Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How many volunteers does Ezrat Avot rely on?
A: Ezrat Avot relies on over 65 volunteers, making it a predominantly volunteer organization, and is backed by a core administrative, educational, and social work staff of 10 employees.
Volunteers serve as drivers, food packers and distributors, cooks, fundraisers, and even our database designer. Our American Friends office is also staffed entirely by volunteers. Our volunteers range from all ages. The average volunteer devotes two to four hours per week to Ezrat Avot, some contribute much more time, and others, such as tourists, devote one afternoon during their visit to Israel.
Q: Doesn't the Israeli government help the elderly and the poor?
A: No. Over the past few decades, successive Israeli governments have been moving away from their traditional socialist leanings and adopting a more capitalist agenda. Recent more extreme budget cuts and consequent cut- backs on welfare spending have left minimal government funding for non-profit organizations. Indeed, all of our staff, including our social workers, are privately paid. In short, there are almost NO publicly-funded social programs for non-institutionalized elderly living in poverty.
Q: How does Ezrat Avot differ from other organizations which cater to the elderly?
A: Because Ezrat Avot is a grass-roots organization, it has witnessed the growth of Jerusalem's elderly community over the past three decades and understands its complexities and issues. Ezrat Avot responds through programs and services customized to the individual health, social, cultural and religious needs of the diverse groups of Jerusalem's elderly.
Jerusalem's Senior to Senior Program, for example, is the only program in Jerusalem which delivers nutritious meals which are tailored to each individual's health and dietary requirements. The food Ezrat Avot volunteers deliver is low in fat, and is free of sodium, sugar, MSG and preservatives, as required by most of the recipients, who often suffer from ailments like diabetes, heart complications, and high blood pressure.
Ezrat Avot is also proactively working to create a more understanding society, thereby planting seeds for the future. Our Kirvah program is Israel's only multi-year Intergenerational program, designed to truly connect youth and seniors through various educational and cultural activities.
Q: What would happen to these elders if Ezrat Avot did not offer these services?
A: Without Ezrat Avot's services, these elders would have to be institutionalized, since about 23% of seniors living in poverty cannot cook or care for themselves. The institutionalization of so many seniors would also be a massive government expense, and would force these elderly out of the comfort of their own homes.
Q: Does Ezrat Avot have any religious or political affiliations?
A: No. Ezrat Avot does not have any organizational, political, or religious affiliations.
Q: How will the Jerusalem Seniors Atrium differ from existing senior centers?
A: The Jerusalem Senior's Atrium, accessible to all of Jerusalem's seniors through public transportation and by wheelchair-friendly shuttle buses, will offer all of the government, health, religious, social and recreational services a senior needs under one roof – an institution without precedent in all of Jerusalem.
No such facility exists in Jerusalem, or in Israel for that matter, offering such a comprehensive range of services for the elderly. Israel's seniors, many of whom are isolated, homebound or frail, are burdened by the need for frequent visits to various government offices and health clinics which are dispersed throughout the city.
Q: Is the Jerusalem Senior's Atrium intended only for the poor?
A: No. The Jerusalem Senior's Atrium will serve the needs of ALL of Jerusalem's elderly, irrespective of financial status.
Q: Is Ezrat Avot helping Israelis in the North affected by last summer's war?
A: Yes. Many of the Northern residents who suffered the bombardment of their homes in the Lebanon War II were elderly people who live alone and have no support network. Through the efforts of local volunteers, Ezrat Avot was able to bring food and comfort to these seniors. With help from MAZON - A Jewish Response to Hunger, Ezrat Avot distributed packages of food and basic supplies to seniors and families who fled to Jerusalem during the war.
Q: Can I specify where I want my donation to go?
A: Yes. Just select the program you wish to donate to on our on-line donation form , such as the Senior to Senior healthy meal program or the construction of the Jerusalem Senior's Atrium.
Q: How do I know that I am donating over a secure network?
A: All of Ezrat Avot's online donations are operated by and guaranteed by Tranzilla, which has put into place an infrastructure designed for safe and secure online credit-card processing.
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