You can find a bottle of Coke for half a Shekel, but you don’t really want to end up shopping here.
Times get hard. Families suffer. Some families don’t even have enough money for groceries. Actually, that’s an understatement. There are thousands of families in Jerusalem alone who cannot afford groceries. But that’s not the only problem. Many of them have dietary needs that no soup kitchen or pre-packaged food distribution center can meet. Most of them have kids that actually want some treats now and then. And why shouldn’t they get treats? They are people that lost everything and have forgotten what normal life can be.
Tikva Market is the only place in Israel that actually works as a bona fide supermarket with real produce, common brands of shampoos, sweets, pastas, cereals, toiletries and home products, but offers these items with a 90% discount. Where can you buy a bottle of coke for half a shekel in Israel? Shampoo for 1nis? Forty rolls of quality brand toilet paper for 4nis?
Shiur Times had the opportunity to visit Tikva Market in Jerusalem and see the amazing work they do in person. We quickly realized how much potential such an initiative has to help families get back on their feet. When families get into dire situations, they frequently become isolated, as they may feel ashamed of how they live and what they eat. Obviously they do not have the finances to go out for dinner with friends or even to host them at home. Shabbat is the perfect example of a time that we all want to invite guests.
Tikva Market allows families who are living under the poverty line, the opportunity to go shopping the way everyone else does, have the same types of food as everyone else does, and in short, deal with their situation with dignity. The Market assists 2200 families in the Jerusalem area, all of whom are approved by the Ministry of Welfare and a committee of rabbanim-dayanim, who review each case every three months. They only accept people whose situations are temporary; who have suffered from accidents, sickness, unemployment—those with the ability to rebuild.
The founders of the Market work in collaboration with case managers, who give the families support and practical skills training, so that they can work towards re-establishing themselves. With the combination of restoring self-respect by now being able to shop at a supermarket, and providing skills training, these “clients” soon feel ready to start afresh. “Our goal is to help people not shop here anymore. We have such a long waiting list and not enough funding to help everyone,” says founder Haim Knopfer.
Knopfer began the Tikva Market concept five years ago from a storage room in his Jerusalem flat. What started with fourteen families has now grown to over 2200 families. Whoever is approved to shop at Tikva Market pays a small percentage of the final bill and must be reviewed regularly to ensure they are taking steps to “get out of the hole,” so to speak.
Rav Halberstam has called Tikva Market a “chidush in chesed” and we wholeheartedly agree. The Market sends donations directly to help families in need, which makes it a reliable and hands-on charity. Here is an example of putting in money as if it yields an investment As Purim and Pesach are quickly approaching, donations are strongly encouraged. The following breakdown gives an idea of the sponsorships desired (any amount helps, obviously): one full wagon is $75, sponsoring one family for one month costs $250, while sponsoring 2500 people for one month costs $50,000. Those who are down need our help in getting up, even if they can’t get up right away. After leaving Tikva Market, we realized that even the poor are entitled to have choices in life.
Donations can be send to the following addresses:
Within Israel: TIKVA MARKET, Katzenelbogen Street POB 43267 Jerusalem Tel: 02- 653-7080, Fax: 02 653- 70-20
Europe: Les Amis Tikva Market, 21-29 Rue J.J. Rousseau 93107 Montreuil Cedex, Tel. (33) 01 48 75 52 29 – Fax (33) 01 48 73 76 03
U.S.A.: The Friends of Tikva Market, 2939 East 11th Street Los Angeles CA 90023. Tel. (323) 981-1860 – Fax (323) 981-1868
Sarra Horwitz made aliyah from Detroit. She currently resides in Jerusalem. She has been involved in community work, and the non-profit sector, for nearly ten years.
