The Insider NEWS & VI WS Easing Local Hunger U are the missing ingredient in Yad Ezra's war against hunger in the Jewish community. That was the theme last week at the independent agency's strolling supper at Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills. The 20-year-old kosher food bank in Berkley is now serving 3,700 clients a month, the equivalent of 5 percent or more of Detroit's estimated 72,000 Jews. Dinner honoree Ron Charfoos told 425 Yad Ezra supporters: "If Yad Ezra doesn't do it right, we have hungry people. And I can't think of anything worse than par- ents having to tell their hungry children that they have no food for tomorrow." Neal Zalenko, who served as dinner co-chair with his wife Esther and Bluma Ron Charfoos and Robert Schechter, agreed. "Seven percent of U.S. Jews live below the poverty level," Zalenko said. "We are seeing 35 percent more people than last year, but I'm afraid we are not seeing them all. Yad Ezra helps everyone who asks, but we are not yet helping everyone in need." The 248-page dinner ad book contained a wealth of information about what the agency does and the growing needs. On a monthly basis, the organization: • Provides individuals and families with a package of perishable and nonperishable food — enough for two weeks — plus toiletries and household goods. • Delivers the package to clients who don't have trans- portation and to rabbis acting as intermediaries for new clients seeking anonymity. • Provides special foods for Jewish and American holidays. • Assists with 465 day school lunches. • Offers nutrition counseling and a salad bar option for 230 students via its Healthy Minds and Bodies program. • Using trained Yad Ezra volunteers, registers Oakland County seniors for the U.S. Food Assistance Program (food stamps). • Provides weekend meal assistance for low-income residents "1.1. ARE THE NGP.E1iE7s:T at Jewish Senior Life apartments. • Provides additional food in cases of emergency. In all, Yad Ezra expects to distribute 40 tons of free groceries this year. Some of the goods are contributed, but most of the items are purchased by the agency. Ninety- nine percent of its $1.2 million budget comes from indi- vidual, business and family foundation contributions. Last week's dinner raised a record $530,000 toward the total. Development Director Lea Luger said some regular attendees were unable to come to the event because of the economy. "But people who could stepped up," she said. Yad Ezra President Ken Bernard told the Oct. 5 audience that everyone must learn how to say "yes. Tikkun olam — you can't fix the world without saying yes." He lauded the agency and its volunteers for providing day, evening and Sunday hours; and English- and Russian-speaking volunteers who assist clients with registra- Ken Bernard tion, food selection, weighing and loading. Diane and Emery Klein presented their volunteer of the year award to Diane Rimar, who has vol- unteered at the agency three days a week for nine years. The Kleins said Rimar answers the telephones, handles client intake forms, supervises data input and has recruit- ed her daughter as a volunteer. Rimar responded that the award "was not for me alone, but for all the volunteers." Yad Ezra has five paid employ- ees and some 125 regular volunteers. H NGER - Alan Hitsky, associate editor To contribute to Yad Ezra, contact yadezra.org or (248) 548-3207. IT FINDS YOU, VERWHELMS YOU HEAD OVER H N LOVE So `NEAR YOUR HEART O(JR SLEEVE. OR IN TH LERTY LITTLE YOUR FAVORITE FAIR OF OUR-INCH HEELS AD cur TFE SUNSHINE AND HARE IT WITH THE WORLD An Unfair Transaction y releasing some Palestinian prisoners on Sept. 30, Israel is playing into Hamas' hands because of faint hope that it might coax the release of Israeli hostage Gilad Shalit. The reality is that the Gaza Strip's ruling party considers the Palestinians' release justification of a kidnap- ping-for-hostage policy. When Hamas repeats its threat to capture more Israeli soldiers, the Jewish world must take heed. The U.S. Department of State-declared terrorist organization isn't kidding. Hamas released a video of Shalit after Israel released 20 Palestinian female terrorists jailed for attempt- ed murder. Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal also affirmed the organization's intent to kidnap more soldiers until all Palestinians are free from Israeli jails. Don't dismiss that as banter. Hamas is capable of pulling it off. It already is setting the stage for public support. In its Sept. 30 bulletin, the Israeli watchdog service Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) documented two Hamas TV video animations showing Shalit, imprisoned for more than three years, as Hamas' prime leverage for getting prisoners B MORROW IS NO 00K GOOD released. Both videos applaud the Palestinian kidnapping- for-hostage policy and advocate more kidnappings of Israeli soldiers, reports Jerusalem-based PMW. Israel isn't directly negotiating with Hamas, but it is through intermediaries. In recent years, Israel has changed its longstanding policy against negotiating with terrorists. It has released thousands of terrorists, including murderers, in exchange for the release of a few Israeli soldiers, bodies of soldiers and one civilian. In exchange for Shalit, Hamas wants Israel to release 1,400 imprisoned terrorists, including hundreds who have murdered Israeli civilians. At least the Fatah-led West Bank is more prone to bargain for peace, believers say. Alas, PMW discovered that both Fatah and Hamas have stated that the kidnapping-for-hos- tage policy is the Palestinians' best tool — perhaps its only tool — to force the release of terrorist prisoners. Jews who think returning Palestinian terrorists to their handlers won't trigger more violence are either blind opti- mists or woeful realists. I 1 - Robert Sklar, editor HE DAY IVE FASHIO ORWARD . EXCLUSIVE RETAILER OF FASHION'S HOTTEST LABELS 271 WEST MAPLE BIRMINGHAM. MICHIGAN 248.258.0212 TENDERBIRMINGHAM.COM October 15 • 2009 5