The Answer tothe Recession:

Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky shlit"a:

The New Letter Written for the Chanukah Appeal of 5769

Details on pgs. 2-9

"One must give tzedakah in order that his money increase,

as it is written, bechanenuni na bezos."

Be'ezras Hashem Yisbarach 28 Cheshvan 5769

Kupat Ha'ir Bnei Brak has done many great things with regard to tzedakah and various necessary matters in our city. I know their gabbaim to be honest, trustworthy people who consult with the rabbanim on all matters and who work on a vol-untary basis. They work to provide all the needs of those who require assistance, many cases of which are a matter of life and death. It is a great mitzvah to help them especially today when the situation all over the world is so serious and many people have lost their money. Everyone who con-tributes to this tzedakah, it is as if he is assisting thousands of needy people. May all those who assist be blessed with everything good.

Signed lichvod hamitzvah,Chaim Kanievsky

"One must give ttzzeedddddakah in order that his money increase,

as it is written, bechanenuni na bezos."

Tzedakah toKupat Ha'ir

The Voice of the Gedolei Hador

As is the case with regard to a thousand other topics, people are looking to Kupat Ha'ir. When did Kupat Ha'ir switch from serving solely as a tzedakah organization to serving as the voice of the Gedolei Hador? No one can put his finger on the precise time of the revolution but today there is no doubt that people wait to hear the opinion of the Gedolei Hador specifically as expressed via Kupat Ha'ir.

Now, as well, with the economic recession growing steadily more severe; as one kollel after another closes its doors, leaving avreichim floundering; as stock markets plummet and banks collapse; as the cost of living goes up and the difficulty of making ends meet increases – people ask themselves what the next step should be. And they expect Kupat Ha'ir to provide the answer.

The question came up for deliberation at Kupat Ha'ir, too. As always, Kupat Ha'ir has its hand on the pulse of the community. We feel the tightness of the situation; we sense the helplessness and apprehension with which

Board members of the

Organization:

Maran Hagaon Harav

Shmuel Halevi WosnerAddress: 13 Halperin Street

Bnei Brak

Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon

Yehudah Leib SteinmanAddress: 5 Chazon Ish Street

Bnei Brak

Maran Hagaon Harav Michel

Yehudah LefkowitzAddress: 4 Wilkomirrer Street

Bnei Brak

Maran Hagaon Harav

Nissim KarelitzAddress: 6 Meir Street

Bnei Brak

Maran Hagaon Harav

Chaim KanievskyAddress: 23 Rashbam Street

Bnei Brak

Board membersd b

Everything

About the

New Letter

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The Voice of the

people regard the future. Kupat Ha'ir is constantly receiving new, heartrending requests for assistance from beautiful families who have lost their ability to go on. The situation of families already receiving assistance is growing steadily worse. And even our big contributors, wealthy people who have always considered it a privilege to contribute to Kupat Ha'ir – are having trouble releasing liquid cash.

A Two-Sided Question

On the one hand, now is the time to move heaven and earth, to cry out bitterly, to show the needy families' terrible distress and shake up Yidden everywhere. Now is the time to increase the public's awareness to the terrible situation of the very poorest families, to inspire every single Yid to forgo whatever is not absolutely essential and contribute to Kupat Ha'ir more than ever before. Now is the time to force everyone to face the discomfiting truth that his luxuries come at the expense of his fellow Jew's bread!

But on the other hand, the situation really is so difficult. Everyone is afraid of what the future might bring. Avreichim studying in kollel know that their places are not secure. Even veteran companies are beginning to wobble. People are so frightened that it's hard to ask. Is it right to come out with a demanding campaign appeal, to shock people by showing them the stark reality of terrible need and lack? Is it right to warn, to scream, to plead, to rip away the remnants of people's defense and force the public to see the situation as it really is?

Maran Hagaon Harav Shmuel Halevi Wosner, shlit"a, during his historic visit to Kupat Ha'ir's offices.g pg p

Maran Hagaon Harav Aharon Leib Steinman, shlit"a, during his historic visit to Kupat Ha'ir's offices.

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Everything is Still Valid a

Asking Da'as Torah

The founders of Kupat Ha'ir went to see Maran

Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, shlit"a.

Rav Chaim did not need to be told about the recession. The long lines of people who come to see him every day , the tears that flow freely in his home, the difficulties he hears about day in, day out – tell the bitter story well enough.

Rav Chaim listened as the messengers of Kupat Ha'ir presented their question and understood its implications. The feeling was that the Gadol Hador was weighing the situation on a scale. On one side of the scale were heaps and heaps of tzaros, tears, devastation and beautiful homes that fell apart.

There are families that are doing without critical medical treatment because they cannot afford it. There are children whose development is being delayed because their parents cannot pay for assistance they need so badly. There are babies who might be crippled all their lives because the health fund they belong to demands payment for physiotherapy sessions and their parents can't afford to pay. There are large families living in one-and-a-half-room apartments not fit for human residence and mothers buckling under unbearable strain. There are elderly people who live in disgraceful conditions because their children cannot support them. There are people who are in danger of imminent nervous breakdown, a situation that would surely bring their households crashing down – but there is no money to allow them supportive treatment that could save the situation. There are orphans and widows who lack the basics, who are sick and weak, who until recently enjoyed comfortable lives and have suddenly been exposed to unspeakable yissurim.

A terrible scream arises from this side of the scale, a plea dripping with copious tears: All these families are waiting to be helped…

Maran Hagaon Harav Nisim Karelitz, shlit"a, during his historic visit to Kupat Ha'ir's offices.

Maran Hagaon Harav Michel Yehudah Lefkowitz, shlit"a, during his historic visit to Kupat Ha'ir's offices.

The Other Side of the Scale

On the other side of the scale are families who are slightly better off. They have what to live from but they, too, feel the recession quite strongly. Their struggle is not for bread but for shoes. They have it hard, too; they, too must cope with difficulty. Along with them are the families who were once very well off but whose fortune is now in danger. There are people who are terrified that the money they have in savings will evaporate and they are trying desperately to regain their stability. These are people who were more than happy to help during normal times but find it hard to do so today.

From this side of the scale comes a cry of wonder: "Can you obligate us to contribute? Do you have the right to shake up our world by showing us these terrible situations, Must you disrupt our sleep at night? Don't we have the right to enjoy money we worked hard to earn? We're not having an easy time of it, either… And we do give, ma'aser and even chomesh plus other tzedakah here and there. Is it fair of you to place a load of emotional guilt on our shoulders?

May We Remain Silent?

Harav Kanievsky listened attentively, his head (kol HaTorah kulah!) resting on his arm. He heard the cry emanating from one side of the scale and the question emanating from the other.

The two sides of the scale…

Rav Kanievsky lifted his eyes and sighed heavily. In the eyes of those present in the room, it seemed the side of the scale with the tzaros was growing heavier.

Was it possible to remain silent?

and Correct

"ומצוה רבה לעזור להם ולסייעם ובפרט כיום שהמצב בעולם

חמור ורבים יורדים מנכסיהם כידוע "

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Was it possible to remain silent when thousands of our finest families were crying out in anguish and distress, when wonderful Torah families were suffering indescribably, with catastrophe looming?

Was it possible to remain silent?

Was it permissible to remain silent?

Now Of All Times!It wasn't easy being in the room then. Eyes filled with hot tears and lips trembled. It was so heartbreaking! Who like Rav Chaim, on the one hand, and the gabba'im of Kupat Ha'ir, on the other, understood that so well? Bore it? Lived it?

Everyone fixed his gaze on the Gadol Hador.

"Precisely now," Rav Kanievsky said quietly. "It is precisely now that we must, we must! We must

forge ahead with a piercing campaign. We must move heaven and earth…"

The words did not emanate from his mouth. They came from his broken, bleeding heart. They screamed a long and terrible scream that echoed from one end of the world to the other.

" Precisely now! It is precisely now that we must, we must! We must move heaven and earth…"

The gabba'im glanced at one another. Maran's instructions were razor sharp; there was no doubt about the way to proceed. But… would the public understand? Would they accept it? Did people have what to give from? Would the contributions come in? Would the results justify the campaign?

The Public Knows What Kupat Ha'ir

Is All About Rav Chaim "heard" the questions the gabba'im didn't dare voice.

"The public knows what Kupat Ha'ir is all about!" he said firmly. "The public knows that everything is run with integrity, and if Kupat Ha'ir comes out with such an appeal, the public will respond!"

Once again, glances were exchanged as tears welled up in everyone's eyes. Rav Kanievsky's expression of complete trust in Kupat Ha'ir is both gratifying and inspiring. How hard the gabba'im at Kupat Ha'ir work. How much time they devote to the cause, how much effort, how much heart. Everything, anything for Kupat Ha'ir. People have no idea what kind of sacrifice and devotion is involved. The gabba'im seek neither recognition nor honor. But when Rav Chaim talks like that – their hearts melt. They literally melt.

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"The public knows!" Rav Kanievsky repeated. "Where is that letter we wrote a few years ago? It's all written there!"

Someone went to bring the letter Rav Chaim was referring to.

Rav Chaim read it slowly and carefully. Every word was laden with meaning. The five years that passed since the writing of that renowned letter had been busy ones indeed. Kupat Ha'ir had expanded considerably since then.

Five YearsWhere once Kupat Ha'ir used to support families just in order to help them survive, today we are involved in solving problems at the very root by providing professional guidance over a period of years. We lift families out of the depths to which they have fallen and help them stand on their own two feet. Kupat Ha'ir has grown much, much larger over the past five years. Its offices are bigger; its staff is bigger; the number of families receiving assistance has expanded beyond compare. So much has changed in five years…

Rav Chaim read the letter, slowly and carefully.

Was it self-understood that all the complimentary words he'd written about Kupat Ha'ir five years ago still applied?

"Kupat Ha'ir Bnei Brak has done many great things with regard to tzedakah and various necessary matters in our city." Rav Chaim read the sentence and nodded, clearly indicating that he felt his assessment from five years ago was still valid today.

Kupat Ha'ir's tzedakah revolution has led to a situation where every individual knows that even should his financial situation take a turn for the worse, chalilah – he won't be left to drown in a sea of troubles. If G-d forbid misfortune

strikes, he won't die of hunger, won't have to knock on doors begging for help and won't even feel ashamed of his ragged clothing in front of his friends.

"I know their gabbaim to be honest, trustworthy people…" Once again, Rav Chaim nodded. The past five years have served only to strengthen his conviction that these descriptions were accurate!

"… who consult with the rabbanim on all matters…" Of course, of course. Who so much as Maran, shlit"a, knows how many times each week he is visited by the gabba'im of Kupat Ha'ir, who make no move, big or small, without explicit instructions?

"They work to provide all the needs of those who require assistance." Yes, that was certainly true. This type of gabba'im is unique to Kupat Ha'ir. Not one (!!!) of the people at the managerial level at Kupat Ha'ir receives a salary. And there's a lot more to it than receiving a salary or not receiving a salary. There's the sense that everything is sacred: the money is sacred; the decisions are in

and CorrectThe Solution to the

Recession!They were about to leave when Rav Chaim indicated there was something else he wanted to say.

"Precisely now is the time to give," Rav Chaim said. "A time of tzarah, specifically a monetary tzarah – is the time to give more! One must give tzedakah in order that his money increase, as it is written, "bechanenuni na bezos." The solution to the recession is to give tzedakah to a worthy organization, to Kupat Ha'ir – that is how one's assets will increase!"

The gabba'ei tzedakah listened carefully.

The Gadol Hador had spoken very explicitly, mincing no words.

Kupat Ha'ir, which has become the voice of the gedolei Hador, brings you his words verbatim. This is the solution to the recession!

This is the solution to the recession!

the hands of rabbanim; there's no such thing as monetary clout; it's impossible to spend money on anything not absolutely necessary. Some people cannot believe this is true. But Rav Kanievsky's letter cannot be doubted.

"…many cases of which are a matter of life and death." Rav Chaim sighs once more. Many cases involve pikuach nefesh! Now more than ever. "It is a great mitzvah to help them…" Today this mitzvah is greater and more important than ever before! "Everyone who contributes to this tzedakah, it is as if he is assisting thousands of needy people," Rav Chaim read aloud. His inflection said it all. The thousands mentioned back then are like nothing compared to the thousands today. The mitzvah of those times has increased inestimably. The privilege and obligation of contributing and helping are far greater than ever before.

"We need to add something," Rav Chaim said suddenly, "due to the situation today."

Rav Kanievsky shlit"a, sat there, letter in hand, thinking aloud.

"Should I just change the date on the letter? That wasn't enough; it doesn’t sufficiently express the chiddush, doesn't do justice to the deep admiration he felt for Kupat Ha'ir.

How about adding two lines at the bottom describing the current situation? That still does not express the extreme importance of Kupat Ha'ir's role.

Should Maran add on the bottom of the letter that everything applied today as well? Still not emphatic enough.

Maran, shlit"a, deliberated and then made up his mind to write a new letter. Everything was still valid; everything was correct. Despite Kupat Ha'ir's expansion, despite its growth, despite the many tasks in which it is involved, Kupat Ha'ir has retained its integrity. The gabba'im are absolutely trustworthy; they ask the rabbanim's opinion regarding matters big and small; and everything is done on a voluntary basis, without financial compensation. Five years of exhausting and

h

The Lelover Rebbe, shlit"a, during his historic visit to Kupat Ha'ir's offices.

The Rebbe of Chernobyl, shlit"a, during his historic visit to Kupat Ha'ir's offices.

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New Letterintensive activism have not affected Kupat Ha'ir at all. On the contrary, everything is true to an even deeper degree. And therefore, Rav Kanievsky said, he would write everything again. In other words, he was not merely corroborating the old letter; he was writing every single word anew in an accurate fashion. Not a single word was extraneous. Nothing had changed.

Rav Kanievsky asked for a pen and paper. He patiently copied the letter, the letter that serves as the greatest "certificate of trust" ever. The letter whose rewriting testifies more than anything else that every word written in it is even stronger today than before!

Rav Chaim spared no time or effort. He wrote word after word, beginning with the day's current date and adding each word as he saw fit.

He did not make do with adding two lines to the bottom of the previous letter. Nor did he merely change the date. He wanted to engrave his feelings on a new sheet of paper, in black fire against white.

In the meantime, as Rav Kanievsky was writing, his son, Rav Yitzchak Shaul, shlit"a, noted that his father had never, ever written a handwritten letter for any tzedakah organization. "In general," Rav Kanievsky's son said, "my father does not usually sign tzedakah letters. He prefers to avoid such situations. But a letter in his own handwriting, addressed to the public at large rather than to a few individuals… there is no such thing! My father never publicizes an entire letter to the public praising a certain tzedakah and appealing on its behalf. And yet, here he is doing the same thing for you for the second time!"

Maran, shlit"a, kept writing patiently, word by word. Writing the letter took him about fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes more precious than gold, fifteen

minutes originally intended to be used to bequeath to the Torah world another paragraph in Derech Chochmah, another shtikel Biur Yerushalmi. He devoted this quarter of an hour to Kupat Ha'ir, making sure his letter was phrased just right so as to bring maximum benefit to Kupat Ha'ir.

As Maran was concluding the letter, he added:

"…especially today when the situation all over the world is so serious and many people have lost their money…" He paused and then went on, "Everyone who contributes to this tzedakah, it is as if he is assisting thousands of needy people."

Finally, Maran, shlit"a, copied the blessing at the conclusion of his old letter: "May all those who assist be blessed with everything good." Then he signed his name in honor of the mitzvah.

The only sound in the room, that of Rav Chaim's pen scratching on the paper, grew still as well.

Rav Chaim extended the letter, sat up straight and once again sighed a long and heavy sigh.

The gabba'im released their pent-up breath.

If they hadn't seen it themselves, they might not have believed it. Such effort! Such tirchah! To copy a letter from scratch… why? What for? Wouldn't it have been sufficient to add a single line on the bottom and change the date?

But Rav Chaim knows what he is doing.

He puts his entire heart into what he can do.

They would follow his example and put all their hearts into what they could do.

And we, too, will follow his example. We will put all our heart and soul into what we can do to help.

“Check out this family. I’m sure the stories they’re feeding me are just excuses. They don’t have food – that’s why they’re making up such stories!” The caller on the other end of the line sounded alarmed. The family he was referring to was his own sister’s family. He simply couldn’t believe that all the strange things that

were going on there lately were the result of baseless

ideals.

Kupat Ha’ir verified the matter. With the passage of

time, our volunteers have become experts at ferreting out even the

most closely guarded secrets.

Secrecy and discretion continue to be the

cornerstones of our work. Do not humiliate is a tenet adhered to even more scrupulously than before. But our methods of

v e r i fi c a t i o n

have improved tremendously.

The information was correct. The family had no food.

The father brought home NIS 1600 (approx $400) a month from kollel. The mother was a homemaker. National insurance payments for the children and national insurance welfare payments were the only supplements to the family’s meager income. They were saddled with a mortgage for an apartment they had purchased on paper a few years after their wedding..

There was no bread – literally.

Kupat Ha’ir swung into action. The family was relatively new to the neighborhood. Even their close relatives had no idea how bad their situation was. It took a few months for the mother’s brother to smell a rat and call us – and that’s when the rescue mission began.

A new family? Yes. New to the neighborhood, but unfortunately, the situation of heartrending poverty in which they found themselves was all too

familiar.

There are so many families whose fortunes have suddenly taken

a turn for the worse, who cannot climb out of the abyss they’ve fallen into when their breadwinners were fired from their jobs, or whose sources of income have dried up when a

family member fell ill. Not always is the situation obvious to others. Sometimes, it takes a while before the gloomy picture grows clear. And then, either because someone in the family can no longer

tolerate the suffering or because a sensitive outsider senses that something is not in order – the information is transferred to Kupat Ha’ir.

And Kupat Ha’ir will not rest until the matter is taken care of.

With the advent of Purim, people look for “the perfect evyon” with which to fulfill the mitzvah of Matanos l’evyonim, someone who can be classified as needy according to all opinions. But it is precisely those true evyonim who conceal their situation, making it hard to find them.

People try with all their might – with all their might – to conceal their situation. They do an excellent job fooling people.

But Kupat Ha’ir knows the truth. They know it better than anyone else. Kupat Ha’ir gets phone calls like the one described above, small notes written by concerned neighbors, whispered appeals in the dead of the night: We can’t take it anymore… The very worst and most desperate cases of distress find their way

to Kupat Ha’ir.

And Kupat Ha’ir gets to work.

Before Purim, meetings upon meetings are held during which the rabbanim determine which families can be classified as evyonim mehudarim.

On Purim, when you search for a suitable evyon with whom you can fulfill the mitzvas hayom – know that you can most assuredly find him at Kupat Ha’ir. Because when Kupat Ha’ir classifies someone as an evyon, there is not a chance in the world that he has a secret source of income. His situation has been verified down to the last detail and the rabbanim at Kupat Ha’ir trust the “verification committee’s” report implicitly.

To make sure

you’re truly

fulfilling

the mitzvah

of matanos

le’evyonim

lemehadrin,

contribute

to Kupat

Ha’ir.

מרן הגראי“ל שטיינמן שליט“אביום הפורים

מרן הגרש“ה וואזנר שליט“א ביום הפורים

a turn for the worse, whocannot climb out of the abyssthey’ve fallen into when their breadwinners were fired fromtheir jobs, or whose sources of income have dried up when a

family member fell ill. Not always is the situationobvious to others.Sometimes, it takes a whilebefore the gloomy picturegrows clear. And then,either because someonein the family can no longer

tolerate the suffering or becausea sensitive outsider senses that something is not in order – theinformation is transferred toKupat Ha’ir.

to Kupa

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hשליט“א וואזנר הגרש“ה מרן

מתנות לאביונים ביום הפורים תשס"טבמזומן, בפועל, בו ביום

פביום הפורים ב

מתנות לאביונים ביום הפורים תשס"טבמזומן, בפועל, בו ביום

A great hiddur in the mitzvah of matanos le’evyonim is to give the needy people cash that can be used immediately, on that same day, to buy food for the seudah and for mishloach manos. But nowadays, when we make payments via credit card or in installments, when checks are largely used in place of cash and postdated checks are common, in today’s day and age, it isn’t easy to come up with cash for all the matanos le’evyonim money you want to give.

Never the less Kupat Ha’ir provides everyone who opts to fulfill the mitzvah of Matanos l’evyonim via Kupat Ha’ir with the complete hiddur. If a person contributes via credit card, or in a number of installments, Kupat Ha’ir will redeem that sum and transfer it in cash to a needy person. The same holds true for checks, postdated checks, and postal checks. They’re all redeemed in advance and exchanged for cash.

This is no easy

feat. We’re talking about astronomical sums – millions of shekels! But Kupat Ha’ir is never intimidated by a challenge. We take huge loans to cover contributions that will be actualized over the next few weeks and prepare cash in envelopes in their stead. For many weeks preceding Purim, the gabba’im of Kupat Ha’ir work to secure loans. Loans in dollars, loans in shekels, loans on such terms and loans on others – loans, with all the headache they involve. Kupat Ha’ir dares not take the risk of falling into debt, so envelopes are prepared with only the amount of money we estimated would come in. Additional envelopes are constantly created as more money comes in. Every sum means the joy of Purim will enter another gloomy household.

They gain,

we gain,

you gain!Matanos le’evyonim in cash – they gain, we gain, you gain!

What transpires at Kupat Ha’ir on Purim day? It’s hard to follow the frenetic pace of activity, but no one who sees it remains unmoved.

The first thing that grabs a visitor’s attention are the telephones. The dozens of phones are constantly – and we mean constantly – ringing, often simultaneously. At six in the morning, there are 20-25 simultaneous phone calls; at eight or ten o’clock, the forty extensions are busy and flashing lights indicate calls that are waiting to be handled. The telephone operators, have their hands full. They write the amounts of the contributions that come in on forms prepared in advance especially for this purpose. There’s no time to enter the information in the computer on a day like today! The amount of money to be distributed to the poor grows and grows….

Messengers are dispatched. Each one receives a box with envelopes arranged according to localities. The messengers, grab their boxes and hurry off to fulfill their missions. They return, report addresses, take another box, and set off once more.

In the meantime, envelopes come in from local rabbanim who accept people’s contributions on behalf of Kupat Ha’ir. This is the first collection for the day. The volunteers sit down in pairs to open the envelopes and carefully list the amounts and the names of those contributors who have submitted a request to have their names forwarded to the Gedolei Hador, who will pray for them and bless them. Other volunteers take the

lists of names from the envelope-openers and the telephone operators, copy them over in a neat, clear handwriting and prepare to send them to the Gedolei Hador. All this time, the fax machines are busy spewing reams of paper.

Another batch of postal checks arrive and the driver who has been circulating with a microphone mounted on his car, exhorting Yidden to contribute to Kupat Ha’ir, rushes in as well. The volunteer in charge of emptying the Kupat Ha’ir pushkas throughout the city brings bags of coins. Dozens of pairs of hands get busy opening, sorting listing, transferring…

Another batch of contributions comes in from local rabbanim and the work goes on. The envelopes are opened, the names written down and transferred to the Gedolim… and the sun is nearly setting…

The supervisors hurry home to fulfill their obligations of seudas hayom and mishteh yayin. They’ve been here all day, supervising the goings-on and making sure everything runs smoothly. Everyone suddenly notices that his hands ache, but the faces… the faces glow with satisfaction.

Sunset!

What a day!

מרן הגר"ח קנייבסקי שליט“א ביום הפורים

כ“ק מרן האדמו“ר מנאדבורנה שליט“א ביום הפורים

The first thing thatvisitor’s attention telephones. The dophones are constantwe mean constantly –often simultaneouslin the morning, ther25 simultaneous phoat eight or ten o’clforty extensions aand flashing lights calls that are wabe handled. The teoperators, have thefull. They write the aof the contributiocome in on forms pin advance especiallypurpose. There’s no enter the informatiocomputer on a day likThe amount of mondistributed to the po מנאדבורנה האדמו“ר מרן כ“ק

מתנות לאביונים ביום הפורים תשס"טבמזומן, בפועל, בו ביום

הפורביום הפורים ו ב

מתנות לאביונים ביום הפורים תשס"טבמזומן, בפועל, בו ביום

Kupat Ha’ir’s huge logistical s y s t e m ensures that the home of

every needy person is visited on Purim day, so that the contributions of those who depend on us to help them fulfill the mitzvah of matanos le’evyonim are distributed bo bayom, on Purim day. With Hashem’s help, this incredible system has proven itself every year anew; Kupat Ha’ir merits incredible siyatta dishmaya every minute of the day. The fact that the matanos le’evyonim money of the Gedolei Hador enters the system along with everyone else’s surely adds merit from On High.

Aside from the halachic aspect of all this, it is a huge merit in its own right.

We all prepare for Purim some time in

advance. We plan the kids’ costumes, plan the menu of the Purim seudah and prepare a guest list, stock up the freezer and shop for mishloach manos accessories. We are so distantly removed from those homes where a battle for survival, a true battle in the fullest sense of the word, takes place every single day. For these families, Purim is a stab in the heart, a day its members prefer not to think about.

It’s hard to be happy, to look happy, when your heart is in a state of upheaval. It’s hard to put on a brave front when inside, you’re desperate.

What point is there, for them, in thinking about Purim? The thought of receiving gaily-wrapped mishloach manos fills them with dread because they don’t have what to give in return. Thinking about the Purim seudah makes their stomach hurt: what point is there in a Purim seudah if there’s nothing to eat? The children wait expectantly, certain in their childish innocence that Purim, at least, will be different. It’s going to be so hard to have to disappoint them!

But they don’t have to – because Kupat Ha’ir steps in.

Bo bayom fulfilling

the mitzvah behiddur!

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WHY NOT?

Call & Sign upAREIVIM 866-7-1 273484

WHAT IS AREIVIM?WHAT IS AREIVIM?A clear and simple explanation of the Areivim plan: We're all hurt, when we see the all-too-familiar brochures, advertising tzedakah appeals, for widows and orphans. The families are mortified and their relatives and acquaintances must scramble to come up with huge resources. Due to the frequency with which these appeals appear, the public’s response has been waning and sometimes even the target sum is not raised. Therefore, all the tzedakah funds and organizations in the U.S. have joined to initiate the Areivim plan, to establish funds for widows and orphans, in a respectable and dignified manner.

There is no signup fee, as soon as you sign up you'r in the group.

Both Husband & Wife are covered if something happens to them

Each family makes a commitment to make a one-time $7-contribution per orphan

only if one of the families in the group lose a parent.

As a result, each orphan will receive a fund of $100,000.

The maximum amount of money to be charged in a month is $28.

If, G-d forbid, there will be more than 4 orphans in a month

the balance will be postponed until the following month.

The plan has the blessing and endorsement of all the Gedolim in America and in

Eretz Yisroel.

re is no signup fee, as soon as you sign up you'r in the gro

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WHY NOT?WHY NOT?1.2.3.4.5.6.

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AAreivim the Gedolei Hador’s solution to the suffering of widows and orphans

1-866-221-93521-866-221-9352

On Purim, a minyan of talmidei chachamim

will daven at the Kosel Hama'aravi and

recite the entire sefer Tehillim.

Thereafter, every individual name will be mentioned along with a

specific request.

Names may be transmitted to the telephone hotline until

3:00 am est Tuesday 14 Adar.

Purim is known to be an auspicious day for davening

and being helped.

People are so different from one another.

Purim will arrive in Jewish homes all over the world on the same day. In every home, preparations are underway. Trays of goodies are being slid into and out of the oven and delicious delicacies simmer on the stovetop. The tape recorder blares lively music as happy children try on their costumes over and over again.

But no, that is not all.

"I can't wait for Purim," an avreich says to his chavrusa as the two prepare for a rigorous learning session.

"You? For Purim?" Somehow, the sentence sounds more appropriate for a cheder child than for a not-so-young avreich whose entire world revolves around Torah study.

"Yes. I mean it: I can't wait for Purim." The two begin studying, filling the room with the sweetest sound in the world, but the sentence remains in the air between them. As they leave the beis medrash some time later, the avreich explains to his friend:

"Purim is a great day, as it is written, 'He who extends his hand – is given [what he asks for].' Not for nothing do Chazal compare Purim to Yom Kippur. And I… I need a yeshuah."

He does not go into detail but his friend knows what he's referring to. Not long ago, his young son was diagnosed with a serious medical problem. The entire household was affected by the situation. He could just imagine what his friend's Purim would be like. On leil Purim, he would rend heaven and earth with his tefillos and during the day, between fulfilling the mitzvos hayom, he'd find a quiet corner and pour out his heart in prayer.

"Maybe you should contribute to Kupat Ha'ir and have them daven for you at the Kosel?" the friend suggested quietly. "It's no simple matter, you know, the entire

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Purim: A Day when the Gates ofPurim: A Day wh

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Shamayim Are Open WideAre Open Widesefer Tehillim on such an auspicious day."

A ray of light lit up his friend's face. It hadn't occurred to him! No doubt this was the right thing to do. His stooped posture straightened up a bit. Here was undoubtedly a superb zechus.

* * *

"Penny for your thoughts," a seminary student said to her friend.

"I'm thinking about Purim," her friend replied.

"Purim? How come? It's not as if you need to prepare mishloach manos for your future in-laws!"

Her friend did not smile. "I think we both ought to do something on Purim," she said quietly, eyes lowered to the ground. "There's a girl in our class whose father is very sick. Purim is a big day, a very big day. Maybe we should divide sefer Tehillim among the girls in our class."

The girls in their class were receptive to the idea. They were aware of the physical and emotional difficulty their classmate was coping with and their hearts broke just thinking about it. Maybe the yeshuah would come as a result of their prayers on Purim.

The teacher took part in the plan as well. "Give the money you collected in order to send me mishloach manos to Kupat Ha'ir instead," she said quietly to one of the girls, blushing as she spoke. "Tell them you want their messengers to daven for your classmate's father at the Kosel. That way, the awesome zechus of tefillah at the holiest site in the world, on this holiest of days, will join our own tefillos."

And that was what they did.

* * *

Many people have the custom of reciting the entire sefer Tehillim on Purim. An ancient segulah, whose source we could not find, stipulates that the sefer be recited without interruption and then be followed by a request.

The request will, with Hashem's help, be fulfilled very soon. Many people have already merited yeshuos. But the question tears at you every time anew:

What should I ask for? That the children be successful in their studies or that we merit good health? That the baby stop getting sick all the time or that his father be successful at his new job? It's so hard to concentrate and make all your requests calmly, without pressure.

Finishing Tehillim on a day as busy as Purim is

no simple matter.

Kupat Ha'ir sends G-d fearing shalichim to daven on behalf of contributors at the spot from which the Shechinah never moves. On Purim day, they will stand at the Kosel and recite the entire sefer Tehillim in a consecutive fashion. Then they will pray on behalf of each individual contributor, slowly and deliberately, with great devotion and feeling.

On Purim, Hashem showers us with blessing without checking to see whether we deserve it or not. Whoever extends his hand – is given! All we have to do is extend our hand…

a. They were aware of thedifficulty their classmatehearts broke just thinking

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Donations can be sent to:

Rabbi Chaim Leib Epstein Shlita 1608 46th Street

Brooklyn, New York 11204

Rabbi Shlomo Feivel Schustal Shlita

1043 East 17th StBrooklyn, NY 11230-4412

Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser Shlita

1336 East 21st StreetBrooklyn, New York York 11210

Rabbi Aryeh Z. Ginzberg Shlita

568 Kensington Place Cedarhurst, N.Y. 11516

Rabbi Chaim Schabes Shlita 7 Barrie Drive

Spring Valley NY 10977

Rabbi Aron Schechter Shlita

1248 East 12th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11230

Kupat Hair14th Avenue 4415

Brooklyn, NY 11219

Rabbi Malkiel Kotler Shlita

521 5th StreetLakewood, New Jersey 08701

Home of Rabbi Shmuel Berenbaum Ztl

1795 East 7th StreetBrooklyn, New York 11223

Rabbi Moshe Wolfson Shlita

1574 43rd StreetBrooklyn, New York 11219

Rabbi Don Blumberg Shlita

4 Yale DriveMonsey, NewYork 10952

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On a monthly basis, For............................................................ months

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FOR DONATIONS BY CREDIT CARD

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City, State & Zip....................................................................................................

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Signature: ...............................................................................................................

FOR DONATIONS BY DIRECT BANK WITHDRAWAL

On PURIM DAY, the Gedolei Hador, shlit"a, will pray

for all the names that come in before PURIM DAY.

Rab

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To merit this special segulah:

Send the name to be prayed for along 1. with the mother’s name and a specific request. Up to 3 names may be sent.Names may be submitted via 2. telephone, after making a credit card contribution, or enclosed in an envelope with a contribution and mailed to: Kupat Hair 4415 14th Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11219 Minimum contribution of $120.3. If you would like to designate a 4. specific 40 day period, please make a note of it.

Name and mother’s name:________________________

Request: _____________________________________

Name and mother’s name:________________________

Request: _____________________________________

Name and mother’s name:________________________

Request: _____________________________________

Name of Contributor:_____________________________________________Telephone Number for Confirmation:____________________________________________

By a minyan of outstanding talmidei chachamim.(minimum contribution of $120 per name)

By one outstanding talmid chacham.(Minimum contribution of $120 required. Up to 3 names may be

submitted.)

Please print clearly.

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RRRRRRRRRReeeeeeeeqqqqqqqquuuuuuueeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssttttttt:::::::: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rabbi Ephraim E. Shapiro Shlita

971 NE 172nd StreetNorth Miami Beach FL. 33162

Urgent requests are immediately forwarded to the home of the Gedolei Hador Please fill in your Hebrew name and mother’s Hebrew name

Nachas from children

For children

For a refuah sheleima (speedy recovery)

For a zivug hagun (worthy mate)

Parnassah (livelihood) with ease

זרע של קיימא

פרנסה

זיווג הגון

רפואה שלמה

נחת מהילדיםPlease daven on my behalf for:

On POn PURIM DAYURIM DAY, the Gedolei Hador, shlit"a, will pray , the Gedolei Hador, shlit"a, will pray

for all the names that come in before Pfor all the names that come in before PURIM DAYURIM DAY..

Please make checks payable to: American Friends of Kupat Ha'ir

How do I donate to Kupat Hair?How do I donate to Kupat Hair?

1-866-221-935224 Hour Tzeddakahhotline

Send your donation in the enclosed envelope.

Call the 24 Hour Tzeddakah Hotline (donation by credit card) at 1-866-221-9352 Fax: 1888-633-2188Email: info@kupathairusa.org

Send your donation to the Rabbonim in your area (see list on Envelope).

Send your donation to:Kupat Hair4415 14th AvenueBrooklyn, NY 11219

Send your doenvelope.

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In In CanadaCanada

For all information or to receive a pushka call 1-800-233-2188 Our office number in Israel: 3-671-6994

Send your donation to: Montreal: Rabbi Y. C. Wenger Shlita, 2227 Goyer Avenue, Montreal Quebec H3S 1H1

Toronto: Rabbi M. M. Lowy Shlita, 240 Carmichael, Toronto Ontario M5M 2x4 Please make checks payable to: Canadian Friends of Kupat Ha'ir

A Free Spot in Kollel?

More and more people are making use of our popular slogan: Contribute to Kupat Ha'ir and Witness Yeshuos.

In the D family home in Beit Shemesh, the discussions continued way into the night. "It seems so obvious that we need to take this step," said the woman, looking helplessly at a balance from the bank. "I need to take a job to try and balance our budget. And now I'm being offered a good job, close to home, at a good salary," she concluded. "It sounds too good to be true."

"But… you know what."

Yes, she knew. "If you would tell me that you were pleased in kollel, I wouldn't say a word. We'd place our burden on Hashem and that would be it. Torah comes before anything else. I wouldn't think of asking you to switch to a kollel in Beit Shemesh in order to be able to pick up the kids at noon so that I can take this new job. But you keep complaining that the daily commute to Yerushalayim is pointless, that you study on your own most of the time in any case because your chavrusa is absent more often than he shows up. You keep saying that

so much time and effort and money goes to waste on these trips. So let's go: switch to a kollel in Beit Shemesh and we solve all those problems at once!"

But she, too, knew it wasn't so simple. The job she was interested in was, after all, still a question mark. The kollel stipend was steady, so far. True, his rosh kollel was forced to travel all over the world and knock on doors in order to keep paying the stipends and prevent a situation similar to that in so many other kollels from happening to his. Unfortunately, he was the chavrusa of the rosh kollel. If he left, there would be another ten men clamoring to take his place. He didn't have a different kollel lined up and if his wife's job proved unstable, how would they buy food for the children?

"Enroll in a kollel here," his wife suggested again. "Maybe a miracle will take place and you'll get in."

"I've already tried, he said gloomily."They told me they're full. There's no chance."

"What about contributing to tzedakah? Have you tried that?"

"No." It hadn't occurred to him."

" 'Contribute to Kupat Ha'ir and witness miracles,'" his wife quoted enthusiastically. "We'll contribute and daven and see what happens!"

She was not particularly surprised when a phone

call came from the kollel her husband had tried to enroll in with the explanation that a certain avreich had left suddenly, freeing a space for him. She wasn't surprised; she had expected it!

Expect good news!

Even people who have just about given up know deep down that once a contribution to Kupat Ha'ir is underway, the chances increase by leaps and bounds.

M contributed $250 to Kupat Ha'ir for the segulah of Amuka. She wanted the contribution to come from her own pocket only, so she divided the payment into five equal installments, or $50 a month. By the time the fifth payment was made, she was busy looking at simchah halls. Two days later, she celebrated her engagement.

L, a not-so-young single woman, contributed $750 to Kupat Ha'ir. "At my age, a larger-than-usual contribution is called for," she joked darkly to her family. "After all, it's harder to get a 34-year-old woman engaged than a 19-year-old girl! Even shadchanim charge a higher rate for older singles."

They smiled. After all, it didn't make a difference to Hashem how old someone was. Hakadosh Baruch Hu didn't charge higher rates or larger-than-usual contributions. Their hearts united in prayer and hope.

"Set a time," they told her, trying to ease the tense

atmosphere in the room. "When you have an 'end-by' date, it's easier to wait."

L thought about it and agreed. "How does January 1, 2009 sound to you?"

she asked. "I think it would be nice to start 2009 as a kallah."

The conversation took place at the end of the summer. An engagement by the

beginning of January seemed like too optimistic a dream. There were no suggestions to speak of at the time. At

the age of 34, these things take time…

But on December 28, they broke a plate and wiped away tears of gratitude,

excitement and disbelief.

In that case, people think to themselves, why not contribute and achieve good results immediately? Tzedakah, a yeshuah, a sense of immense satisfaction – what could be better?

And the answer, as so many people have learned firsthand, is simple: contribute and witness yeshuos. If you're not zocheh, you get distracted, you don't get around to it, you think it won't help anyway… a heap of reasons and excuses. You don't contribute and you don't see yeshuos.

Sometimes there's a clear sense that a certain yeshuah is being withheld from Shamayim. Permission is granted for obstacles to pile up. But the power of a contribution is even stronger. If you overcome the obstacles, the contributions open the gates of Shamayim and Hashem's chessed descends. If you're zocheh, the contribution and tefillah become such an inseparable part of your life that even the obstacles have no power over them. And that is something you can work on! You can make it become a part of you. If you're zocheh, these moments of contribution and tefillah, of connection to the Creator – they become the yeshuah. They become the highlight of the event; they become that "unforgettable moment." But that is a topic less discussed – and rightly so.

May we all be zocheh!

גאב"ד העדה החרדית פותח במגביתהאדמו"ר מראחמיסטריווקא ביום הפוריםהאדמו"ר ממודז'יץ ביום הפוריםשרנוביל ביום הפורים

הגרמ"י ליפקוביץ ביום הפורים

האדמו"ר מנדבורנה ביום הפורים

המקובל רבי דוד אבוחצירא פותח במגבית

מאה אחוז מהתרומות עוברות לאביונים.

גם עבור התורמים בצ'קים וכרטיסי אשראי ינתן כסף מזומן

בו ביום.

הכל ניתן באופן חסוי, וזו מעלת הצדקה הגדולה ביותר.

גם ביום ט"ו יחולקו מתנות לאביונים.

עפ"י פסק מרן הגרי"ש אלישיב שליט"א מחולקות הנתינות

לסך 50 ש"ח לכל אביון, ואם נתן פחות מחולק לסך 10 ש"ח

לכל אביון.

הגרש״ה וואזנר ביום הפורים

האדמו״ר מבעלזא ביום הפורים

הגר״ח קנייבסקי ביום הפורים

האדמו"ר מטשרנוביהאדמו"ר מלעלוב ביום הפוריםהגראי"ל שטיינמן ביום הפוריםהאדמו"ר מנאראל זצ"ל ביום הפורים

הכסף ינתן ביום הפורים עצמו ולא מקודם. (עי' מ"א סי' תרצ"ד).

אפשר שיהיה ע"מ מזוכה, רק ולא בפועל מחולק הכסף להוציאו בו ביום.

הכסף ינתן במזומן ולא בצ'קים, שיוכלו להוציאו בו ביום.

לקנות שיוכלו כדי לפנה"צ ינתן 11:00 עד שנאסף הכסף בזה צרכי הפורים.

לנתינות חשובות* ולא לשוה נעשה תנאי שהכסף מחולק פרוטה (עי' מהרש"א מגילה ז').

כל האביונים נבחרו ע"י הרבנים הגאונים שליט"א.

א ריינע צדקה״״קופת העיר איז ״קופת העיר איז

א צדקה מהודרת״

גדולי ישראל אפעלירן צום כלל:

צדקה געלטער זאל געגעבן ווערן

אויסדריקלעך פאר

קופת העיר