Our family celebrated a bat mitzvah in Israel on October 4, 2023, just days before the terrible events of October 7. Though no one could know what was to come, our celebration brought tremendous joy to my heart. But the greatest joy came from the most unexpected place.
I contacted a gemach in Jerusalem and arranged for the centerpieces and chargers we used to be donated after our simcha that night. Although we were tired, my husband and I waited until 2:00 a.m. for the woman who ran the gemach to arrive. We painstakingly brought every arrangement, charger, and cloth napkin outside for the gemach to have and use at their discretion.
Although all I wanted to do was to plop into bed, that moment brought us the greatest joy. With mere plastic, stone, and cloth materials, we were able to purchase olam haba! What a thought. When a person gives to a gemach and allows a fellow Jew to enjoy the material pleasures you once had, for free, it’s a form of tzedakah. Through simple physical objects, olam haba is attained.
I was exhausted, but then I thought of the woman who does pick-ups for the gemach nightly! Jews around the world are willing to lose sleep to give to one another. There is no nation like ours.