortness of breath; He too was admitted for observation as tests are being run to determine the problem.

This last visit to the hospital was troubling. One of the families we help called and asked if we could help them with some food to eat. A fifteen year old girl was pregnant from her 14 year old boyfriend. She just had an abortion.

Three years ago someone called us asking for help. She told us that she was pregnant with her fifth child and could not afford to have another. We asked her please not do anything until we could get back to her. She agreed.

We found an organization up in Jerusalem that was willing to help with all the food, diapers, baby clothes, furniture and even a new stroller. We called her and gave her the good news. Today her daughter is almost 4 years old. We weren’t as fortunate today.

As I left I thought to myself…I don’t sit here in judgment of these two kids, (whom I doubt have a clue of what they have done) but rather I stand in awe of the grace and the mercy of YAH.