This week, someone approached me, sent by another person, claiming I was the only one who could help her. During our conversation, she told me she needed money for a specific procedure. She has food, medicine, owns her small house, pays her bills with a pension, and eats with the help of some relatives, but she doesn't have enough to complete a certain important procedure.
To be surprised that someone needs money would be to ignore Argentine reality and live in a bubble. The surprising thing is something else entirely. This person, who attends various community events, despite receiving help and meeting many people, had never even worn a pair of tefillin!
In other words, there are two shortcomings:
1) Tzedakah - charity, justice - cannot be limited to "items" such as food, medicine, tickets, etc. It is necessary to generate a fund where people (in a limited way, with rules, etc.) can access cash, in order to do what they need (procedures, buy glasses, etc.).
2) Tzedakah is not simply giving - money, food, medicine, etc. The help must be accompanied by social and community support - that is, in our case, Jewish community support.
Based on these shortcomings, I propose through this editorial the formation of a Gemach - which is short for Gemilut Hasadim ("Acts of Kindness") - a fund of money that can be accessible (again, with limits, rules and in amounts appropriate to the donations) to those people who need cash, not just food, medicine, etc.
And to cover the second shortcoming, I propose that as part of this Gemach, talks be organized for those who participate in it, both for those who contribute and for those who receive help from it.
I invite all those interested in participating in this project in La Plata to send me an email to rabtuvia@jabadlaplata.org.ar.