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Yad Ezra
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10 Strand cultured Freshwater choker necklace.
$99
Mfg. Sugg. Retail $300.00
28859 Orchard lake Road, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48018
Market Place Plaza
553-2196
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Zefal Double Shot
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Kryptonite U Locks
Bell Helmets
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20% Off
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Mobile Services Of Bicycles
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Delivery On All Parts
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471-3060
22
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knew we'd have to move
eventually. I guess we were
surprised that it's so soon.
But the new space will allow
us to order more in bulk and
have a lot more storage
room."
The food pantry, which
opened in February, 1990,
has distributed 12,000
pounds of food monthly to
about 300 Jewish families.
Yad Ezra was started by
Gary Dembs and Howard
Zoller, active with the Food
Bank of Oakland County in
Pontiac, with the help of
Rabbi A. Irving Schnipper of
Congregation Beth Abra-
ham Hillel Moses.
Soviet Jews make up ap-
proximately 65 percent of
the clientele at Yad Ezra.
But coming more and more,
said Mrs. Eizelman, are the
people you least expect to
see.
"I mean everyday people
are coming from West
Bloomfield and Farmington
Hills," she said. "They've
lost their jobs and cannot
make ends meet. They still
have to put food on the
table."
Mrs. Eizelman, a former
caterer, orders special items
when possible. "When
there's extra money, we can
buy chickens," she said.
"But an order of 15 dozen
chickens costs $750."
Anyone may come to Yad
Ezra. All they need to show
is verification of unemploy-
ment or their food stamps.
Sara turned to Yad Ezra
when her husband, a
teacher, was diagnosed with
lymphoma. The mother of
six, Sara is allowed to take
home about 75 to 80 pounds
of food each month. Families
of four, for example, may
take home about 55 pounds.
"In January he was fine,"
said Sara about her hus-
band. "Then he began not
feeling well. When certain
foods were bothering him, he
avoided them. But his
weight started dropping
dramatically. Soon, he
couldn't keep anything
down."
Sara's husband stopped
working in June and was
hospitalized. Doctors
surgically removed his
stomach and started him on
chemotherapy. Then the
bills started coming. And
coming.
"I wasn't prepared for
this," Sara said, her voice
breaking. "We weren't rich,
but we always had enough
food and money to pay the
bills. I grew up poor. But I
had better for my family.
You can't imagine what it's
like to hear your child say,
`I'm hungry,' or to tell your
children they can't have that
box of Cheerios or they can't
bring friends home."
When Sara goes to the
supermarket, she takes
along a calculator. She needs
to buy her husband special
foods. Sara doesn't buy what
she wants —only what she
needs — and only if she has
enough money.
"I never again want to be
in the position of having to
put back groceries once
they've been rung up," Sara
said. "It's too humiliating."
Sara has pawned all her
grandmother's jewelry. She
wears only her two wedding
bands and a gold necklace
her husband gave her the
day of their wedding. Her
husband's parents are no
longer alive, and she's not in
contact with her mother,
who lives in another state.
Her father died several
years ago.
In the meantime, none of
Sara's children has received
new clothing for school.
"You can't imagine
what it's like to
have your child cry,
`I'm hungry,
Mommy.' "
Sara
Their sneakers have holes in
them. Sara doesn't know
how she'll buy her children
boots for winter.
"Every time my husband
goes in for chemotherapy, it
costs $2,000," she said.
"Insurance only pays what
they consider reasonable
and customary. Never in a
million years could I have
imagined this would happen
to me. Six months ago, we
were making donations to
Yad Ezra. Now, I come here
for help. If it hadn't been for
Yad Ezra, there wouldn't be
food on my table.
"When I first came, I was
so embarrassed," she said. "I
was sure there were people
who needed the help more
than me, but I had no choice.
I have only a high school
diploma and six children to
watch. Even if I did get a job,
it would cost almost as much
to hire a baby sitter."
Gary Dembs, president of
Yad Ezra, expects to see
more clients like Sara,
"especially now that (Mich-
igan Governor John) Engler
has cut off general assis-
tance," Mr. Dembs said.
"Now Yad Ezra is looking to
expand our services to in-
clude pro bono medical and
legal work. We don't want to
duplicate the assistance the
Jewish community already
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