Lema'an Achai Ekesher
A Message from the Executive Director
Readathon 2023
International Chesed Center
Bat Mitzvah Project
Daily Giving
Mazal Tov to Our Winner
A Message from the Executive DirectorDear friends,
We are at the beginning of the month of Tamuz and the summer vacation. Summer vacation is a great challenge financially for every family and much more for families in financial distress. This is reflected in the financial inability to enroll the children in summer camps and even day camps, in the failure to take vacations, and of course in the limited ability of parents to fill the large amount of free time their children have with meaningful content.
Lema'an Achai is here for them.
First and foremost, we ask that you ask your children to pay extra attention to children from needy families, and to do acts of kindness that will make them happy during the summer. Ask your children to invite these children to play dates together, to hang out with them, to go to a show, etc., not out of pity, but out of 'loving your neighbor as yourself'. Today it is them and tomorrow it could be, God forbid, your children or those close to you.
A great way to fill the day for kids is by reading books. Lema'an Achai has been running the readathon for several years, in which children pledge to read books for Chesed, and some of the children even take it upon themself to raise donations from their acquaintances and family members for the benefit of children from needy families.
Please encourage your children to join the Readathon, read books and raise funds for children from less-fortunte families. Read below about the 2023 Readathon.
We are also delighted with the new format of our newsletter. We hope that you will enjoy reading it even more, and keep up to date, if only slightly, with all the extensive work of Lema'an Achai.
In the month of Tamuz we begin the three weeks of the days called ימי בין המצרים, just like the three weeks from Rosh Hashanah to Hoshana Rabbah. During this period, as in the month of Tishrei, we need to examine our actions and remember the reasons why the Temple was destroyed. May it be thanks to the Chesed that was done during the summer vacation, that we will multiply with unconditional love (אהבת חינם) and help more and more families break out of the cycle of poverty and become economically and socially independent.
Wishing you a good, meaningful and fun summer!
Rabbi Avrohom Leventhal
Readathon 2023You may be asking yourself: How does reading books help children from needy families?
The answer is: the Readathon of Lema'an Achai, an educational project that is a winning combination of a number of values that every parent wants to instill in his/her children, especially during the summer vacation: the value of reading books, the value of doing Chesed, the value of mutual responsibility, and the value of using summertime for an important purpose. The Readathon combines all this together, and in the end, the children from needy families enjoy the fruits of the project very much.
So how does it work? Each boy or girl can choose between two different tracks: the first track – a commitment to hours of reading books only, and the second track – alongside a commitment to reading books, also a commitment to raise money. In this track, the children turn to their parents, their families, and anyone they think will agree to donate to them for reading the books, knowing that the funds are intended to help children from less-fortunate families.
 The Readathon has been around for several years, and every year the number of participants increases, as does the amount that the children raise.Children read books they like. Lema'an Achai encourages them to keep reading by giving out prizes throughout the summer vacation. In addition, there is also a prize for the school, a voucher of NIS 1,000 for the purchase of books to the school library, from which the most students will register.
The annual Readathon has grown from a boutique summer program with only a few dozen children participating in it, to an impressive Chesed project with hundreds of children from around the country reading books. So far, hundreds of children have signed up, yet we want to see a lot more children signing up. We want to break last year's record for both reading hours and fundraising.
What a beautiful and enjoyable, and especially educational, way to spend the summer vacation – charity and kindness!
Letters we have received recently:
"As a parent, I look forward for the Readathon every year. This encourages my children to read without me having to constantly offer them "bribes." One summer, our eldest son read all of Samuel Clements' books (sports fiction) in the library. A year later, it legitimized another child of ours to be a 'bookworm' when different social options didn't always work out for him." — Anonymous Mom
"I have been taking part in the Readathon for the past three years, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to raise money for such a large charitable organization, especially by doing my favorite activity, reading!"
Please, encourage your children to participate in the Readathon, read books and do Chesed!
Added bonus, register by June 25th to be entered into a raffle for a 500 NIS gift card to Red Pirate Toy store!
To register for the Readathon and be entered into the raffle
Click Here
International Chesed CenterAbout three months ago, a significant event in the life of Lema'an Achai took place. Construction began on The International Chesed Center. The dream is beginning to become reality – the creation of a center from which the message of Smart Chesed will spread.
We are clearing the area, erecting foundations, building walls, while simultaneously fine-tuning the design of the building. All this is being done to fit all of Lema'an Achai's various needs.
 Lema'an Achai has been operating out of a rented house for the past fifteen years. From this humble location, we spread Chesed and help families break out of the cycle of poverty and become economically and socially independent. The new International Chesed Center will allow us to greatly expand the scope of the work we do. We will be able to do more acts of Chesed, and impact the lives of many more families. This will all be done with an even greater level of dignity, discretion and professionalism.We still have a lot of work ahead of us before we reach the completion of Lema'an Achai's International Chesed Center. You are our partners in this monumental endeavor and the creation of this important legacy.
Together we will make the dream come true!
For more information
Contact Stuart at stuart@lemaanachai.org
Bat Mitzvah ProjectEntering the עול מצוות is a significant milestone in the life of every young Jewish lady and man, and there are many ways to celebrate a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. At Lema'an Achai, we are always happy when Bnei and Bnot Mitzvah celebrate their entry into the עול מצוות by doing Chesed. It excites us every time.
As Rina's Bat Mitzvah date approached, her parents and her grandparents, Audrey and Sarge Aborn, friends and partners of Lema'an Achai, wanted to organize an activity in honor of her Bat Mitzvah, which would support Lema'an Achai's less-fortunate families.
 Rina chose to prepare with her classmates and friends gift bags full of goodies, and a personal letter, for the children of families coping with a difficult economic reality.One of her classmates approached Rina's mother at the end of the activity and said excitedly: 'That was very special, thank you very much’!
We are happy for the opportunity and privilege given to us to be part of the process of entering the עול מצוות.
To make your event more special
Contact Chassia at chassia@lemaanachai.org
Daily GivingWow! What a Zechut. On July 5th, Lema’an Achai will be the recipients of Daily Giving’s 10 millionth dollar.
It can feel pretty insignificant to donate just one dollar, shekel, or euro. But when giving together within a community of givers, it can have an unbelievable impact. By giving together, even one dollar can be extremely valuable.
We remember a few years back when we received a check for slightly more than a hundred dollars, never imagining how big Daily Giving will become (daily checks are over $14,000) just a few years later.
Daily Giving is simple yet profound. Daily Giving is our partner and patron. We cannot emphasize enough how impactful your one dollar can be when pooling everyone’s one dollar a day donation.
To donate to Daily Giving
Click Here
Mazal Tov to Our WinnerYishai, who learns at Ahavat Yisrael 4th grade won a 1000 NIS gift card to the Red Pirate toy store. MAZAL TOV!
To view our Ekesher Archive
Click Here
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STRATEGIC VISIONLema'an Achai envisions making a significant dent in poverty in Israel. We endeavor to help people restore their economic independence. Our vision is realized through professional programming designed and implemented to restore hope, resolve problems, build confidence, identify strengths, sharpen skills, and direct clients to gainful enterprise. |
