Yefeem has been a volunteer with us for almost as long as we have been open But more than a volunteer he is a dear, dear friend and there is a mutual love for one another.

Yefeem was injured by a Kassam rocket eight years ago while he was at work. Back then bomb shelters were far and few between, unlike today. Shrapnel ripped through his right leg doing irreparable damage to it. He has been walking with crutch ever since the terrorist attach and will always need to walk with a crutch.

Last November Yefeem lost his wife of 45 years a stroke which she never recovered from. The pain is written on His face and it doesn’t take much to see the tears swell up in his eyes.
There are so many amazing things about this man; I would like to share just a few. The first time I met Yefeem was in our storefront. He came in put his crutch in the corner and began packing pack; he has been doing

that ever since the first day. On days we receive our supplies for the month again he would put his crutch in the corner and with visible pain on his face would help bring in case after case of food. He did that until his hernia got so bad he could no longer carry the cases of food.

It is hard for him to come in to help pack because his packing buddy isn’t on the other side of the table, yet he is there every time we have food to pack.

It was through Yafeem that we were introduced to EHOSH an adult vocational training program for thosewho have some form of mental disabilities. We provide a brunch meal for them every other week. It’s not much, tuna pickles , olives, pita, hummus and about five different salads. It is something our friends there look forward to and it is not uncommon when we see one of them on the street or in a store that they ask if we will be there this week.

We start chopping vegetables about 6:30 in the morning and by 9:30 we are on the way to deliver what we have made for them. This past week Yefeem asked if he could come and help, as he has always been active with ENOSH. We told him we would pick him up at 6:30, to that he said he would be outside waiting. At 6:32 with a smile on his face he wagged his finger at me because I was late.

Where we prepare the salads in on the third floor which means he takes on step at a time going up and one step at a time going back down… neither trip is easy for him but his heart is to help and to give.

His grandchildren asked him the other day if he could make a desert grandma used to make. He called us to see if we could stop by and give him a hand. Well he didn’t need our help; all he needed was some moral support which we gave him. He called the next day to say the grandchildren loved it! It might not have been made by grandma hand but there was just as much love in that cake. It was a complete privilege to be part of it.

Next to my wife He is the greatest treasure I have received from Hope For Sderot.