The Israel America Foundation is deeply grateful to the people who have generously donated their time and funds to the charities we represent.  Here are some of their stories and how their generosity helped make a difference.

Planned Giving-(Donor: H. R. O)

 The ‘Israel America Foundation’ specializes in Planned -Giving.  One of the best ways of giving is through a bequest in your Last Will and Testament.

During one’s lifetime the obstacle  to GIVING LARGE is that you need your funds to live on. But death comes at the end of life; and the Last Will ad Testament acts at death; and so in a Will you can leave all the assets you haven’t used to live on to leave behind to Family, friends and Charitable Organizations.

To a Jew, Tzaduchah  or CHARITY is very important;  Important while you live, and important when you leave the world.

If a man or woman has a  family, then their spouse and children, may be the first priority, or close relatives; but if a man or woman is alone, than good-works or charity is the important object.

For a Last Will and Testament to yield funds to help others; the deceased person must have managed their funds well and/ established vehicles so that funds would be there to fulfill the purposes the deceased has left for.

When a person(either man or woman) leaves the world in his own home, he has chosen the most comfortable and least expensive place to die.

How can one be assured of leaving the world in his own home?  The answer is by executing a’Disability’- Trust.  A’ Disability’-Trust is an “Intervivos -Trust” or ‘Living-Trust’ ‘with particular wording that in the present can choose Trustees who  may in the future   pay the bills of a  man or woman who  becomes so mentally and physically incompetent that they would have to go into a ‘Nursing-Home” if they did not  chosen in advance  to die in their own home, and chose  one, two or three Trustees, to manage their assets as well as  hire aides to take care of them at home.

Usually, the person or persons chosen as Trustees, can  also be the   Executors or Managers of the Will, and could also be chosen as a ‘Health- Care- Proxy” by the TESTATOR who will become the manager of a ‘Living-Will.”

it is very important to learn to Trust. other people  And to be able to choose people that merit your trust.  A” Health – Care-Proxy” is able to speak and act for a patient, who because he or she is undergoing an operation or procedure is not fully conscious and able to direct a physician as to what to do ,or is comatose; the ‘Living-Will’ is what a person (before he becomes a patient) decides is the way he wishes to be treated if certain physical things happen.

When a person wishes to execute a Will, he or she must go to an Estate -Attorney and explain his /her life circumstances;.  He/she must give the Attorney all the names that he/she  goes by, a intimate – understanding of familial relationships, such as spouse, children,  grandchildren & siblings parents, & nieces and nephews; must tell the attorney about assets, such as stocks, bonds. real-estate, etc.

Additionally, one must remember not to set up conflicting  instruments of distribution, that will impact a Will negatively, such as Bank Accounts in Trust or Joint Bank Accounts!

 H R. O. was a Member of the Board of Directors of the Israel America Foundation.  I knew H. for over 10 years when I first spoke to her about leaving a Bequest in her  Will to the ‘Israel America Foundation, Inc.’   She did execute her Will the first day in April,  2008. She died on  10/29/15.    She had made an “all-charitable Will”.  Her husband died some 30 years before from Diabetes.  She had no children to inherit her assets.

She bequeathed her assets to four American Charities  and through, ‘The Israel America Foundation’ she left for  5 Israeli charities,  all but one for MEDICAL -Research.  The only Organization that was not Medical was Mishan’s Children’s Villages, for Orphans and children in Need.  She was a kind and loving Woman.  WE HONOR HER MEMORY.

A.P

 A IAF CHANUKAH GIFT TRUST for Two Thousand ($2,000) Dollars for 20 years at 7 ½% gives $150 per year totaling $3,000 in 20 years to the lucky Recipient.

‘Mr. ‘A.P.  a ‘Friend’ of the Israel America Foundation decided to contribute to the Chanukah- Gift- Trust five years ago. He requested  the income per year, instead of going to him, go instead, to” ORANIM, the Academic College of Education” for a Grant to a Student-Teacher to help defray the tuition of a needy H.S.Graduate, who deferred his/her army service, to mentor failing H.S. students in the vicinity of Haifa. (Haifa High Schools report a 50% failure rate in H.S. student population, which has a large Ethiopian and Russian immigrant population)

ORANIM, a ‘top-notch’ TEACHING- COLLEGE performs a social- service by mentoring failing H.S. students. Each ORANIM ‘Student-Teacher’ is assigned 7 failing students by the High School Administrators.

The wonderful news is that 8.5% of the failing- students  mentored by the ‘Student-Teachers’ of ORANIM have graduated High- School and gone into the Israeli -Army and the chance to have a ‘first- class’ life in Israel.

Mr. A.P. is to be congratulated. His $2,000 contribution is allows needy H.S. students to attend College, thereby increasing the ‘student-teacher’ population mentoring, failing H.S. Students, who would never get anywhere if they didn’t graduate H.S. and enter the army! This Chanukah with an additional $150 added, $1,250 will have gone to ORANIM, in the name of Mr/ A. P.

YOU can make an ENDOWMENT, too; in your name for 20 years for $2,000. Please speak to Elaine Levitt, #212 869-9477!

*Funds Needed Now for Oranim

Below is a letter from Dr Roberta Bell-Kligler, Director Of The Oranim International School, irequesting THE ‘ISRAEL AMERICA FOUNDATION’ (IAF)HELP KEEP 3 STUDENTS NOW ENROLLED IN THE ‘MASA’ 4 MONTH PROGRAM permanently IN ISRAEL:

“As you know, there is a lot on our common plate now. We are getting excited about  a 2nd program next summer conceived of by Prof. G. Zilbergeld. We also need to deal with the programs and students in our Fall Term. Following is an email we sent you last October.  Wondering if you were able to do anything about it.It would be great if these students (see attached letters) could continue their studies at Oranim.  I am concerned that if there are no financial aid, they will have to stop their studies  .Any help would be most appreciated. All the best to you and yours”,

Roberta

Attached Letters:

(1) Dear Sir/Madam,

I’m writing in the hope that you will provide me with some help. My name is A. L. In St. Petersburg, Russia,   I studied English since I was 7 and later I graduated from St. Petersburg State University holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Psychology.

I am currently participating in the MASA Program at ORANIM College. This summer I took part in intensive English- learning.   I like it so much that recently I’ve decided to continue my education in the MASA M. Tech Program, with the intention of staying in Israel and later becoming an English- teacher here.

I have to pay for the M. Tech Program myself and cannot hope to do so without financial support. I would deeply appreciate any help I can get.

Thanking you in advance

A. L.

(2) Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you with the hope that you can help me. I was born in Kharkiv, UIkraine.  I have completed the full course of V.N.Karazin Kharkiv University Law Faculty. 

Now I am participating in MASA A.T.I. Intensive Program that I started in July. It is a four month preparation program for the international English Exam that also includes Hebrew- Lessons and introduction to Jewish Culture. Unfortunately the program is ending in one month. During my studies I realized that I would like to learn more about Israel and have the possibility to study Hebrew and English. I am wondering about repatriation to Israel. I enjoy studying at ORANIM and would like to continue in the MASA M. Tech program or become an English-Teacher and share my experience with other students. The problem is that the new MASA Grant covers 1/2 of the cost of my studies but the total cost is $10,5006. Unfortunately I can’t pay the whole price myself and would deeply appreciate any help I can get from you.

Thanking you in advance,

K.C.

3) Dear……

I beg your pardon for asking you for additional financial aid so that I can attend M. Tech program in ORANIM Academic College. My name is V.  K. and my is dream that one day I will teach people and create new projects in education that will improve the method. I have a B.A. in Pedagogical Science and another in in Cultural studies. I have been in ATI Intensive Program- ORANIM for four months and would like to continue. I have come to a point in my life that I really know what I want to do and will be relentless in making a success of myself. After the MASA I am going to make Aliyah and serve in the army. After that I hope to start teaching.

The second MASA Grant covers only half the funds for my studies ($5,0005), and the real cost is $10,5005. Unfortunately I can’t pay the whole price myself, because we are not allowed to work while participating in the MASA program and my parents are Physicians.. (Being a doctor in Russia is not a well-paying job,) I would be grateful if you could help me make up the additional funding. It would make the difference between my continuing my education or stopping and getting a job. My aim is to work hard and to graduate from this esteemed institution.

Thank you for your attention to this matter,

V.K.

If the plea to help Oranim students touches you, please contact Mark Levitt  at #212 869-9477 with news of your Charita\ble Contribution.

  The Estate of M.R.

Mr. M.R. was born in Brooklyn, and lived with his mother until she died. He lived with his mother in Graften Street in Brooklyn in Brownsville.

In the second WW, he served in the Army.  Always very interested in Israel, He came into my office on October 22, 2001 and made out his Will.  His wish was for the major part of his estate to go to assisting the Israeli Armed forces.

M.R. died on December 7th, 2004.  17 years later, here is how M’s generosity has been realized.

Soroka University Medical Center- in the Negev Area of Israel

50% of this bequest will be used by SOROKA Hospital in the Negev to establish a Ward for the rehabilitation, of Israeli soldiers and airman who shall have been injured in combat, and another 50% to be used by the HaEmek Hospital. In Jezreel Valley Medical Center in Afula, Israel and the Lowenstein Rehabilitation Hospital in Raanana, Israel to establish a Ward for the rehabilitation of Israeli Soldiers who  have been injured in combat.

TWENTY % of the Estate was given to conduct Military Science Research at Tel Aviv University.. The Award was designated as the M.R. NUCLEAR MILITARY SCIENCE AWARD And a Plaque was affixed to a wall in the research section of Tel Aviv University bearing the inscription: IN HONOR OF M. R.

TWENTY % was given to ORANIM University in Tivon , Israel to create the M. R. ENDOWMENT FUND FOR SECULAR JEWISH STUDIES with its own curriculum which WILL enable teachers to educate Israeli Children in their Jewish Heritage.

TWENTY % was donated for a Professorship at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovath, Israel for the study of Nuclear and atomic Energy.

Five Research Studies funded by Israel America Foundation Testators in their Wills

(These are five studies that Bequests in Wills funded at Ben Gurion University of the Negev together with SOROKA Hospital(Kupat Holim Clalit Hospital in the Negev).

(1) Gut Microbiota Correction as a Potential Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease

Prof. Vadim Fraifeld, Dr. Arik Segal, Dr. Yair Zlotnik, Dr. Itzhak Mizrahi, Prof. Michael Meijler, Prof. Marina Wolfson, Dr. Keren Moyal

1. Gut Microbiota Correction as a Potential Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease.                         Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) or placing a Healthy microbial community in the gut of a person suffering from Parkinson’s disease and testing for its benefits  vis a Vis; the Parkinson’s patient specifically in the area of constipation and motor symptoms.

(2) Use of feeding tubes in patients with end-stage dementia: the Israel perspective in the wake of a reform in health policy

Prof. Mark Clarfield, Prof. Tzvi Dwolatzky

Use of feeding tubes in patients with end -stage dementia:  The Israel perspective is in the wake of a reform in health policy-  The Method chosen relates to whether it is based upon bureaucratic, ethical or medical reasons.

(There are two kinds of feeding- tubes:  -Percutaneous endoscopy gastrostomy (PEG).   The feeding -tube is placed into the stomach through the abdomen) particularly useful when Enteral nutrition is needed for a long time) and a Naso-gastric tube (NG) for short or medium time use and for aspirational use when there is a blockage). Since the Study began there were changes  in elderly care, legislation and an overall growth of palliative care; so that instead of choosing from two hospitals the patients were chosen from 8 institutions  of different kinds..  Collection of data  should be completed in four months.

(3) Relative reliability, absolute reliability and concurrent validity of the Narrow Path Walking Test in people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Prof. Itzik Melzer, Dr. Marc Gotkin

Relative  reliability, absolute  reliability and Concurrent validity of the’ Narrow Path Walking Test’ in people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

The point is that 90% of the sufferers of( AML) have unstable gait, but 50% fall, and it is important to find out who will fall, so that they can be protected.  ‘The Narrow-Path Walking Test’ maybe such an indicator!

(4) Effects of the use of movement monitoring on physical and cognitive function and subjective well being of older people with minor neurocognitive disorders

Prof. Sara Carmel, Prof. Yaakov Bachner, Prof. Tzvi Dwolatzky, Prof. Itzik Meltzer

(5) Active euthanasia and physician assisted suicide in Israel: Attitude of older persons, social workers and gerontologists

I.W. bequeathed for each of the 9 Charities of the Israel America Foundation; the sum of $50,000.

Here is how Ilsa’s funds were used:

(1)  DISKIN Orphan Fund of Israel:  DISKIN is based in Jerusalem  It began as an Orphanage, and became Diskin Orphan’s Fund.  Diskin has a presence in Jerusalem, but what Diskin does now  with its Buildings is rent them out; and the income of which used to pay the expenses of Orthodox Jewish boys who are orphans.

DISKIN wants  boy-children to  be raised in the bosom of their family, and until boys reach the age of 26 years of age, DISKIN wants to finance the child so that he receives the best of care that an Orthodox child can have with his parents alive and well.  Diskin, therefore  pays the bills of the Orphan raised in the bosom of his family.

Selected Projects:

$100- General Clothing

$500-1 year Clothing Package

$180:  Holiday CLOTHING PACKAGE

Bar Mitzvah Party:$1,000

Bar Mitzvah Clothing:$800

Tefillin:  $600

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 Ilse donated $50,000 to AMAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOLS AND COLLEGE -Here is how the funds will be distributed:

Technical High School Scholarships or Grants

Grants:

9th-12th Grade (14-18 years old)- Scholarships $350 per Year
Scholarships for Technicians and Practical Engineers (-19-20 years old) Pre-Army- $2,000 per Year

13th and 14th Student Scholarship:  $500-$625 per year.

— One Third of the tuition is  the amount that AMAL pays for Grants.

Grants for lower Level Courses for Technical Careers

Technical Courses- would be $4,500 (for the simplest Courses)

For Carpenters or Mechanics (The calculation includes the price AMAL  pays the teacher.  The teacher comes  2X a week  for 30 Weeks-

Grants for High Level l Courses:

Technical Courses at the High Level for Technicians and Practical Engineer cost $50,000 in U.S. Dollars per Course per year.  These Courses are not run  2X a week, but Courses  are run daily.and include software to do exercises as preparation for getting a technical Diploma from the Ministries (Ministry of Education ,Technology -Department or from the Ministry of Economic Professional Diplomas, in  3 Degrees:  Basic LeveL Professional Level  and Expert Level 1, 11, and 111.