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May 3, 2002
Supporting One Family
Danielle Ames is doing all she can to help Israel.
KYLE BERGER REPORTER
Amid the violence and the fear that pervades many areas of Israel,
Danielle Ames is bringing a little solace to those who need it most.
Based in Jerusalem, the 18-year-old Vancouverite has spent the past
year maintaining her studies at Midreshet Lindenbaum, an Or Torah
Stones school.
"I don't want [the terrorists] to take away my opportunity
to be here and learn, [the way] they have taken so many other people's
opportunities away," said Ames, who graduated from Vancouver
Talmud Torah high school last year. "We can't go out for dinner
and we can't go grocery shopping but at the same time, I feel an
obligation and a duty to be here right now."
While Ames emphasizes the value of just being in Israel and showing
support for Jews' struggle for freedom and survival, she has taken
her commitment one step further. Ames has been working with the
One Family Fund in Israel for the past several months.
The fund was created by Mark Belzberg, originally of Vancouver,
and his wife, Chantal. It was established to raise money and support
for Israeli victims of terror attacks and their families.
Ames gathered more than 20 fellow students from her school and volunteered
their time to One Family.
"We started visiting hospitals right after the Ben Yehuda bombing
in the beginning of December," she told the Bulletin.
"There are a lot of hospitalized families and we bring them
food on Fridays so that they can have a Shabbat meal.
"There's a feeling in Israel, especially at a time like this,
where everyone is responsible for each other," she continued.
When Ames was home in Vancouver for a month over Passover, she decided
to reach out to her own Jewish community to get their support for
the cause, as well.
The One Family Fund has a program in which Diaspora communities
develop relationships with and offer assistance to individual families
in Israel who have been directly affected by terrorism. Ames has
partnered Vancouver with an Israeli man named Moshe Saperstein,
the victim of a random Palestinian attack.
On Feb. 18, Saperstein was driving on a road in Gush Katif, located
in the Gaza Strip, when he was shot in the left hand and left leg
by a terrorist. Despite being shot, Saperstein turned his car toward
the shooter and drove into him. The terrorist threw a grenade into
Saperstein's car but it failed to detonate. The terrorist was knocked
down by the impact of Saperstein's car long enough for an Israeli
army jeep to move in and remove him.
Saperstein, who had already lost his right arm 28 years ago fighting
for Israel in the Yom Kippur War, had to have one finger amputated
and major surgical repairs to his hand and shin. Treatment for Saperstein's
recovery will likely cost more than $12,000 US.
Ames said every possible donation or gesture of support goes a long
way for victims like Saperstein and his wife, Rachel.
"It's important for [the Israelis] to know that for every bad
person that's out there trying to hurt them, there's a good person
out there who wants to help them," she said. "And that's
why the cards and the letters and the support mean so much."
Donations can be made and information about the One Family Fund
can be found online at www.walk4israel.com.
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