Talya+A.'s+I_Faces

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Rationaletoc
I chose to write my project on Elana Adams. The reason is that when I was asked to think of someone who helps the community, Elana was the first person that came to mind. Elana doesn’t have a job she gets paid for, but spends many hours a week working for free. She volunteers at many different places, including the Pina Chama(1), [|Mevoi Satum](2), clothing machsan in Efrat(3), fund raising for a beit midrash for women, fund raising for her children's schools, organizing concerts to raise money for [|Jobkatif](4), and at Keren Yeshua(5). These places are very time consuming and take a lot of energy and persistence.

Elana made aliya when she was 28 years old with her husband and three small children. Even with all the difficulties of moving to a completely new country (where you don’t know the language, people, system or anything else), she blended in and started volunteering, helping the community. I’d like to understand the reasons behind her aliya, because it seams to me like a huge change. The decision for such a big change can’t be simple, there for must be fascinating.

I want to understand why Elana chose these places to volunteer, when there are so many different organizations to pick from. What influenced her to volunteer at all? The answers to these questions will help me comprehend the responsibility every citizen has to his community.

I hope you enjoy my work!

1. A place where people volunteer to serve soldiers and policemen. 2. An organization for women whose husbands won't give them a get. 3. A place where they sell used donated clothes for next to nothing and all the profit goes to charity. 4. An organization that helps the people who were expelled from Gush Katif. 5. An umbrella organization in charged of all the charity in Efrat.

Elana Adams is one of the most remarkable people I know.

Elana was on born March 11th, 1963 in New York. She learnt in Shulamith School for girls- a Zionistic religious school. She studied biology in Brooklyn College and then in City University of New York.

Elana met her husband, Gershon, during college and married him four years later. At twenty-eight, after her third child was born, she made aliya. The reason for their aliya was that they were looking to move to a more religious neighborhood. Gershon’s nephew jokingly suggested moving to Israel. Gershon said that, as much as he has his own business, it would be irresponsible to just pick up and leave- what will his partner do without him? The next day their client informed them he no longer needed their services. Elana and Gershon took that as a sign from G-d and that week opened up a file in the aliya office. They sold their house and moved that summer to Israel. Once in Israel, they moved to Neve tzuf and lived in a caravan. Later, after her fourth child was born, she moved to Efrat where she lives now. Elana has six children, and one grandson.

Elana Adams helps the Israeli community by volunteering. She volunteers at the Pina Chama, Mevoi Satum, Keren Yeshua, and at the clothing machsan(in Efrat). She raises funds for a beit midrash for women, her children's schools, and organizes concerts to raise money for Jobkatif.

The Pina Chama is a building in Gush Etzion where people volunteer to serve soldiers (and policemen). When it opened, they were looking for volunteers. Elana had the time and willingness, so she agreed to help. Her job at the Pina Chama includes collecting cakes from friends and neighbors twice a month, then bringing them over. Twice a month she has a shift in the Pina Chama, in which she serves cakes, coffee, popcorn and more.

What influenced Elana to volunteer in the Pina Chama was the fact that her husband didn’t get the chance to go to the army. Elana felt like she wanted to do something for the teenagers who do go. Elana believes this is the least she can do for the people who risk their lives to serve and protect us.

Most of the soldiers who come have no experience with settlements. Elana uses this opportunity to show the positives face of religious settlers and explain to the soldiers about the importance of Gush Eztion. She believes the soldiers should know what they’re fighting for, so she describes the history of the place as well as what it represents. Another place where Elana volunteers is Mevoi Satum, which is an organization for mesuravot get and agunot- women whose husband won’t give them a divorce, which in Israel includes a "get" (a Jewish divorce agreement). The reason a husband refuses to give a divorce is usually financial. He uses the "get" to have power over the woman. If she doesn’t concede to his requests, he won’t give a "get". If she doesn’t get a get she can’t remarry according to Jewish law. If she does, her children will be mamzerim. The rabbis advise the woman to give the man what he wants so she can receive a "get". Mevoi Satum gives the women legal help and advice, social and financial help, sometimes job training, and in addition tries to push the husband to give a get. If the husband goes into hiding they try to find him. Mevoi Satum also talks on the radio to make the society aware of this horrifying situation.

Elana’s friend, who volunteers at Mevoi Satum, mentioned to her that they were looking for volunteers. She wanted to go help because the way the system is built is wrong. Elana has four daughters and she hopes that if they ever have to go through a divorce, the system would work more to their favor. If she could help, she wants to join. Elana got training where she came familiar with social and halachic aspects of divorce, learnt what to say and what not to, and talked to social workers. At Mevoi Satum Elana is assigned a mesurevet get and goes through the whole process with her as moral support. That includes listening and talking to her client, asking her lawyers the legal questions, going to court with her, as well as helping form questions for her lawyers.Elana says every case they give her is more horrible than the one before. Still, she knows she made a big difference. The social workers, the lawyers, the women, they all say she made a difference and thank her very much for all her help. Another organization Elana works in is Keren Yeshua. Keren Yeshua is an umbrella organization for all the charity organizations in Efrat. Elana’s friend was involved with a fund giving food stamps to people in need in Efrat. She asked her for help, and Elana agreed. After a few years, Elana became the chairperson of the fund. Several different charity funds in Efrat decided to merge together, and called the joined fund “Keren Yeshua”. Having one organization is more effective than having many. Now they work together and can decide where the donated money should be put to use, what caess are the most urgent and important. Elana is on the funds board.

What influenced Elana to volunteer there was the saying: "אנשי עירך קודמים"- help the people of your city first. Her job at Keren Yeshua is to meet every month with the rest of the committee and go through the requests they received. They decide whom to help by who needs it most. They investigate and examine the cases to see if their true. The whole process is done discreetly and anonymously. She also planes fund raising activities.

Elana’s father was very involved with his children’s yeshivas and his synagogue, and all his children do the same in their communities. She hopes that the same way her father taught them to volunteer and help the community, she will teach her own family and be a good example for them. To Elana, helping people in need is not just giving your money, but giving your time. You have to have initiative and be independent minded- you can’t think someone else will do the work, because then it won't be done. She hopes her children will learn this from her.

Elana’s wish for the future is not to be needed so much. She likes volunteering in pleasant things, but she wishes there was no need for her in places like in Keren Yeshua and Mevoi Satum.

Elana believes you should always try to find time and ways to help other people. It doesn’t have to be hard or unpleasant. You can help while having fun; it doesn’t even have to be satisfying. Helping is never valueless, no matter how easy and enjoyable. People think that just because a job doesn’t pay, it means it’s not significant. Elana rejects this idea and shows how important volunteering is.



Background artical
The “Pina Chama” is a refreshment station for soldiers and police serving in the area. It's a building in the Gush Etzion junction on route 60 leading to Hebron. It is run by volunteers and donations from all over the world. Pina Chama was founded in 2001 in memory of Dr. Shmuel Gillis (from Carmei Tzur) and Tzachi Sasson (from Rosh Tzurim) after their murder. Terrorists killed them on their way home from their jobs. The Pina Chama is open daily from 7am till 9pm, serving soldiers who come in for a drink and a piece of cake or cookie, and a chat. It serves between 100-150 soldiers and has about 20 volunteers over the course of a day. It is meant to remind the soldiers serving in the area that they are appreciated and loved both at home and during their difficult service in the Gush Etzion area. Most of the soldiers say that doing miluim or duty in the Gush is worthwhile because of the Pina Chama. Volunteers, who bake cakes, donate money, and offer hot and cold drinks; lend a listening ear to the soldiers who are away from home in the Pina Chama. The volunteers have a weekly or bi-weekly shift of two and a half hours. Many of the soldiers are negative about the settlers and feel unhappy having to be called up to service in Gush Etzion. The Pina Chama is an opportunity for the religious settlements to show their positive side. The soldiers are surprised and develop a better attitude towards settlers. The volunteers explain about the importance of Gush Etzion, its history and what it represents, so the soldiers know what they’re fighting for. A major event in the year is the Yom Haatzmaut barbeque. The barbeque feeds over 600 soldiers. From the morning to the evening they cook food, and volunteers serve it and package it to send to the local bases.

If you are interested in more information on the Pina Chama, you can visit the following sites: [] []

Elana Adams's family visiting her during her shift in the Pina Chama. Soldiers eating in the Pina Chama at Yom Haatzmaut.

Literary connection
= = __**Characters of good person by Rajan Manandhar**__

// “To help without condition, To give without reason, To get right solution, To have better conclusion, To love without limitation, To make yourself an inspiration, To work with positive expectation, To live for the nation, To create helpful organization, Spending time in motivation, Building homely institution, Participating in revolution, Enjoying in the time of tension, Having good relation, Are the Characters of good person.” //

This poem shows us the characteristics of a good person in the opinion of Rajan Manandhar. He gives 14 different characteristics. The main ideas of a good person are: the value of giving and helping others with the willingness to sacrifice. Having hope and love for others and relationships with them. Inspiring people and knowing what to do. Being motivated and staying creative. And of course not being afraid to go against what's wrong.

I feel the author is trying to tell us how to act if we want to be good people. Every person who reads this knows he isn’t all of these things. He's trying to show us there aren’t enough genuine good people.

I chose this poem for my project because I feel it really defines what a good citizen should act like. In my opinion, in Israel there are more of these people statistically than in any other country. Likewise, I think Israel as a country has the same characteristics as the good person Manandhar paints for us in his poem. Israel is full of religious Jews, trying to do G-d’s will. They do chessed, give tzedaka and help anyone who needs help. The Jews think their job is to be an inspiration for the rest of the world, and that fits with the line: // “To make yourself an inspiration //”.

Another reason I chose this piece, is because when I read it the first time, I immediately thought of Elana Adams. She definitely echoes many of the characteristics Rajan Manandhar brings.

Creative connection
I decided to bring for my creative connection a collage I made with my friend in 8th grade. The collage was made for the 60 years for Israel. It’s a collage of Israeli soldiers and in the middle the map Israel with the Isaeli flag on it.

The collage represents one of the many faces of Israel- its army. In my opinion the IDF is the face most people connect to, for the simple reason that the soldiers protect them everyday with their own life. It’s the face the majority of Israelis are most proud of. It also represents something every Israeli citizen has to go through and therefore helps people relate with each other . It’s used as a common ground between the people.

In addition to all this, I found this subject connects to my project particularly. In my background research I wrote about the Pina Chama which is just one of the ways we can show our thanks to our committed soldiers, to give them back just a little of what they give us.

Reflection
During this project I thought much of what being Israeli means and how Israelis should and do act (which don’t always match each other). I found out what I thought about this subject- by looking deep into myself and the big part of my education and belief that revolves around Israel; as well as what my friends thought, for we talked about it, helping each other out, giving new ideas and thought possesses we wouldn’t have come up with by ourselves.

Truthfully, I awe a big part of my project to the people around me, who by discussing my ideas with me, helped me organize my thoughts and enlightened me to things I didn’t think of alone.

Unfortunately, I found I did not improve my research skills while working on this project. Even though it should include research, the project didn’t require any. Even for my background research I just had to used google, and who’s new to that skill?!

On the subject of working on Wiki, I found it extremely irritating. It is unclear, slow, and shut down often. It didn’t even have an undo button!

I learnt a lot about Elana Adams, which is surprising since she’s my mother. I learnt many new things about her volunteer work and her philosophy of life. As we sat and talked about things we don’t usually talk about, I realized why she does all her volunteer work, why it’s so important. Before, I always saw it as a thing that just keeps her away from the house and wears her out.

The most important thing I feel I learnt from Elana, from my project as a whole and from my friends’ projects too, is why it’s important to be a good citizen, and how to be one.