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<DIV style="RIGHT: auto" dir=ltr><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px"><VAR id=yui-ie-cursor></VAR>As the carnival atmosphere warms up in Ramat Beit Shemesh - you may not have noticed Lema'an Achai's low profile campaign.</SPAN>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">Lema'an Achai's modest marketing budget pays for a few banners, posters and tee shirts. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">We use plenty of imagination and energy - and you'll surely enjoy this year's TzedakaThon theme for Purim. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">But, frankly, Lema'an Achai are not at our best talking ourselves up. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">We're better - much better - at helping local families in distress.</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">Like Mrs Z.</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">Mrs Z came to Lema'an Achai because she had received an arnona bill of 16,000 NIS. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">She is a young widow with kids, and had no way of being able to pay that kind of money.</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">However, in discussion with Lema'an Achai's team, the rest of Mrs Z's story emerged. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">Her late husband, "Moshe", had a sucessful professional career, brought in a nice salary, and had personal wealth and assets.</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">But Moshe had one problem. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">Moshe liked to gamble. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">Not only did Moshe's salary go to pay gambling debts, but his business and assets were sold off piece-meal to pay the creditors.</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">Even that wasn't enough.</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">Chased by mafiosi creditors, Moshe fled abroad and Mrs Z reluctantly went with him with their kids. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">As she saw the same self-destructive behavior playing out there also, Mrs Z separated from Moshe, and brought her children back to Israel.</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">Moshe died suddenly abroad in tragic circumstances.</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">So, here was Mrs Z at Lema'an Achai, with her Arnona bill, whose late husband Moshe had accumulated an astounding 15,000,000 NIS in gambling debts, much in Mrs Z's name. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">As a side-note, Bituach Leumi didn't recognise Mrs Z as a widow and so refused to pay her family benefits. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">Furthermore, aside from the financial and legal chaos, Mrs Z and her children suffered deep emotional scars from their bitter experiences. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">I will cut the the long story short - and skip to today.</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">As a result of Lema'an Achai's intensive intervention, Mrs Z today receives almost 5000 NIS/month in benefits, while paying just 100 NIS in debt repayments. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">Mrs Z has completed a professional retraining course, and is now bringing in a salary which pays her family's bills.</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">Mrs Z and her kids have responded well to therapy, and have a healthy and positive outlook. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">As for the arnona bill - we got this slashed from 16,000 NIS, to just 5000 NIS, payable in three instalments. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">Today, Mrs Z came in to Lema'an Achai with her donation for Matanot Le'evionim.</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">This Purim - enjoy the carnival atmosphere.</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">And remember, while the Purim celebrations are noisy in the streets, Lema'an Achai is quietly working in people's homes, saving families like the Z's - as only Lema'an Achai can do.</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">Please remember to give your Matanot Le'evionim generously to Lema'an Achai. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 13px">The quiet guys. </DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr>Donations by Phone 24/6 - 02-99999.33</DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr>Donations by Internet: <A href="http://www.lemaanachai.org/Donation/Overview" rel=nofollow target=_blank><FONT color=#2862c5>http://www.lemaanachai.org/Donation/Overview</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr>Donations in Cash - Via Your Shul Lema'an Achai Gabbai <BR><BR>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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<DIV><A href="http://www.smartchesed.org/" rel=nofollow target=_blank><FONT color=#2862c5>www.SmartChesed.org</FONT></A></DIV>
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