Yad Leah Sends Lift To Israel,

Yad Leah marked a significant milestone when it filled an entire 40-foot container with over 1,100 boxes of needed clothes and sent it off to more than 15 different Jewish communities in Israel.

"I am so encouraged that despite the current economic difficulties, the Jewish community is still committed to assisting and providing for those who are less fortunate," said Jessica Katz, founder of Yad Leah. "It is very gratifying to be part of a process which helps hundreds of our Jewish brethren in Israel on a daily basis."

Yad Leah, a Northern New Jersey-based organization that operates out of Teaneck, Clifton, and Passaic, collects new and lightly used clothes through local school and synagogue-based clothing drives in the Northern New Jersey and Greater New York Metropolitan area, and packs them for needy families throughout Israel.

Each box is carefully earmarked for a particular community with clothes that have been selected to accommodate their specific needs and sensitivities. Once the clothing arrives in Israel, it is distributed through Yad Leah's network of thrift shops where it is sold at a nominal fee. Yad Leah, thus, preserves individuals' sense of pride and dignity by providing a store-like environment where people can shop for affordable clothing that meet their families' needs. "Yad Leah has filled a tremendous void by providing basic essentials to struggling families," said Moshe Goldsmith, mayor of Itamar, Israel. "My community in particular has benefited greatly from Yad Leah, especially those who have been victims of terror attacks and dire economic circumstances. We are especially grateful for the warm sweaters and jackets that Yad Leah has given to get us through the cold winter months."

Yad Leah began in 2004 with a mission to help address the massive effects of poverty by providing excellent quality new and lightly used clothing and personal items to lower income communities. Yad Leah collects a range of clothing for children, teens and adults and ships approximately 3,000 boxes a year, annually distributing over 80,000 articles of clothing throughout Israel.

Individuals who are interested in running a community-based clothing drive or donating funds to help subsidize a mid-summer shipment may contact Jessica Katz at Jessica@YadLeah.org.

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