To All Ziv Contributors & Friends, Shalom!

I found the diary from my first venture into this exquisite world of Tzedakah. Sometimes it’s a good thing to clean out your closets. I was, of course, looking for something else, and some people might say that this was no “accident” but rather a message and an opportunity to reflect.

The story is simple: On January 5, 1975, I set out for 6 weeks in Israel with $955 in my pocket to be distributed to worthy individuals and places that were touching the lives of others. Friends, relatives, and strangers who wanted to join me in this Tzedakah journey had given me sums ranging from $1 to $100.

When I arrived, other than the first Mitzvah hero I knew I wanted to meet, I wasn’t certain how it would all evolve, this Mitzvah-venture. As things developed, though, it became relatively easy — I asked good friends the simple question, “Who is doing good things?” and I found myself in the presence of many awesome human beings, Good People, inspired and inspiring. Early on, Mitzvah heroes became the key to our work — they became our focus…working with them to allow them to do their Tzedakah work more extensively and creatively, became our purpose.

Six years later, as the donations mounted, Ziv Tzedakah Fund, Inc. was formed, a real-live, official (501)(c)(3) non-profit tax-exempt corporation. By then, I knew I wanted to be a millionaire — to have a $1,000,000 to give away to The Good People for their Mitzvah work.

Now, more than $7,000,000 later, as you read this annual Update, you will see what has developed in three decades of Tzedakah work. Be amazed. I am constantly amazed.

Mark your calendars – January 5, 2005 will be the 30th anniversary of the genesis of our Mitzvah work! This glorious milestone is the reason why this particular November Update includes many more reflections from Naomi and myself.

To Life!

(Naomi and I have both written various sections of this Update.)

II. Contributions

As you will see from the contents of this Update, the demands on Ziv’s Tzedakah money have grown. There is so much more that needs to be done in Israel and in the United States, as well as other communities around the world. If you would like to enable us to continue with and expand our work, please send checks made out to “Ziv Tzedakah Fund” to:

Naomi Eisenberger
Managing Director, Ziv Tzedakah Fund
384 Wyoming Ave., Millburn, NJ 07041
973-763-9396 (phone), 973-275-0346 (fax),
e-mail: naomike@aol.com

You may also donate through our website, www.ziv.org. The donations are handled through www.networkforgood.org, and there is a 3% charge on its part for this service.

III. Introduction, Part II

Looking back, all I ever wanted was for people to give me money to make Tikkun Olam happen in small, medium, and grand measure. And, it has happened and it continues to happen. We continued to grow — beyond my own individual capabilities. In addition to my work, Naomi Eisenberger now makes it happen, as does our man in Israel, Arnie Draiman — smoothly, efficiently, and with our ever-present sense of caring.

And how have we grown? Here is a very short list:

As you read this Update, you will note in detail our greatly expanded work with individuals and families — people in financial need and survivors of terror attacks in Israel, the production of a moving Israel Mitzvah hero film, and our increased work advising individuals and foundations with significant sums of money.

In addition, we can look back over the past several years and see an ever-expanding and rapidly-growing number of B’nai and B’not Mitzvah who are not only doing Mitzvah projects, but also donating money to Tzedakah to mark this Great Life Event.

The sheer number of people that hear about our work and contact us makes all of us pause. We mail our Annual Report and Update to about 15,000 people, others get our annual report at my talks, many come to us through the www.ziv.org website, friends tell friends, some rabbis distribute copies of the Annual Report at the High Holidays – we are expanding at a very fast pace.

Let us remember: We are involved in more than 100 Mitzvah heroes’ programs.

And finally, let us also remember: We have one full-time employee, one working at 2/3-time, and I volunteer my time. Each of us works out of some part of her or his house or apartment. (We always enjoy when people make reference to our “staff” or ask “Where is your office?”) There are others, of course, who give of their time more or less often as is needed, but three people — that’s the “staff.” We are proud of what we have accomplished — we believe that our efforts are producing significant changes in the Jewish world.

IV. Hero Israel IV Mitzvah Tour of Israel:
February 20-March 3, 2005

“We spent a week letting our eyes be opened to the true heroes of Israel and putting our hands to work.”

This brief but powerfully descriptive statement was written by one of the teenage participants in last February’s HeroIsrael Mitzvah Tour. On February 20, 2005 we will depart for the 4th consecutive year on a nine-day trip to the Holy Land. Much has changed in Israel over these past four years. The participants of the first trip were challenged by the early days of the present war. By the second year, we traveled with a very respectable number of people during the height of the bombings and suicide attacks. Last year’s trip found the country quieter and starting to enjoy an upsurge in tourism. We are told this year that the King David is already full, and we are fortunate to have made plans for this trip before the rates increased. Join us on this very special pilgrimage. It is unlike any other visit you might make to Israel. Everyone who has experienced HeroIsrael returns home inspired and energized. Your days will be filled with visits to many of our Mitzvah heroes; some will even welcome you into their homes for an intimate look at life in Israel today. The hotel in Jerusalem has been overwhelmingly accommodating to us. The luxury and the history of this venerable place only adds to the special, unique nature of our trip. With time built in for independent touring, if so desired, HeroIsrael is an amazing experience. We depart on February 20 and return on March 3, 2005. Please consider joining us — you won’t be disappointed. For further information, visit our website or be in touch with Naomi at 973-763-9396, or naomike@aol.com.

V. Now at a Movie Theater Very Near You!

Ziv Tzedakah Fund, Inc., A Non-Profit Tax-Exempt Corporation
www.ziv.org

Danny Siegel, Chairman 263 Congressional Lane, #708 • Rockville, Maryland 20852 •

Phone: 301-468-0060 • Fax: 301-468-6923

Naomi Eisenberger, Managing Director 384 Wyoming Ave. • Millburn, NJ 07041 • Phone: 973-763-9396 •

Fax: 973-275-0346 • E-mail: naomike@aol.com

Board of Directors Danny Siegel • Dr. Gordon Gondos • Glenn Easton • Arleen Sternfeld

Marc Sternfeld • Rabbi Neal Gold • Darryl Rotman-Kuperstock

Gerry Eisenberger, Treasurer

Arnold Draiman, Israel Resource Person Derech Hevron 87/15 • Jerusalem, Israel • Phone: 011 972 2 673 6776 •

Cellphone: 011-972-50-515-6776 • E-mail: soosim@netmedia.net.il

IRS tax-exempt #52-1219427 design & layout by Lisa Bauch

We are indebted not only to the donors who underwrote the production, but also to those who covered the costs of producing the tapes, DVD’s and CD’s. We hope that with the help of further donors, we can soon produce a similar video featuring many of our American heroes.

VI. Ziv’s Ongoing Work With Survivors of Terror Attacks

Many of our donors have derived immense gratification by directing us to use their generous donations for the direct benefit of people who have survived terror attacks. Several even send an automatic monthly check so that we can “just do it.” Today, working as partners with many individuals and communities throughout the country, we are able to make substantial positive changes in the lives of those individuals who have been directly or indirectly affected by the ongoing attacks.

We are stunned by the vast and complicated ways that individuals’ lives are changed by an attack. There is no correlation between the severity and the proximity to the attack to the amount of damage it can cause. We have learned that “lightly” wounded does not mean anything remotely close to a scratch or an abrasion, and most of all, we have learned that very few people have been spared. A recent news release shared the following startling statistics:

More than one out of every five Israeli Jews has experienced the loss of a relative or friend through terror or war in the past four years …. This is the picture that emerges from a phone survey conducted by the University of Haifa’s Center for National Security Studies.

The poll shows that 21.8% of Israel's Jewish population suffered the terror-related loss of a friend or relative since September 2000, and over a quarter of the Israeli public (28.1%) makes sure to stay away from events, persons, or situations that remind them of a terrorist incident. ….

As far as the survivors of attacks are concerned — in almost every one of them, aside from physical injury which may or may not leave permanent impairment, there is almost always an overriding psychological component which does not go away at all, or even recede into the background. How do we help a person who has been witness to an attack? After witnessing blood or limbs flying around them — how could they not experience trauma that stays with them and even keeps them from returning to a productive life? If they may have had underlying psychological issues (like abuse, hunger, poverty and the like) beforehand, there is a strong likelihood that with this latest trauma, the situation will only worsen. How much therapy and how many drugs will it take to make these people whole and functioning again?

And yet, despite the bleakness we sometimes see, there is still much hope to be found. We cannot even begin to count the number of people who have enjoyed, with a donor’s gift, a modest family meal in a restaurant. Often this is the first time the family has ventured out since it was in the attack and it has required tremendous courage on the family’s part to partake of this meal in a public place. How many people’s days have we brightened by sending holiday flowers or a package of scrip to use at the local supermarket? How many electric bills, phone bills, tuition payments, have we paid so that the survivors can stay afloat because they have no where else to go for help? How many people have found a measure of relief by experiencing therapeutic horseback riding or massage therapy? The list is endless, and what is common to all is that most send a message back to us (though they do not know exactly who we are). The message is always the same — it is not only a message of thanks but also an affirmation that knowing that there are people outside of Israel who care about them makes a huge difference. This is truly life-saving work and we are indeed grateful to those people who contribute to this part of our efforts.

VII. A Ziv Story — The Chairman Reflects

It is late September, and I have taken a month in Israel for the Jewish holidays and to be with many of our Mitzvah heroes. I am sitting at the Israel National Therapeutic Riding Association listening to a soldier who has suffered severe physical injuries and the damage of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome from the Yom Kippur War in 1973. He stepped on a mine and surely would have died, had another soldier not come into the minefield to rescue him. Within a few days, the rescuer died in the bed next to the man he rescued.

Today, years later, this soldier has seen benefits from the therapeutic riding he has enjoyed for the past few months. Life will never return to “normal” for him, but he is better, much better. He speaks gently. His voice is kind. He functions better than he used to, and he has moments of peace of mind.

Nearly 30 years ago when this Tzedakah venture began, I would never have thought that I would experience moments like this, but working backwards in time, I see that it has been a most natural progression. Once you begin to ask, “Who is doing good things for others?”, these are the kinds of profound experiences that will surely come your way.

VIII. Ziv on the Web

Ziv made its first appearance on the web more than five years ago when a generous donor recognized the importance of the internet and helped underwrite the expenses involved in creating a website. Throughout the years, ever-mindful of our overhead, we have continually relied upon volunteers with web-knowledge to update and revise our site. Most recently, Arnie Draiman, our agent in Israel has been responsible for the day-to-day upkeep of the site. Through the generosity of a donor, the Ziv site has begun to undergo some changes which we hope will make it even more user-friendly, efficient, and up-to-date. The educational resources we have developed are easily transferred to the site and almost instantly into the hands of educators, students, Bar and Bat Mitzvah candidates, anyone interested in Tikkun Olam, Tzedakah and Mitzvahs à la Ziv and Danny Siegel. The ability to make on-line donations has also made a considerable difference in our work as more and more people abandon the traditional paper check and donate electronically. Please be sure to visit www.ziv.org regularly and watch the changes as they unfold.

IX. Our Work as Mitzvah Money Advisors

Throughout Ziv’s history we have often been called upon by others for advice on how they can give away their Tzedakah money. However, over the past twelve months it seems that more and more people are coming to us to learn about our very special way of “doing” Tzedakah. Whether they are asking on their own behalf or for their family’s foundation, it is clear that Ziv offers a very unique model based upon a number of ideas. The concept of the Mitzvah hero is still central to our work and our work alone. In most cases, we distribute funds because of our belief in the Mitzvah hero who has started the program. (Many times, we will discontinue our support if the Mitzvah hero actually leaves the program.) Ziv also promotes a plan for giving that is specific, simple and direct – something that donors enjoy and appreciate. All of those we have advised ultimately select their own projects to fund and often include many of Ziv’s programs as well. This has been a very satisfying part of our work, and has generated thousands of additional Mitzvah dollars for our own projects. We welcome others who wish to learn more about our unique work.

X. Books, Books, Books:
Books for Israel

Just as we were going to press last Spring, we learned of the work of Rena Cohen in Maryland and Jade Bar-Shalom, her sister, in Israel. Addressing the ongoing violence in Israel as well as the downturn in the economy and their effects upon education, Rena and Jade started Books for Israel, B4i, in 2002, as a totally volunteer, grass-roots project.

With the help of teachers, librarians, synagogues, churches, students and other concerned groups who have held book drives, B4i has facilitated the collection and shipment of over 32 tons of English language books, to Israel's Jewish, Druze, Bedouin, Christian, Moslem, and mixed-community schools. With the addition of these books, children are not only assured of continuing English language education, despite serious cutbacks in government funding, but are also strengthened emotionally by the solidarity shown by the donors during this terribly difficult time. We are most impressed with the work of this very efficient and extremely well organized project. Its website offers complete instructions on how to run a drive and ship the books to Israel. Using the United States Postal Service’s inexpensive shipping option, books usually arrive within 8 weeks of being mailed from the States. We actually shipped several bags of donated books this past summer and were thrilled and amazed when we received word by e-mail of their arrival and distribution to needy schools. This is a fabulous project that we highly recommend to adults and children. The needs are very real and if you decide to launch a book drive, you can be sure that your efforts will make a huge difference in the lives of all Israeli school kids.

[Rena Cohen, Books for Israel (B4i), www.booksforisrael.com, israelactionmdsc@hotmail.com.]

XI. More Books, Books, Books

When Irwin Herman retired from the appliance business many years ago, he and his wife moved West to take advantage of the free time and fabulous weather in San Diego. Little did Irwin know that he would ultimately become the founder of an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that focuses on providing books to other charitable organizations and directly to needy schools and children throughout the world. With the help of several of his friends, Irwin created The Bookman in 1990. Since its inception, the organization has distributed more than 7 million books throughout the U.S. and in 50 other countries. In the course of a year, the group handles more than 600,000 volumes ranging from encyclopedias and other reference sets to fiction, children’s books, non-fiction, classics and more. Our phone conversations with Irwin confirm that this is one amazing man, filled with energy and optimism and a burning desire to spread the knowledge that can be found in books. Our funds were directed to covering the purchase of children’s books — always in great demand.

[The Bookman, 4275 37th Street, San Diego, CA 92105, 619-521-9830, www.thebookman.org.]

XII. White Plains, NY, Israel, Hanukkah and the Mitzvah Messengers

Dear George and Arnie:

My trip to Israel was deeply moving, and hard to express in words. My first stop in Jerusalem was Rabbanit Kapach's address and I personally delivered the bag of women’s clothes to her. It was a brief, but very moving encounter as she showered me with blessings, although I tried to tell her that she was the one deserving many blessings for all the wonderful work she does... I just wanted to thank you both for giving me the opportunity to be a Mitzvah messenger and to participate in a small way in the great work that you do.

Thank you and shalom! Sonia.

Last April’s report included information about the White Plains Israel Action Committee and our association with their work. The Mitzvah Messengers portion of the groups’ efforts continues to grow. Headed by the very dedicated team of Ella Badin and George Greene, Mitzvah Messengers works to find individuals traveling to Israel who are willing to carry an extra bag of donated items. These bags are filled with new clothing, dental supplies, wedding gowns, stuffed animals, supplies for soldiers’ packages including toiletries and those famous M&M’s, baby hats knitted by the loving hands of many Elders (particularly those at the JCC Camp Kislak in Pennsylvania and others at the MetroWest Senior Housing in New Jersey), and lots more. We have proven over and over that the importance of these bags is beyond question. While it takes some work and coordination, the benefits are substantial.

George and Ella are delighted to share their ideas with any community willing to start such a project. It can be done!

George is at geomergree@aol.com and Ella at mitzvahmessage@optonline.net.

And now, as we approach Hanukkah, the White Plains community, under the direction of Robert Remin, is once again facilitating “The Great Hanukkah Toy Drive.” As described in the April Annual Report, Robert has sent an e-mail to many of his friends asking for donations to be used to buy Hanukkah gifts for kids in Israel and in the United States whose family might not have the funds to buy such “luxuries.” -Kol HaKavod!

XIII. Bar and Bat Mitzvah—The Ziv Way

We continue to hear from families throughout the United States, Canada, and Israel who seek advice on how they can make this life cycle event more Mitzvah-oriented and meaningful. Though time-consuming, we derive a great deal of satisfaction in the sharing of ideas with both parents and the kids themselves. We are continually astonished by their creativity and their generosity. We have been the recipient of thousands and thousands of dollars sent by the Bar and Bat Mitzvah as their way of sharing the gifts that they have received. What makes this even more meaningful is that often, through our many conversations, they are able to direct their gift to a very specific part of our work. From sponsoring pizza parties for IDF troops, to underwriting the recording of a Songs of Love tune at the Bat Mitzvah party and everything in between, there is no question that today’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah kids have tremendous Mitzvah-power in their hands and do not hesitate to use it. We welcome calls from anyone about to enter this special time in the family’s life, and also suggest a visit to the Ziv website, www.ziv.org, to learn about additional resources.

XIV. Ziv’s Wish List

A. Money for Salaries: When Ziv was established nearly 30 years ago, there was a commitment to its being a very low-overhead organization…that nearly every dollar raised be used for direct support where needed. Today, Ziv has changed in untold ways. Though no longer a small operation, we maintain our mandate to work with minimal overhead. As I have repeated on numerous occasions, without Naomi’s and then Arnie’s participation in my work, I would have had to shut the fund down — it was far too time consuming for one person to handle. With those “staff” changes comes the annual request for donations directed to this very real and very specific need — the funding of salaries. We pride ourselves on not having to take from general donations to pay the one and two-thirds salaries on our minuscule “payroll.” We feel very strongly about not using a percentage — however small — of donations to pay the people who work to make Ziv run so smoothly. We welcome anyone who can contribute to this critical aspect of our work.

B. Funding for an American Mitzvah Heroes Video/CD/DVD. For the past six years, the Ziv curriculum has had a major impact in schools, camps, on campuses, and with adult groups. Now our new Israel Mitzvah heroes video is available and we expect that it will also have a lasting impact in innumerable places. The next natural step is to have a video/CD/DVD of some of our American Mitzvah heroes. If you are interested in funding this new educational venture, please contact Naomi.

C. Funding for an American year-long intern: Everyone has interns: the government, judges, businesses, other Tzedakah projects. We don’t — yet. We know we have the right people in mind to serve — we just need the funding.

D. Donating Air Tickets: Ziv has saved thousands of dollars in the past few years because individuals have donated air tickets. The tickets are used to bring our Mitzvah heroes to the conferences and to other important events. They will also be used to allow Naomi to partici­pate in various programs around North America which she would otherwise not be able to attend. Contact Naomi for details on procedures for donating tickets to Ziv. Such donations are tax-deductible.

XV. Special Request: Be On Ziv’s E-mail Update List

We want very much to assemble a list of e-mail addresses of individuals interested in periodic updates and “late-breaking” news items. Past requests received minimal response. So often, something happens through a phone call, or e-mail, or a discovery that Arnie has made in Israel, and we want to share it right away with others. We feel that this e-mail update list will increase our Mitzvah power, offering more of you a chance to hear what’s new, and get involved in something that needs to be addressed immediately. E-mail Naomi at zivtzedaka@aol.com and place in the subject line, “Put me on the e-mail list.” It will make a huge difference in our work.

XVI. The Mitzvah Store

Ziv has been instrumental in publicizing several beautiful Mitzvah items created by some of our projects. Many of them have been purchased individually at my talks and at conferences, others directly through the Mitzvah programs that produce them. All purchases contribute to the financial stability of the individuals and their organizations.

A. Kippot: These colorful, beautifully crocheted kippot are made by Guatemalan Mayan women. More and more Bar and Bat Mitzvah families, and brides and grooms, (as well as synagogue gift shops) are buying them in great quantities. They also produce gorgeous beaded Mezuzot.

[MayaWorks, Kathleen Morkert, 773-506-4905, mayaworks-chi@attbi.com, www.mayaworks.org.]

B. Tallitot: Produced through the North American Conference on Ethiopian Jews (NACOEJ), the Tallitot are dazzlingly colorful and beautifully made by Ethiopian Jews still in Addis Ababa awaiting their chance to come to Israel. Whenever I wear mine, I am approached by people who ask, “Where can I get one? (or two or three?)” NACOEJ also produces a striking variety of gorgeous Tallit bags.

[NACOEJ, Barbara Ribakove Gordon, 212-233-5200, NACOEJ@aol.com, www.nacoej.org.]

C. Silver Ritual Items: A few years ago, Bayit Cham — devoted to finding meaningful work for individuals recovering from severe mental distress — discovered the talents of a brilliant silversmith. His beautiful Kiddush cups, candlesticks, Mezuzot, Menorot, and other items would be a fine addition to any household. We would hope, also, that synagogue gift shops would carry these “double-Mitzvah” items for sale. Be in touch with Naomi for details.

XVII. And Even More Reflections from the Chairman —
While Thinking About The Scope of Our Mitzvah Work

These are some of the names familiar to Ziv’s friends and donors — each one’s Mitzvah work explained in full in our Annual Report in April:

Dr. William Thomas, P.K. Beville, Judith-Kate Freedman, Misha Avramoff — all of them, and those who learn from them and work with them, bring hope, comfort, warmth and a chance for a life of dignity to our Elders.

Moshe Koth, Syd Mandelbaum, Herman Berman, Joseph Gitler — providing food for hungry people, food that would have been wasted.

Ranya Kelly and her million upon millions of dollars worth of goods — shoes, clothing, building materials, — over the years have filled the lives of how many thousands of people with just exactly what was lacking?

Anita and Giora Shkedi, Shmuel Munk and Yoram Mordechai, Avshalom Beni — how many individuals who were desperate (some in total despair) — now believe that life has a second chance, no matter how immobilized they had become by physical mental, or emotional trials? How many hundreds? How many thousands?

How many thousands of children with serious illness have found comfort and hope and enormous will to live because of John Beltzer and his Songs of Love composers…for however long their energy will last to fight the good fight. (For this we have an answer: to date, more than 6,000 songs have been composed.)

And these are but a few.

And these names do not even include our innermost circle of contacts who lead us to the needs of individuals who have survived the horrors of terror attacks and others who are hard-pressed to make ends meet, to pay the rent, to put food on the table for themselves and their families.

For us — our entire chevra of Ziv — to make it possible for them to continue and to extend their reach in this glorious realm of Tikkun Olam…what more could we want? To relieve them of some small or large percentage of their financial worries — this is what we do. In return, we are enriched and inspired, by young and old, to be moved to act, to whatever extent we are able, like them.

XVIII. A Few Words of Torah

My teacher, the late Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, once wrote, “When I was young, I admired clever people. As I grew old, I came to admire kind people.” Rabbi Heschel was a European by birth and his English was influenced by European/British connotations. In that non-American English, “clever” means “bright,” “talented.” I have thought about Rabbi Heschel’s statement for several years and my commentary is (1) a statement and (2) a question. (1) Talent and intelligence are wonderful blessings, for sure, but without a context of tying these blessings to Doing Good, I do not see a particular reason for admiration. (2) Rabbi Heschel — one of the most profound thinkers of our day — I keep wondering, why did he take so long to get to the conclusion that admiring and being with kind people is more important?

Rabbi Heschel once told another story of a young child studying the story of The Binding of Isaac with his Rebbi. The child was very upset and asked the Rebbi, “And what would have happened if the angel came late?” The Rebbi replied, “Angels are never late. Only human beings are late.”

The Hebrew word Mal’ach means both “angel” and “messenger.” While it would be beyond human capability to always manage to save people from all woes, sorrow, and suffering by means of Tikkun Olam, still, it is a worthy endeavor to try to be “angelical” by reacting quickly to the least hint of trouble. It’s as if we must all know CPR, and must get there — wherever there is need — absolutely no later than one moment before it is too late.

And since there really are no real-live angels in Jewish tradition, but rather figurative messengers of God, to be “angelical” would mean to do our human maximum to be good, timely messengers, repairing the world just exactly when and where it needs to be fixed. In that way, we are doing what our tradition teaches, to imitate God by acts of caring.

XIX. Musing On Some E-mails… Message From the Managing Director

As I was preparing to write this message at the end of a long day of “doing Mitzvahs,” I received the following e-mail from one of the people we work with in Israel, combining our efforts to repair the broken lives of survivors of terror attacks:

Thanks so much for agreeing to pay L’s electric bills and for doing it so quickly. I was at her house [only] yesterday evening and we discussed her desperate situation and I called her early this morning to tell her that it had already been paid in total for all 4 months. She was flabbergasted. She said she never saw anything work so efficiently and so quickly. She said thank you a million times and was laughing with joy and relief. I told her I am lucky to know some very generous, special, efficient people who work with kind donors who truly want to help people improve their situations. She was absolutely amazed!!!

This exchange says a great deal about what Ziv does and, in truth, it is only one of many, many that appear on my computer screen. From individuals whose situations we are able to change or improve, to the many Mitzvah heroes and their programs who know that we are here, that we will listen, that we will advise and that we will help when we can — all of these situations are what makes Ziv unique and very, very effective. We offer hope when there often is none, and we do so with amazing speed. None of this would be possible without the support and trust of you, our donors, and for that we are extremely grateful.

In yet another e-mail that came to me recently, Miriam Heller Stern, one of our former summer interns, now teaching Jewish education on the college level, shared the following:

One of my students referred to Ziv as “the Jet Blue of Jewish institutions” — innovative, personalized, appealing to what people really need — and filling needs that larger airlines (read: organizations) don’t, with low overhead.

What a great analogy and, oh, so true. We are innovative, we are highly personalized and we most assuredly go where many other larger organizations would not venture. And — we do it all with the leanest of budgets. Together, all of these items create a very unique formula that fosters Tikkun Olam.

And finally, the last e-mail I want to share is one that came to me late last Spring. At the time I did not know the author. He was someone who had a foundation of his own with considerable funds to donate, learned of our work, checked out our website and wrote:

I believe that I can learn a great deal from you and Danny. You have already pioneered the Mitzvah Business...in a most personal and admirable way.

This statement, too, offers further insight into what has made our work so unique and so gratifying. The hands-on manner in which Ziv operates means that nearly every one of our projects and our Mitzvah heroes is like family. We stay in constant touch with them and help them through the “rough spots,” so common in small, under-staffed, struggling programs. On a strictly personal level, the daily highs from this work are almost beyond belief.

I hope that in writing this Update we have been able to adequately express to you, our donors, just what your generosity enables us to do — you are the creators of some amazing, life-altering Mitzvahs. Yasher Koach!

XX. Concluding Remarks from the Chairman

On Becoming a Millionaire: I am certain that I am not the only one who occasionally muses about winning the lottery, even a small sum, like $1,000,000. Ah, to have a million bucks! I would only ask the readers of this Update to switch their mindset to consider what it would feel like, be like to have $1,000,000 in Tzedakah money. It took 16 years for Ziv to reach its first $1,000,000, and when it happened, good wishes and Yishar Koach words came to me from all quarters, newcomers to Ziv and the “pioneer” donors alike. At that time I wrote a poem with the rather fancy title, “Upon Considering That, In a Few Months, My Tzedakah Fund Will Have Reached The $1,000,000 Mark.” It felt soooo good. I reflected that when that day — soon — was going to happen, “I shall be the richest millionaire on earth.”

Now it seems that we are not so far from reaching $1,000,000 in a single year. I suppose I will have to get out my special poetry writing pen and paper and write another poem. Because of you. Feel good, feel proud, tell yourself you have “done good.” Never enough, of course — but ever so much, ever so many lives changed for the better. Yes, feel really good, and let us proceed to the next stage with Simcha Shel Mitzvah – the Joy of Doing Mitzvahs together.

Lechaim – to Life!