“The Virtual
Catalog of Experiential Visits to Nonprofits in Israel
is Definitely
Not Virtual!" by Pastor Micah Smith
Pastor Micah Smith has a
large following around the world, funds and
operates social welfare
projects in a number of third world countries and brings hundreds of people to
Israel each year from all over the world.
Fairy tales begin
with the words, “Once upon a time…” But the story I am about to share
is true. In 1772 Franz Joseph Haydn wrote his piece called the Farewell
Symphony for Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy of Austria. Over a
disagreement between the prince and the musicians, the Prince
must have been
stunned when the first oboe closed the music on his stand, blew out
his candle and tiptoed from the stage. One by one, the other wind
instruments were silenced as the musicians got up blew out their candles and
left the orchestra. As the candlepower diminished, the symphony lost
another unique sound of a silenced instrument until the music faded
into a palpable emptiness.
Last week, along
with my wife and colleagues, we were led on a day’s journey by
Israelgrants’ Catalog of Experiential
Visits to Nonprofits Project
Director, Alisa Maeir-Epstein, to visit
four non-profits in Israel that are
shining like bright candles. Each non-profit that we visited brings
light into people’s lives. We were inspired, blessed and encouraged to
see these lights and hear the wonderful sound of life.
The first
non-profit we visited was the national headquarters of United Hatzalah
(IsraelRescue), Israel’s immediate response emergency medical service.
Its average response time of 3-4 minutes, bridges the crucial period
until an ambulance arrives in the face of car accidents,
terrorist attacks and other such crisis situations. We found the central
dispatch room, the well-equipped “ambucycles” and
the medical
supplies room most fascinating.
Later, in the
Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramot, we visited two of the many Afikim Family
Enrichment Association afternoon centers for children from
disadvantaged, troubled families. Following a hot lunch, special teachers
offering support and personal attention help them
with homework and
then accompany them in a variety of extra-curricular activities.
Working for six years with the lovely and high-spirited children we met,
and also with their parents, has a long-term
beneficial impact
on both the children and their families, helping them break the cycle of
poverty.
In the orthodox
town of Beni Brak, we were witness to the amazing warehouse of
a large food distribution organization for feeding the needy (which prefers to remain anonymous) which provides meals for 10,000
families of all backgrounds around the country. We watched volunteers
assembling the food parcels containing items contributed by individuals, farms
and major food industries, and went up a truck lift to view the
vehicle’s fresh delivery of pomegranates. To top it off, we peeked into an
ultra-orthodox Jewish wedding taking place in one of their four lavish
wedding halls offered free of charge to needy couples.
We finished our
day in the dark….Yes, it was evening, but we actually ate in the dark at
Nalagaat – Center for the Deaf Blind at their unique, pitch dark
BlackOut restaurant, served by our lovely waitress Hila, a blind
woman who is working with dignity receiving a full salary.
Unfortunately, due to Pillar of Defense war, the usual performance of the
highly acclaimed Deaf-blind Acting Ensemble was cancelled but we
saw segments of it on film and met with some very dedicated young
people – one doing his national service at the Center.
Like Haydn’s
Farewell symphony, if these lights go out, then the full spectrum of God’s
love, light and life are diminished. Amazingly,
Hayden’s story does not end with a dark room, silent and still.
Prince Nikolaus
Esterhazy realized the error of his ways and invited Hayden to return.
With similar brilliance, Hayden reversed his Farewell Symphony. This time each
musician returned, one at a time, lighted their candle and began to play,
until the room was filled with the sight of dazzling light and
the amazing sound of each musical instrument, rising to a
crescendo of the full symphony once more.
What I learned with
Alisa and my new friends, is that each non-profit add its unique
light and wonderful sound to the people and land of Israel. Without them, how
dark and silent our world would be. I will be back with busloads of
my friends and followers and we will hopefully be
able to help
support these wonderful expressions of concern for our fellow men and women.
Micah Smith
Nonprofits: sign up to register in our Catalogue of Experiential Visits to Israeli Nonprofits:
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