As the month of Nissan begins, it’s the same ritual over again- time to donate. The cost of grocery items skyrocket during Passover, and empty shopping carts by the checkout counter collecting food donations remind us all of the families who are unable to celebrate the holiday properly and who wait in lines for Kosher for Passover food packages. During the holiday itself and while we are enjoying the Passover Seder, we are reminded to help the needy through the ancient custom of “Kimcha D’Pischa.

One must wonder if the motivation for donating doesn’t divert the public discussion from an honest and thorough outlook on poverty. We find ourselves asking, “What happens to the poor after Passover?”

Even with Passover food packages, the poor and their families will remain poor after they have celebrated the holiday. If they were hungry before, they will be hungry after. If they weren’t hungry, but they had other daily social and economic struggles, then we haven’t assisted them at all. We would hope that the recipients of food packages this year won’t be in line again next year. Does all of the energy we spend on campaigns and donations really bring about the results we want to see?

We must move beyond the physical food packages and look at the bigger picture.  We at Paamonim focus significantly on the improvement and results of those who turn to us for help, including middle-class, working families. Financial distress expresses itself in many different ways- while some may be hungry, others may be experiencing different social and economic struggles that accompany poverty.

The issue of poverty requires much thought and action. At Paamonim, we ask ourselves how we can teach families to overcome their existing condition for the present and the future.  Long-term stability cannot be insured by a one-time hand-out, but must be taught through instilling the knowledge, guidance and tools for proper management so that families can live stably themselves. After many years of experience, Paamonim has proven that this is possible: for more than a decade we have helped more than 20,000 families become financially independent in Israel by teaching them how to manage their finances properly.

“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” This famous parable is most fitting during the days before Passover, where we must decide to eradicate poverty by giving people the tools to help themselves.

The author is the CEO of Paamonim

Dontating to Paamonim

Related Post

Five Excuses that Increase our Pesach Expenses
Five Excuses that Increase our Pesach Expenses

Here is a list of items to give up on this... Read More about Five Excuses that...

How to cut back on your Pesach expenses
How to cut back on your Pesach expenses

Tips for saving family spending for Pesach Read More about How to cut back on...

Email






    Password Reset



      Not registered? Fill in the fields below
      Sign up and be one of thousands of our members, we commit ourselves suitable content customized for you, you'll also respond to on the site and send stories

        Choose your role
        Paamonim answer
        Service "Paamonim reply" at your service at any time, providing answers to questions and general information on the subject of family economy.

        Please complete the form below and a representative of "bells answer" will be happy to answer your question.

        Please note that the information and the answers given are general and incomplete and do not come to replace professional personal advice based on the applicant's personal data. If you decide to act on the basis of this information, you bear full and sole responsibility for your actions and results and shall no responsibility for organizing bells or his representative.

          You can get answers to your questions on family economic management from "Paamonim Answers".
          Please ask us about anything that is bothering you about household economics in Israel. You do not have to disclose any of your personal details or any information about your economic situation.
          The service is given by a professional team, highly experienced in the area of family economic rehabilitation.

          Please note, the information and answers are of a general nature, and not comprehensive. They are no substitute for professional personal counseling, based on the particular details of the applicant. If you decide to take any action on the basis of the information you receive from "Paamonim Answers", you take complete and exclusive responsibility for your actions and their consequences. No responsibility falls on the Paamonim Organization or on any of its representatives.

          Contact US / Fill in the fields below