Good News for Sderot

The campaign to help raise money for the poor in Sderot is underway. Its proximity to Gaza makes Sderot one of the handier targets for those lovers of death across the border. And since businesses have fled in order to survive, jobs are hard to come by for those who live in Sderot, many of them crippled by the attacks, and all of them suffering to some degree or another from PTSD, a truly crushing anxiety of body, mind, and heart.

MC, our correspondent in Sderot, has shared some aspects of the stories of those his group helps, and indeed, the equally hard histories of the volunteers. He himself is crippled now — there is no longer any point in his trying to run to a shelter. As he says, his prayer is that if he is injured in an attack he be allowed to die quickly. In his position my prayer would be the same.

The Baron has used an image we found online to make the Donation Button Hope for Sderot. In addition to putting it on our own sidebar so our readers can donate as time and resources permit, the button is available there for other blogs and websites to take and use for their readers.

Times are hard, and if even half of Obama’s lame economic plans are put into effect they’ll be even harder for many of us. However, as I am constantly reminded, difficulties are relative, aren’t they? If you can give up, say, one latte a week (that used to be my indulgence when working, so I start with what I know. For others, it might be a bottle of wine with dinner), your sacrifice will make a big difference for food and utilities for people you will never see. Yet your generosity has the power to make a big difference for MC and his fellow volunteers and those they serve.

I have been talking to Joshuapundit about the idea of rounding up Jewish bloggers who would be willing to put up the Bleg Button. We are looking at the beginning of Chanukah as our goal to have rounded up the willing. In addition, I am going to ask Christian bloggers to consider this also — particularly Catholic sites, since this year the start of Chanukah coincides with a solemn feast day for the Blessed Virgin on December 8th. The breadth of our audience covers readers who frequent all of those sites — Jewish, Catholic, and Christian. As religious holidays loom, this is a propitious time to begin to target Sderot in a new way, as an outlet for their generosity.

No, I’m not ignoring our agnostic or atheist readers in this endeavor. Some of our most generous donors who help to keep Gates of Vienna open will be among those who push the button for the poor in Sderot. This is a case where suffering hasn’t to do with creedal allegiances — all those who show up to be helped don’t have to “belong” to be helped.

I suppose you could say the creed of Islam — the fires of hatred across the border — are central to creating this need in Sderot. Without those attacks, the businesses like Nestlé’s would still be located there, and MC wouldn’t be boxing up food and clothing for those made destitute and disabled by the hail-fire from Gaza.

Please give what you can when you can. Generosity redounds to the giver also, as I’ve said so often in my thank-you acknowledgments. A generous heart has a depth of satisfaction that has to be experienced to be understood.