In Israel of 2020 there are about 1.8 million people who live below the poverty line. According to this, it comes down to every third family and every fifth person who suffers from financial hardship, including children, elders and young adults. While this is a small mount of people in relation to the data obtained within the years 2010-2013 by the National Insurance Institute (NII), it turns out that those who have remained poor since then have only become poorer.
The data is not encouraging: In the year of 2017 about 470 thousand families have lived in great distress, including almost 815 children. As of this year, there has been a 4.4% increase in the depth of poverty these families are experiencing, although there is a decrease in the total number of poor people. The definition of ‘Poverty Line’ is total income of 3,500 ₪ a month for one person, or under 5,500 ₪ a month for a couple. Based on this, a normative family with 4 children or more, should have a monthly income of over 10,000 ₪ in order to stay above the poverty line and not be considered a family in need. People like Asaf Elblink- the man behind the “Hasdei Tikva”, are trying to aid those who are in need, as much as they can, through their foundation’s extensive activities and assistance.
The state is trying to help, but is unable to close the gaps.
Although there are good people along the way, what is the state doing about the matter? Well, there are special allowances for people in poor living condition, such as increased payment to senior citizens, but it is still insufficient. People who failed to fit in as expected in the job market, who suffers from poor health or low wages that is not enough to cover basic expenses are still unable to live with dignity. Even if there are families that experience an increase in their lifestyle, well established families must also experience the same increase, therefor the gaps stays the same and the inequality between those who live with prosperity and those who are under the poverty line remains the same.
The day-to-day reality of those families who are below the poverty line in Israel is one of survival and fighting. These families deal with shortage and very limited resources in their daily routins, and have a dificulty fitting in with society. To deal with poverty is an hourly occupation and takes a great deal of mental energy, which prevents the possibility of investing this energy in anything els. These people dream of breaking out of the poverty scycle and it is only through the help of privatly funded foundations that they (sometomes) succede to do so.
Families in financial distress receive assistance from social workers and various figures that help them integrate into employment, set life goals and accompany them throughout their lives. But in order to really breath a sigh of relief they need the kind of help Assaf Elblink and his foundation give: basic consumer goods and, if possible, obtaining education and development, so these families can transfere from a state of helplessness to a state of hope.
“He who saves one soul”: Hasdei Tikva foundation’s activities.
Hasdei Tikva foundation is located in Ramat Hasharon, and was founded by Asaf Elblink. It is an association which helps people in need on a weekly basis by handing out food packages, daily basic products such as diapers, clothes, and more. The foundation is basing its provision of help purely on the person’s financial hardship, regardless of any prior conditions such as age, living area, origin, etc. Ferthermore, the foundation has many activities that are important to the wellbeing of the children who are in the support scycle: Handing out food to children in after school programs which the foundation is assosiated with, special activities for singel-parant-children, raising money for school suplies and private tutors, distributing scholarships and even orgenised trips from time to time, as part of special fun days at the Loona Park, the Meymadion and more.
Many senior citizens who are a part of Hasdei Tikva’s support scylcle recieve food and hot meals on a regular basis and, if needed, one hundred volunteers out of the foundation’s volanteers will work in order to help the elderly worm up their homes by purchesing a new heater or airconditioner for them. They will even come to help with orgenasing the house, clearing away or setting up epliences and other furnitures.
Helping families, the elderly and children on a reguler basis.
The person behind the foundation and its activities is Assaf Elblink, a realastate man. The foundation was named after Tikva Kortski z”l and was founded after her son, who was also Assaf’s close friends, expressed a desire to commemorate his mother’s memory through acts of charity and helping others. Asaf Elblink, who had been supporting the people of Ramat Hasharon for 20 years, paying off local grosury store or supermarket debts for many of them, proudly jumped on the oroject and together with Yaakov Kortski they’ve built ‘Hasdei Tikva’, about 20 years ago. Today, Assaf is the acting Deputy Mayor of Ramat Hashron and he is handeling the foundation’s activities from above. In his place as the head of the foundation came Itzic Minch.
Ever since the foundation was founded, Asaf Elblink and his partners have sought to recruit volunteers and expand the aid circles as far as possible.
‘Hasdei Tikva’ foundation and Assaf Elblink’s wide activities and acts of kindness and charity are all praiseworthy and the foundation’s assistance to the town’s residents is undoubtedly highlighted.