YOF Hesed Mission 2011

Nine years ago, Rabbi Naftali Besser, Dean of Students at the Yeshivah of Flatbush, had a dream—a dream to give thanks and show support to the people in Israel. To pursue his dream, he decided to create the Hesed Mission.

Rabbi Besser called upon Susan Franco, an inspirational woman of hesed. She immediately agreed to help. Franco started raising money and collecting donated merchandise which is packed into suitcases, that each participant takes, along with the anticipation of giving. Parents and students from the Flatbush family would go to Israel on their 10-day winter vacation and show appreciation to the people of Israel. Nine years later, this trip has blossomed into an array of small miracles for everyone affected—both the givers and the receivers.

This year on Hesed Mission 2011, 45 boys and girls, who could have spent their vacation relaxing, got on to the plane with a clear mission in mind—to change lives, help people, and give back to those who have been keeping their country safe and thriving.

People make donations and send gifts to Israel every day. This is nothing out of the ordinary. But when a group of teenagers come into an institution with the goal of simply interacting with kids and trying to put smiles on their faces, the effect is greater then any gift or amount of money.

One teen, Joseph Khezrie said, “I was in Aleh (a home for mentally and physically disabled children) and I was playing with a kid. I just started banging on his table, and I looked up and saw an enormous smile. Little did I know that this was the first time this kid smiled in 7 months. How did I have that affect on him? I’ll never know.” Khezrie was surprised that something so simple could make such a huge difference.

Imagine if things like this made us that happy; imagine if all we needed was a smile to make our day complete. Our company had far larger of an effect then any gift.

You take a look at some of these kids and you wonder, why are they stuck in this position? Why do they come from broken homes, or why were they born with disabilities? Unfortunately, these questions can not be answered simply. We managed to affect some lives, but never in the world did we think they would have a greater affect on us. We, the missioners, now realize how fortunate we are for how much we have, and that we need to be thankful for all of it. We take too many things for granted every day.

One chilly night we didn’t have time to stop at the hotel to grab our coats or dinner. It was a non-stop hesed day at an army base.  There were complaints because we were hungry and cold. Little did we know how bad army food could be and how freezing it gets on a base at night. Soldiers took us to see their bunks and we were surprised to see how cramped and cold they were. They told us how uncommon a full night’s sleep was. How can we complain about one night being a little hungry and cold or waking up early for school, when kids our age are actually soldiers and putting their lives on the line each and every day to protect our homeland.

We came with a delicious Israeli buffet for the soldiers, a three-piece band, and hats, gloves and scarves to help keep them warm. By the end of the night we could feel the unity that was created in just a few hours. Singing and dancing with the soldiers was unforgettable for all of us. As we said our last good-byes to the soldiers, we realized how special our visit was to them and how vital it is for Jews around the world to show their gratitude and support for the soldiers and to let them know that we care and pray for them on a daily basis.

We visited several children’s homes, which take in kids who come from broken families. Girls approached us and told us that they looked forward to our visit every year.

As we returned to our daily lives, these girls and boys were counting down the days until the Yeshivah of Flatbush would visit again.

We had many eye-opening experiences on this mission—at an army base, an institution or and even at a hospital.

The moment people hear the word hospital an instant thought of depression enters into their minds. Many of us wondered how to approach this situation and if our visit could really make a difference.

Lilly Sutton was pleasantly surprised. “It was amazing to walk into the hospitals and watch these sad sick kids suddenly smile and light up with joy because of the gifts that we gave them and to know that I just made that little kid’s day or even week, just felt incredible,” she said.

Jack Sasson summed up the entire trip, saying, “When we left I was carrying a suitcase with 50 pounds of donations to an organization. When I came home the luggage was gone, but I returned with something worth a lot more—I came back with a new found perspective about what joy really is, and a greater sense of gratitude for all I’ve been given. Neither of those things can ever fit in a suitcase, yet this is baggage that I hope to carry for the rest of my life.”

We, the missioners, received more than we gave.
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Talia Tawil is a 12th grader at the Yeshivah of Flatbush high school. She attended the Hesed Mission in January 2009, 2010, and 2011. Elliot Dweck is an 11th grader at the Yeshivah of Flatbush high school. He attended the Hesed Mission in January 2011.