Praying, Planting and... Giving (2)

Barukh Hashem, the public has responded generously to the Gush Katif farmers' appeal. So far, 4.3 million shekel have been collected; but we need 20 million more!

(Yishar ko'akh to all the Torah Tidbit readers who loaned or contributed money after reading last week's article!)

It is important to note that the maximum grant a farmer receives is 50% of the total investment. In other words, when the Ma'amin Vezore'a Fund contracts with a farmer, it may invest 50,000NIS, whereas he may be investing 100,000NIS.

We are risking 1000š, but he is risking much more.

Last week, two million shekels were disbursed, and the farmers began to sow.

We all want them to plant and to remain on their land, but we cannot expect them to do it alone. They need us. They are not wealthy; they are ordinary people like you and me, hard-working people whose only desire is to maintain the solid businesses they have built up over thirty years.

This is the time to say: "Dear friends, we are with you".

There are many ways to loan or contribute:
Phone the Donation Headquarters, 1-800-20-22-88. Credit card users can make up to ten installments.

Send a check to Keren Ma'amin Vezorea, Ganei Tal, D.N. Hof Aza 79792.
Ten monthly payments of 100š via your bank (hora'at keva). Phone Nechemia to obtain the forms. 052-899-0422

Direct deposit into: Bank Mizrachi, Neve Dekalim branch (Branch 491), Account 115000.

We implore you to lend 1000NIS or more. If this is difficult to do alone, several friends can lend 1000NIS together, and send in one check to the fund.

All over Israel, people are hosting meetings in their homes (khugei bayit). If you are willing to do this, please let us know and we will send a speaker to explain the Fund's importance and how it works.

Furthermore, if you have ties with individuals or communities abroad, please let them know about the Fund or help us contact them.

We pray that all the loans will be returned after sale of the harvest. We are proud and pleased to lend a hand to these stalwart farmers who have served us for many years. It is now our turn to express our love and admiration in concrete terms.

This Shabbat is Shabbat Ma'amin Vezore'a throughout the country. Please bring this appeal for Gush Katif farmers to your community and spur the members of your shul to help the brave pioneers of Gush Katif and the northern Shomron.

Together, we will stand firm, and like Calev and Yehoshua, we will declare: "Let us go up and inherit the land, enabled by Hashem."

Khizku V'imtzu, lovers of Eretz Yisrael.

For additional details: Nehemia Krakower, 052-899-0422. krakower@walla.com

Praying and Planting, Planting and Praying

The decisive hour has come. The farmers of Gush Katif are facing a difficult decision, perhaps the most momentous of their lives: to plant for the next harvest, or not.

Logic says – "It's ridiculous to plant, soon everything will fall apart, our investment will be lost….".

But values, hearts and faith say otherwise:
"We MUST plant, ESPECIALLY now, to let everyone know that we will not abandon the land, that we cannot be budged. We cannot be bought off.

As we do every year, we will believe and plant, believe and plant."

But – how? The banks and partners that used to extend credit have vanished. No one is backing the farmers. They are alone.

With this situation in mind, Gush Katif residents generated the idea of turning to the wider public to request support. If every family mobilizes to finance loans for the farmers, to enable them to plant as they always do – then, if the expulsion degree is averted, God willing, the harvest will be sold and the money will be returned. If, God forbid, the worst happens, the loans will be re-classified as donations.

Keren Ma'amin Vezorea is asking families to join the farmers' as "partners", by lending 1000š ($250). Remarkably, there has been an overwhelming response.

A gentleman from Ma'ale Adumim gave 100,000š – which, we learned, is his pension!
"Take it", he insisted. "Now! There is no time to lose!" A woman from a low-income Tel Aviv neighborhood, whose sole income is 2300š from Bitu'ach Le'umi, gave 1000NIS. "This is for my dear brothers in Gush Katif", she said.

Moving from community to community, we sense faith and resoluteness everywhere. People say, "If they stand firm, there is a chance that we will win; but if they topple, God forbid, all is lost".

This is the time to let our brothers know that we are behind them, that we will not abandon them at this ominous time. All of us, together, will believe and plant.

The government expects us to go – but that's an idea that goes nowhere. Instead, Gush Katif will flower and grow green.

To make a real difference, the Fund needs 20 million shekel as soon as possible. So far, the public has given over 3 million shekel; but collecting the rest is urgent.

This past week, the first loans were given to farmers who grow tomatoes and peppers. No less important than money, they have received hope. They can lift their heads with pride and with the faith and knowledge that we are behind them.

Please join us in this enormous endeavor!
To contribute, please phone 1-800-202-288. For more details, contact Nechemia Krakower at 052-8990422 or by email - krakower@walla.com.