In the Ways of Abraham By Avraham Ellis Edited and Adapted by Devora Segall Adapted with permission from 'The Jewish Observer', January 1997 The word Gemach is an acronym for the Hebrew words meaning acts of loving kindness or charity. Thousands of Gemachs exist round the globe, wherever Jewish communities may be found. There are Gemachs that lend out basic necessities like food, baby supplies, various appliances, or basic services through volunteer work like baby sitting, counseling, or household repairs. There are various catering Gemachs, baby pacifier Gemachs, match-making, psychological and pastoral Gemachs.… I recently heard about a Gemach in Jerusalem for people with insomnia; they provide music tapes and various electronic devices for suffering insomniacs. OPENING MOTIVATIONS Opening up a Gemach has at least three prerequisites: the finances to back it, the dedication to keep it running, and the wherewithal to advertise the service. I had a slight problem. I am a dairy farmer on Moshav Yesodot-a small, 90-family, successful farm settlement in Israel; by no means the typical place to open up a Gemach, especially a new one. I did not have public relations nor money. All I had to work with was the stamina, desire and dedication to properly run a Gemach. I prayed for ideas and G-d answered. One day I concentrated on my telephone. Here I am, in farm country in the Holy Land, away from the rest of the civilized world, but only a telephone call away from anyone on the globe. Hidden away in my office was an old answering machine. Then it hit me: Combine the two for "Telegemach-the Information Gemach:" The idea is simple and inexpensive, but the results are priceless. People call in about everything under the sun, from employment needs to match-making. Lost-and-found to counseling. Organizations and individuals needing volunteers, buyers, sellers, apartments and furniture. I leave the answering machine on from eleven p.m. to 7:00 a.m. (as per public announcements and advertisements), and during the day I listen to the tape, jot down crucial information, and make connections. I look through magazines and newspapers for interesting job opportunities, items for sale, and so on, to help my callers. A ONE-YEAR'S LEGACY OF BENEFITS Although the Gemach is hardly a year old, it already boasts a host of heart-warming incidents. A man in the Tel Aviv area offered to donate several beds. I put him in touch with a family of refugees from Iran. He decided to deliver the beds himself. When he arrived at their apartment in B'nei Brak, he found the family sleeping on sheets spread out on the floor. He was so delighted to ease their misery that he called to thank me for enabling him to do a tremendous act of kindness. A widow in Haifa with two sick daughters called about a number of items she needed. I was able to help her by connecting her to a bank clerk who had called to donate a large sum to a needy family, a woman who had called to give away a washing machine, and others. The woman called back, her voice quivering with emotion, to tell me that she had thought that she had no one to turn to in this world, no friends or family-but now I am her family. There are unfortunately a large number of people with no one to turn to, with difficulties they are too afraid or embarrassed to discuss with others. Many of these people turn to Telegemach because of its anonymous nature. Some call and refuse to give a name or address, and I accept them warmly. I only need their telephone number to get back to them with help. A number of people have contacted me with marital and psychological problems. At times, I have had to do a little research to refer them to the right address. Of course, because the Gemach itself puts me in touch with so many interesting and kind-hearted people, research is never too difficult, no matter what the issue. I try not to get too emotionally involved with the people who call, to insure that the Gemach runs smoothly without interfering too much with my personal life or my efforts to help as many people as I can, as quickly as possible. Calls come in continually from people who want to get involved in doing acts of kindness. A writer in Tel Aviv, for example, called to request an opportunity to do volunteer work on Fridays. I put him in touch with a widower in his area who had a number of young children, one of them mentally retarded. He had asked for volunteers to take care of this child to allow him to rest and work. Two people living in the same area were able to fill each other's need, but had no idea of the other's existence. Today, information can be more valuable than money. Companies-entire industries-deal with information. There is no reason why information should not be used in the framework of kindness as well. Vital information exists on a wide scale. The more this data can be condensed into one repository, accessible by all, the more people can be helped by it. Imagine a network of Telegemach branches set up throughout the world, whereby all cities will be interconnected. Whether it be medical assistance, business opportunities, a date, or another heart-to-talk, the individual in need will have an address to turn to. Telegamachs are a great idea! Why not e-Gemachs? People will be able to list things they want to lend or donate on the website. Jewish communal agencies will match the postings with needy recipients. If you want to fund the project, post a message and your contact information on our Guest Log. Return to 'Heroes' Menu