Tel Aviv and Sderot meet

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Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. (Nelson Mandela)

"My brother grows the vegetables for Woolworths in Gauteng. I prefer to stay in Israel and donate from my crops to the needy." Thus we were greeted by Yitzchak Kachlon, a farmer who donates a considerable percentage of his crops to the "Table To Table" food rescue organization. Yitzchak sends his workers into the fields only once – whatever ripens after the initial gleaning, is left for volunteers to come and pick and distribute to Israel's soup kitchens, through the "Table to Table" network. Here is where the Telfed Tel Aviv Regional Committee came into the picture…

Following on from the successful partnership last year between the Telfed Beit Shemesh Regional Committee and Table to Table, the Telfed Tel Aviv Regional Committee brought a minibus of South African Olim volunteers to Yitchak Kachlon's fields near Kfar Saba. Under the chairmanship of Hayley Raabe, the group of volunteers picked over 700 kgs of eggplant and tomatoes. Table to Table (T2T) had prepared another 2.5 tons of food and together with the bus of SA Olim, made the two hour journey to Sderot. Here the local municipality had gathered 50 needy families at a local school yard, within running distance of two large bomb shelters.

"As Olim we are used to be on the receiving end, with privileges from this ministry and that. We are so happy to be able to help others in Israel and not just receive," said Jody, one of the new Olim on the trip. Receive the needy did indeed - T2T workers and SA Olim handed out over 60 kgs of vegetables and dried food to each family.

The smiles and hugs came fast, with Shana Tova greetings exchanged by all. "Poverty is not natural" and what a great way for SA Olim to start the New Year, by doing their small bit to help eradicate it.

Attached is a picture taken in Yitzchak Kachlon's eggplant field: L-R: Jodi Nafte, Hadas Kline, Dorron Kline, Hayley Raabe and Nicole Lowenstein.

See further pictures - click here

Shanah Tova
 
Chazak Ve'Ematz

Regards

Dorron Kline

Telfed - Director of Project Development