A few words that can make a big difference – sending a Purim greeting to impoverished Holocaust survivors
Purim is a time of recounting tales of survival and embracing life with unbridled enthusiasm.
It is hard to not make the parallel with the current situation in Israel and for Jewish communities worldwide, and as we might step into the holiday festivities with some restrain, we are all still eager to feel that spark of optimism inside of us and spread it outside with everyone who needs it.
Crisis situations tend to affect the elderly first and foremost, as they are often isolated and without support. This is the case for numerous Holocaust survivors in Israel, where about a quarter of the survivors live in poverty. Apart from the severe shortage the survivors experience, one of the main difficulties is the feeling of loneliness they face every day. “Life is very sad when you are left so lonely,” shares Pnina, a 90-year-old Holocaust survivor who receives monthly aid from Latet Israeli Humanitarian Aid, the largest NGO combating poverty in Israel.
A little something that will do a lot of good
Beyond the vibrant festival of sights, sounds and flavors, Purim also carries profound messages of compassion and unity that calls for generosity toward those in need, to ensure that everyone can partake in the joyous moments.
Latet invites you to celebrate Purim by writing greetings and best wishes to impoverished Holocaust survivors who receive assistance from the organization. By doing that, you will be giving them a connection, a smile, and the knowledge that they are remembered and loved.
Send your exciting blessing and we at Latet will make sure to print it and deliver it to the recipient along with the Mishloach Manot (Purim basket), with the help of our dedicated volunteers.
Latet (“To Give” in Hebrew) was founded in 1996 and is the largest Israeli NGO providing for the basic needs of populations living in poverty and food insecurity. Through a vast network of 210 local associations, Latet operates the leading national food bank and gives food assistance to over 95,000 families in Israel every month. Since the war started, the organization increased its scope of activity and has been working daily to provide emergency food and hygiene kits to families, seniors and people affected by the war across the country.
Since 2007, Latet has decided to take action and address one of Israel’s pressing issues: Holocaust survivors living in poverty.
The “Aid for Life” program was developed to improve the lives of impoverished Holocaust survivors and provide them with medical, physical, and emotional support that enables them to live a life of dignity. The program offers a comprehensive aid package to 1,450 Holocaust survivors, including a monthly food box, medical and paramedical treatments, home repairs as well as social support in the form of personal volunteers who keep them company and help them with everything they need, and social events throughout the year.
As Purim approaches, Latet organizes a special distribution of Purim baskets for Holocaust survivors. The baskets include the traditional food box the organization provides with enough food essentials to meet their basic needs for a month, as well as extra holiday-themed treats. Additionally, we put into these packages greeting cards written by children from Israel and the US.
You too can change how these seniors feel by showing them that they are not alone during these challenging times.
Bring Purim spirit to lonely Holocaust survivors, make them smile and warm their heart by sending them a personal greeting.
How can you do it? Just click here and write your heartfelt thoughts! As soon as you send it, Latet will print it on a designed card and send it to a Holocaust survivor.
As we approach this joy-filled holiday, let us immerse ourselves in its rich traditions and join us as we try to bring joy to Holocaust survivors.
To whom will the greeting be sent?
The greeting cards will be given to the 1,450 Holocaust survivors who are supported by Latet along with a food box. The survivors live all over the country and each of them has a special story.
Meet some of the survivors who will receive your greetings:
Name: Yossef
Age: 91
Monthly assistance from Latet: Since 2021.
Yossef was born in Romania. When he was 9 years old, the Nazis came to his home and sent him and his family to the local ghetto. In the ghetto, he and his entire family fell ill with typhus. After a few months, they were sent to a remote ghetto for 3 years, where they suffered greatly. At the end of the war, Yossef lost half of his family. Yossef immigrated to Israel in 1990 and has one son.
A few words: “People need to know that there are so many seniors who are in need of basic things. Food, winter clothes, medicines.”
Name: Yehudit
Age: 94 
Monthly assistance from Latet: Since 2010.
Yehudit was born in Hungary. In 1944, the Germans sent her father to Buchenwald concentration camp (there he spent most of the war). Yehudit entered the ghetto with her mother and twin sister. They lived in a 2.5-room apartment with about 30 other people. Yehudit was sent to forced labor and a death march. Fourteen members of her family perished during the war. After the war, Yehudit met her husband, and in 1947 they immigrated to Israel and have 15 great-grandchildren.
A few words: ” The food box helps live a better life. Thanks to the food I’m getting, I can use my limited resources toward other critical expenses.”
Name: Ida
Age: 87
Monthly assistance from Latet: Since 2009.
Ida was born in Ukraine and was 5 years old when the war broke out. Her mother and brother were murdered, and she was saved by running away to her grandparents. At the end of the war, when she first met her father, she could not recognize him. Ida immigrated to Israel, got married and had 2 children.
A few words: ” It’s very touching that people don’t forget a person who’s facing hardships.”
Name: Sofia
Age: 93 
Monthly assistance from Latet: Since 2009
Sofia was born in Romania and was 8 years old when the Nazis arrived, her mother was killed in the war and her father managed to hide her and her sisters. Later, her father was taken by the Nazis to a labor camp, and she and her sisters stayed with the grandmother who raised them, and they survived in hiding. Together with her twin sister and her father, Sofia immigrated to Israel in 1951. They lived in harsh conditions in transit camps in the Pardes-Hanna area. At the age of 20, Sofia got married and started a family.
A few words: ” It’s hard to be old. I can’t even describe it… Especially being all alone.”
Name: Mia
Age: 83
Monthly assistance from Latet: Since 2015.
Mia was born in Romania. She was 3 when the war broke out, and she and her mother managed to reach Bucharest, there a family hid them in a one-room apartment. Her father was caught and sent to a concentration camp, and she only saw him again at the end of the war. After the war, they remained in Romania but still suffered from severe anti-Semitism. Mia was accepted to medical school in exchange for the promise that she would never immigrate to Israel. She eventually refused to sign and immigrated to Israel in 1966 with her husband and their two sons.
A few words: ” I wish they would take care of us I need to buy everything. What am I going to give up on? Food or medication?”
Click here to cheer up Yossef, Yehudit, Ida, Sofia, Mia, and hundreds of other Holocaust survivors who will, thanks to you, understand that they are not alone.
In addition, one of the ways to help Holocaust survivors is to fulfill the holiday’s mitzvah of giving and donate a Purim basket . We invite you to take part in this important project that provides food and support to those who need it most.
To donate through the Latet website click here or, if you are in Israel,call *6833.