food packs in 'Pitchon Lev'
Once victim of poverty, woman volunteers to help those in need
Seventy-two years ago, Ein-Yah Tamir's grandmother committed suicide because of poverty. Today, Tamir volunteers to help needy families
"To me, volunteering in Pitchon Lev is coming full circle," says Ein-Yah Tamir, a pensioner bringing food to families in need.
Tamir's grandmother had committed suicide over her dire financial situation leaving Ein-Yah's mother an orphan at 12.
A mother of three, Tamir divorced her husband 18 years ago, ending a 30-year marriage. "I experienced economic hardship first-hand," she says. "There were days I could not pay the bills and the refrigerator was empty," she recalls. She eventually overcame those challenges and managed to provide for her children.
"I lived with this story buried deep inside me for years," Tamir recounts. Today she spends most of her time in the Rishon Lezion branch of Pitchon Lev.
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Today, at 66, she finds herself with free time allowing her to volunteer. Pitchon Lev aids needy populations, providing them with necessary food and supplies.
Tamir says that when she first met with mothers walking long distances to the organization's warehouse to save the bus fee, she relived her grandmother's story.
She says that what she finds most remarkable is the fact that new families, who have never required assistance in the past, constantly come in seeking for food.
"I feel that the work I do in Pitchon Lev gives me even more than I give to others," Tamir says. "It feels good to help those who in need whose needs are not met by the authorities. It's a good thing that we have organizations like Pitchon Lev. Had such organizations existed in 1940, perhaps my grandmother would have survived."
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