ב“ה
January 5, 2020
Honourable President of the State of Israel, Mr. Reuben Rivlin
Honourable Chairman of Yad Sarah, Rabbi Uri Lupolianski
Honourable Director General of Yad Sarah, Mr. Moshe Cohen
Dear friends and family of Yad Sarah,
Allow me to express great appreciation for choosing the President’s House as the location of the main event marking the 45th year of the establishment of Yad Sarah. The event honours its ambassadors throughout the country and abroad who dedicate themselves to fulfilling Yad Sarah’s vision to ease the suffering and improve the quality of life of Israeli citizens.
This ceremony at the President’s House commemorates the contribution of the organization at the national level and symbolizes the common goals of giving and doing for the citizen. These common goals are embodied by exemplary citizenship and respect for others; they symbolize the power of giving and doing in a modest and compassionate manner.
I am very grateful for the privilege of receiving this special recognition and honour on this auspicious occasion and believe it is the right of every volunteer to share this honour with me.
It is my great privilege to be part of an organization that is a family, a family that is a symbol of citizenship, humanity, and respect for others.
The establishment of the Osafiya/ Daliyat-al-Karmel branch of Yad Sarah is a continuation of the vision of the founder of Yad Sarah, the Honourable Rabbi Uri Lupolianski. The establishment of the branch began with a generous donation of Israeli friends from the United States: The humble and noble Yovel family, with the assistance of the dear Mann and Bahat families.
The call to volunteer at the branch was answered with great enthusiasm, and today there is a professional team of volunteers from both villages. The success of the branch and its development is thanks to the wonderful team that believes in giving as a supreme value and instills this value within the community. This success is thanks to the support and encouragement of the staff and the management of Yad Sarah, their attention and their commitment to find solutions to any problems that arise. Rabbi Lupolianski and Mr. Moshe Cohen’s staff and management support and encourage the same dedication, perseverance and responsiveness. A special thank you to Rinat Ryder and the team in Haifa!
Here is the place to say a huge heartfelt thank you to Yad Sarah that has enabled us to fulfill the commandment of helping others, helping those in need by providing them with the equipment that helps them improve their quality of life and to move about and conduct themselves at home and in the world. Thank you, Yad Sarah for allowing us to ingrain the act of giving as a way of life and for inspiring and empowering us in our commitment to society.
Giving and volunteering as a cultural value reinforces the sense of belonging that is a key component in building a healthy and optimistic personality, giving an individual a sense of satisfaction that allows for a meaningful life – the basis for developing a true and deep feeling of happiness.
The feeling of belonging strengthens the mutual responsibility in a society that is an important value in all religions.
The messenger of G-d was asked, “Who is the closest person to the Blessed One? And the answer: “It is the person closest to his brother, the person who has love and compassion and grace toward him.”
Giving is a commandment and a connection to the community, it is generosity and soulfulness, and it sets an example of personal and community empowerment and forges a bond between its members.
Prophets, the righteous and great thinkers all wrote in praise of giving.
The Chinese noted, “As the river returns to the sea, so giving returns to the giver.”
And the French said, “The way / practice of giving is more important than what you give.”
Jubran Khalil Jubran wrote, “There is no value to your giving if it is not part of yourself.”
Chazal said, “The earnings from a mitzvah are another mitzvah. Those who did not see joy in doing a mitzvah did not see joy in their days.”
Volunteer activities at Yad Sarah are according to the donor principle: we the volunteers donate every day and every hour, we get the smiles, joy, and appreciation of the service recipients, we get to see the thanks of those that receive crutches or wheelchairs or oxygen pumps. This positive energy is recharged again and again and allows us to serve with great joy and love from the heart.
We are proud to be part of the wonderful and noble Yad Sarah family, and we will work towards helping it expand and grow and continue to contribute to the quality of life of the citizens of Israel.
The activities of Yad Sarah contribute greatly to our country being a good place to live, and, for this, we offer our sincere thanks and congratulations on the marking of forty-five years of activity.
For the glory of the creators and the donors and the service recipients of Yad Sarah, for the glory of its branches and its volunteers, and for the glory of all the citizens of the State of Israel!
