Servants Without a Face
    Restorers had its beginning in 2003 as a grassroots movement without an office, a bank account or a public image.

We were simply serving - recommending to concerned foreign donors some places of legitimate need where their gifts could be applied effectively.  We would find an amuta (Israeli charity) that was willing to be the interface and pass the gift to the designated need.

Several times, however, the amuta, after first agreeing on the recipient, would have "second thoughts" once the funds were transferred to them... We realized that to keep faith with the overseas donors, we would have to establish our own Amuta framework with the Israeli government.

Framework and Network
    In 2004 Restorers became a registered Amuta.

Our first efforts went into establishing our Shamash Network, a unique on-site needs validation process that meets the most stringent standards of the US tax authorities for deductible contributions. Through this Network, all the donations distributed by Restorers were pre-screened as valid needs among believers who are known and accountable to local leadership.

Not all recipients were willing to fit into this framework.  But congregational leaders and foreign donors alike were delighted to have a reliable yet personal way to verify needs.

We were also happy: the Shamash functioned as the direct contact with the needy, making the congregation the "provider" and allowing Restorers to remain in the background... an invisibility that allowed us to serve better.

Seeking "Fruit that Remains"
    In 2005, Restorers continued to match needs and resources, refining our skills as both funds and requests increased.

That's when we began to notice that some needs which were labelled as "temporary" were in fact chronic.  While our gifts were going to truly needy believers, as a rule they were not bringing any lasting stability... not the Restoration the Lord had set as our goal.

We started moving toward giving larger gifts to fewer recipients, tailored more to the need itself than an arbitrary "cash amount".  We revisited some of the families and groups we had helped, and in some cases we gave a second donation.

Meanwhile, we began to see a slowdown in financial resources.  Individuals were donating faithfully from Europe and Israel, but North American funds had all but stopped. (Our main US partnering organization was in the midst of an ongoing spiritual attack, and had ceased to function.)  We began to be more careful in choosing the recipients of these precious donations.

Focused Giving for Permanent Improvement
    In 2006, we saw the requests coming in from our Shamash Network were increasing, but most of the needs were still chronic.  Modest gifts to all who asked us might make them feel better (and make our statistics look good...) but we would not produce "fruit that remains".  We decided to let our funds accumulate so that we could do lasting good for a few families with a definable needs.

Meanwhile, we also started probing some of the requests, and discovered serious problems hidden beneath the surface... faulty spiritual foundations, fleshly attitudes and/or broken relationships.

We realized that true stability (or its lack) was not related to finances at all; their financial need was not the problem but one of the symptoms.  In some cases, the needy believers were so off-base in their requests that we actually refused to help.

The Believer's "Makeover": the Concept of "New Song"
    In mid-2006, Restorers embarked on a unique project - a long-term commitment to permanently restore one "hopeless" situation in a comprehensive "makeover".

This is based on the multi-faceted improvement projects featured on reality TV, where a team of experts sweeps into a home to transform the family's living situation. But there the similarity ends:

• We would not stop at material improvements, but would extend it to spiritual, economic, and emotional repair and restoration.
• It would not be done in public view, but in private, known only to the spiritual leaders of the needy family.
• Its success would not be measured by the world's standards of "efficiency" or by mental time tables of "reasonable progress", but by the spiritual fruit in the recipient's life as the Lord gives the increase.

And due to our small income, the economic side took the entire cash flow of our ministry from 8/06 through the end of 2007.  There were in fact months when we weren't sure we would be able to meet this monthly commitment... and sometimes the NIS 7000 arrived in pieces throughout the month that it was needed... but the Lord always come through with it - plus a little to cover our minimal operating expenses.

Nothing more.

Filling a Unique Niche in the Ministry of Giving

This curious situation continued through 2007 - just enough funds arriving to cover "G", with nothing left over to meet any other request for help.  We got the impression that the Lord was adjusting our cash flow to take us out of the conventional donating mode altogether.

We felt that He would supply the funding for other "makeovers", if we were to find more believers willing to submit to long-term restoration that combined financial recovery with counseling, self-examination and relationship repair.

But as we began to offer this framework to those who approached us for help, we found a lack of interest among needy families and/or the congregational leaders.  They definitely wanted the long-term cash support... but as soon as they understood the accountability and other investments required, they cancelled their request, saying that they would rather turn to another organization.  Gradually the Shamash requests dwindled to almost nothing.

That is where we stand to date.

Needs Identified and Met   2003, almost a year before the "birth" of RZ as a registered Israeli Amuta.

7/03:  "A" of Kfar Sava had broken both legs and was totally incapacitated.  She had a serious problem in unpaid rent. NIS 5000 was supplied by  NCC (Nehemiah Covenant Corp, a U.S. organization that donated the funds) and awarded by Israeli Congregations*.

7/03:  "I" of Tel Aviv, an immigrant from Russia with a disabled son, was getting by on her modest income.  Suddenly she needed urgent dental work to avoid losing her teeth.  NIS 3000 was given, supplied by our partners NCC and Israeli Congregations*, plus another NIS 1000 from an anonymous donor.

7/03:  When "M" of Tel Aviv signed a rental contract, the real estate agency took unfair advantage of this new immigrant, overcharging him by thousands of shekels.  The congregation consulted with a lawyer, but his signature obligated him.  "M" had good job skills, so the need was temporary.  Aid of NIS 2000 was given, supplied by our partners NCC and Israeli Congregations*.

8/03:  "R" of Rishon LeZion was a single mother with an autistic son.  She held a teaching job for 13 years, until she was laid off like thousands of others.  While trying to find a new job, she struggled with debt, depression and loneliness.  Aid of NIS 1500 was given, supplied by our partners NCC and Israeli Congregations*.

10/03:  Two months later, "R" still had not found work.  Another gift of NIS 1000 was given, supplied by our partners NCC and Israeli Congregations*.

8/03 through 10/03:  A group of Lebanese refugees who found the Messiah after moving to Israel were destitute and unemployed.  (These are ex-officers of the South Lebanese Army, Israel's allies who helped the IDF patrol our northern border and repel Hizbollah terrorists.  When Israel suddenly withdrew from South Lebanon in May 2000, these families were forced to flee to Israel or face torture in Lebanon for "treason".)

Their pastor, a Christian Arab from Haifa, presented the personal details of 5 families (out of his flock of 20 families) whose needs were particularly overwhelming.  One family had the added burden of caring for a disabled adult son who needs constant attention. Aid of NIS 5000 per month was given (1000/month for each family), for a period of 3 months, a total of NIS 15,000.  This large sum was supplied by several sources in the Body of Messiah: NCC, an anonymous Israeli donor, and Israeli Congregations*.

9/03:  "F" of Haifa underwent a serious operation and hadn't worked for 4 months. Her husband was working but it wasn't enough to cover living expenses and the medication "F" needed.  Then she was told she needed a second operation for the same problem. Aid of NIS 4200 was given, supplied by our partners NCC and Israeli Congregations*.

9/03:  "V" of Netanya and her family came under persecution by Israel's Interior Ministry, who revoked their Israeli citizenship on the grounds that they had lied about being Jews.  By the time this charge came up (sparked by anti-missionaries, and totally false), they had been living in Israel for 9 years already!

Litigation was filed immediately. But it happened so suddenly that the husband, on a trip in Germany, was stranded there as a "stateless refugee". "V" was unable to work without Israeli citizenship, and unable to leave because she had no passport.  They needed help to rent a small apartment for "V" and her son.  Aid of NIS 9000 was given to pay for 6 months rent, supplied by our partners NCC and Israeli Congregations*.

10/03:  "O" of Tel Aviv, an immigrant from Estonia, had a financial shortfall because he and his wife were forced to move out of their apartment and find a new one (moving expenses).  The husband was already working 2 jobs, while the wife was home with a new baby.  Aid of NIS 2500 was given, supplied by our partners NCC and Israeli Congregations*.

10/03:  "I" was a Jewish believer trying to make aliyah from Russia to join her brother here, who ministers in a Messianic congregation.  But she lacked the required funds to get her exit documents.  (The Russian government charges very high "fees" for the documents.  They demand $300, while the monthly salary is typically no more than $100.)  Aid of $300 (NIS 1350) was given, supplied by our partners NCC and Israeli Congregations*.

10/03: "O" of Tel Aviv worked two jobs to make ends meet for his pregnant wife and two children.  Basically they managed, but suddenly they were forced to move because the landlord was selling the flat they were renting.  They were unable to cope with moving expenses, so our partners NCC and Israeli Congregations* supplied aid of NIS 2500.

11/03: "M" of Rishon LeZion was a single mother whose husband did not support their daughter and disabled adult son.  Struggling with mounting debt, her water was about to be turned off by the city. Aid of NIS 3868 was given to cover this urgent need, supplied by our partners NCC and Israeli Congregations*.

12/03: "O" and "M", who lived in Netanya, were stable believers.  But when "O"'s glasses broke, they couldn't afford a new pair, and "O" was going around with only one lens - until her congregational leaders learned of it.  Aid of NIS 2000 was given immediately, supplied by our partners NCC and Israeli Congregations*.

12/03: "Y" of Jerusalem was a single immigrant with no family here. When work became difficult to find, she went so deeply into debt that the bank was threatening to take her to court. She was struggling with depression and even contemplated suicide. Aid of NIS 2000 was given, supplied by our partners NCC and Israeli Congregations*.

But we knew that "Y" needed more than a financial gift. Not only were her debts much larger than our abilities, but "Y" had already received help from 3 other sources earlier this year (plus additional help last year), yet she was still in trouble.  So Restorers asked an experienced sister to work with "Y" in a counseling capacity, not only teaching her about practical budgeting tools, but also offering intensive emotional and spiritual support - and making "Y" directly accountable for how she was handling her money.

After several months of patient discipling,  with several ups and downs, the discipline gradually started to turn her financial situation around, as well as her outlook on life and her trust in the Lord.  Her renewed sense of hope helped "Y" find more steady work, which further stabilized her.

12/03: "M" of Jerusalem was a temporary resident married to an Israeli, but working at below minimum wage because over the years his legal status was never resolved to allow him a regular job.  His wife was recently laid off from her job, which left them unable to pay their rent.  Aid of NIS 4500 was given, supplied by our partners NCC and Israeli Congregations*.
 

Needs Identified and Met Through the Restorers Shamash Network,  2004

1/04: "R" (see 8/03 above) continued to receive support until she could find work.  Another gift of NIS 1000 was given, supplied by our partners NCC, Israeli Congregations* and a private donor.

At this point, "R" moved to a different congregation, a change that can often cause needy people to get "lost in the woodwork" of the new environment where no one knows of their plight.  But because our growing Shamash Network also included her new congregation, we were able to help "R" and her autistic son make a smooth transition -- we notified the new Shamash of their presence in his fellowship, and we also put him in touch with the former Shamash who is familiar with their special needs.  This is Body teamwork at its best.

* "Israeli Congregations" - These were various congregations in the Land with "charitable organization" status who consented to work with Restorers in our earliest days, when we did not yet have legal channels for disbursing funds. They preferred to remain anonymous.
    Restorers eventually received "charity" status as well, and in January 2004 we opened our own bank account, at which time this partnership was no longer needed.

On behalf of the above-mentioned believers, we thank all those who partnered with us to meet their needs during our time of transition.

3/04: Aid continued to the Lebanese families mentioned above.  Restorers, now acting independently, approved another NIS 10,000 (NIS 1000 for each family for 2 months] and sent it to them as a final gift of support. For a long-term solution, we encouraged them to establish a "cottage industry" in a field where some have work experience.

3/04: "L" of Netanya, an elder at his congregation, had two musically gifted children.  Cultivating that gift required advanced study at a conservatory, but although the family was financially stable, there was no extra money for the tuition. Restorers saw this as an opportunity to invest in the next generation of Israeli praise leaders, and gave NIS 2000 for the tuition of the older child.

7/04: "B" of Kiryat Malachi was an Ethiopian believer who had already received aid from other charities in the Body. Unable to find work in this economically depressed town, he became so desperate that he left his family and rented a flat in Jerusalem where he found work. Restorers stepped in with a gift of NIS 3000, to help with immediate needs -- on the condition that "B" move back home and that his congregation find counseling for the family.

7/04: "Y" of Netanya had landed a good job with the military, but until his security clearance came through, he was forced to take temporary part-time work, which didn't really make ends meet.  After 3 months of delays in the IDF beaurocracy, the Shamash reported that the family's economic situation was becoming strained. We helped ease the transition with NIS 2000.

8/04: "H" of Jerusalem, raising 2 sons alone, was also battling cancer and unable to work. But that didn't keep her from volunteering in her congregation on a regular basis. Between government aid and repeated gifts from several sources, she was barely making it. The Shamash notified Restorers of the nationwide effort to support this sister, and we made 2 link-ups on her behalf: a gift of NIS 1000, donated directly to "H" by Jerusalem Cornerstone; and a free renovation of her run-down apartment, performed by Middle East Ministries.

8/04: "S" of Jerusalem, an Ethiopian believer, was unable to work after undergoing a back operation. The family's financial state was so severe that any checks going into their bank account were immediately seized by the bank for their debts, leaving them no means to buy food.  We helped with NIS 1000 in cash, donated directly by Jerusalem Cornerstone.

8/04: "E" of Kfar Sava was an elder in an Israeli congregation. Besides serving the fellowship, he managed to live simply with a job that pays a minimal salary. After having to move to a new apartment, the bills mounted, and temporary help was requested. We notified Jerusalem Cornerstone, which helped with NIS 1000.

8/04: We learned from a Shamash about a ministry run by members of his congregation: "Olim ve'Omdim".  Hebrew for "Arising and Standing", this is a rehab center for Israelis recovering from drug and alcohol abuse.

Founded by a Russian immigrant who met the Lord as a drug addict and was miraculously delivered from his addiction, Olim ve-Omdim was managing 2 halfway houses in the north of Israel that serve about two dozen men and women, most of them Russian speakers.  The combination of realistic counseling (of both addicts and their families) based on firsthand experience, and strong spiritual nurturing (pointing both believers and unbelievers to Messiah for their healing), has given the center an enviable success rate. We began supporting the Olim ve-Omdim center on a regular basis with NIS 500/month.

10/04: "N" of Nazareth Ilit was a believer in Yeshua but his wife was not.  She decided to leave him because of his faith -- but she took with her the checkbook from their joint bank account, and proceeded to spend thousands of shekels. "N"'s minimum-wage job could not keep up with the growing bank debt, which he was legally obligated to cover.  We were able to help with NIS 1000 of temporary aid.

10/04: "M" of Haifa, had been living with her boyfriend "N" when both of them met the Lord.  As a new believer, "N" immediately made two important decisions: he married his girlfriend (who had borne him 2 children), and he sought help for his drug addiction. The congregation they joined is part of our Shamash Network... and so is a successful drug rehab center (Olim ve'Omdim).  In this case, Restorers was able to answer both needs at once.  "N" was soon accepted into the rehab program, where he did well. "M" received NIS 3000 to help with living expenses while he was away.

11/04: "D" of Bnei Brak, an Israeli-born believer, was in critical need of dental work. She was working but could only come up with some of the needed NIS 4500.  Another NIS 2500 was raised by her congregation, and the Shamash asked Restorers to participate as well.  We were able to add another NIS 1000 to their efforts.

12/04: "L" of Haifa and her husband "A" were described by the congregational Shamash as having great potential to serve the Body, especially in preparing children's programs. But they could not serve in the midst of their struggle to become self-supporting.  "A" had to leave an employer who owed him back pay, and for months he had been trying to find a new job without success.  Meanwhile, "L" was forced to leave their own 3 children at home in order to work part-time. We were able to ease the financial burden with aid of NIS 4000.

Needs Identified and Met Through the Restorers Shamash Network  2005

3/05: Over the past several years, "A" of Acco had been patiently paying off hundreds of thousands in debt from some ill-advised business decisions.  But "A"'s creditor (his Israeli bank) decided to recover some of the debt a little faster by taking advantage of the legal right to imprison a debtor (and even his guarantors) unless the demanded sum was paid immediately. (...bet you thought "debtor's prison" existed only in Bible parables!)

The Shamash at "A"'s congregation learned that it would take NIS 10,000 to keep "A" out of jail, as well as his neighbor (a guarantor on one of his loans) .  Restorers supplied nearly all the sum, NIS 9500, and rescued this brother from his dilemma.

But the Israeli system being what it is, the bank invoked another legal right and demanded a large sum from the neighbor who was a guarantor for "A".  Only a few days after receiving the above-mentioned payment, the bank (realizing that "A" had found access to new funding somewhere) sent collectors to the neighbor's house and seized all their furniture and appliances - demanding another NIS 15,000 within 10 days, or everything would be sold for the debt.

Unable to bear the thought of his neighbors (who are not believers) having to suffer for his debt, "A" and his Shamash turned again to Restorers.  After negotiating with the bank's lawyers,  a final settlement was reached for the return of the family's household goods: NIS 7000 cash, with the rest in payments.  We supplied the NIS 7000, with the remaining burden to be borne by "A" and his neighbor in payments.

5/05: "G" of Kfar Sava, a new immigrant and a single mother, was struggling with debt from a failed business.  Both the Shamash of her congregation and our partner "Ot U-Mofet" (a ministry to single mothers in the Body) singled out "G" as needing help.  We covered back rent and personal needs with a gift of NIS 2000, which came from our Widows & Orphans Fund.

4/05: Continuing our aid to "Olim ve'Omdim", we decided to visit the center and check on their progress.  After talking with the residents and managers, we decided to raise our regular pledge to this worthy project from NIS 500 to NIS 1000/month.  We gave them NIS 3000 (which was all the money we had available) as our commitment for January-March 05.

We earmarked this sum to buy equipment and tools for a group renovation business, so that the residents could learn a marketable skill, gain both self-dignity and self-discipline in working, and so that the center could become self-supporting.  For more, see our Project Page.

10/05: "L" of Haifa, a faithful servant at a congregation for 10 years, was supporting herself, her divorced daughter and 4 children, until she was laid off.  The two months it took her to find another job put them in danger of losing their apartment due to late mortgage payments.  We covered the gap with NIS 3500.

Needs Identified and Met Through the Restorers Shamash Network,  2006

6/06: "D" of Jerusalem was a "widow" in the conventional sense (her husband had died after a long illness).  Because of this, the government offered her a chance to purchase her rented apartment (worth NIS 400,000 on the market) at the unheard-of price of only NIS 63,000.  It was a golden opportunity, but the full price had to be paid within a few months, and she had nothing left over after covering daily expenses for herself and her 2 children.

Two congregations banded together to raise much of the needed funds, and they sent out an open letter asking others to help. We were seeking to plant "fruit that would remain", and this was a good example.  RZ added the missing NIS 17,000 which enabled "D" to buy her flat.

7/06: "O" of Haifa had just begun a new factory job, and was injured on the first day. He was not eligible for sick leave until after 3 months, and his recovery meant a stay at home and lost wages. We stepped in along with the congregation, and gave NIS 1500 to help with the temporary shortfall.

7/06: "S" of Carmiel had a daughter whose difficulties in school indicated a learning disability. The testing required to pinpoint the problem and find a solution was NIS 1300, a sum way beyond the means of his factory job with minimum wage. RZ contributed NIS 1000 toward the test fees.

7/06: "K", a widow in Ramat Hasharon, had begun a new career as a multilingual travel agent.  After years of just scraping by doing domestic work, this was a big improvement in income. But the time gap in receiving her first salary (a common problem in Israel) was causing strain on her family. We were able to cover the temporary gap with NIS 2000.

7/06:  Meetings with "Ot-U-Mofet" resulted in a long-term commitment to "G". Restorers began by paying off all her back debt (NIS 7300) and discussing a 3-year recovery plan, eventually named Project "New Song".  The "Ot" team assessed the amount of financial support needed: NIS 7000/month, and committed to working with the widow to achieve sound spending habits, job stability - and most important, dependence on the Lord - as she moved toward self-sufficiency.

8/06: Project "New Song" began, with our first installment of NIS 7000. "G" was astonished at the news of this long-term help - and intensely grateful, giving all glory to the Lord.

9/06 - 12/06: RZ had just enough funds to meet our commitment to "New Song", giving NIS 7000 each month.  Now relieved of the financial pressures, "G" invested her free mornings improving her Hebrew at an ulpan (a luxury she had neither time nor money for, until now). Free afternoons were spent repairing her relationships with the Lord and her daughter, and dealing with her bitterness against her "ex" (all neglected under the continual financial pressure).

Restorers Donor Activity, 2007

1/07 - 12/07: "New Song" continued.  The reports started to come in from people in her congregation, who were amazed at the change in "G" (no one outside the leaders is aware of the "New Song" project).

She had changed radically and permanently: from a bitter woman, who could not get along with anyone, and could not hold a job for longer than a few days - to a giving, joyful lady who ministers even to strangers on the bus, praying for them and telling them of G-d's faithfulness.

As we neared the halfway point in our 3-year commitment, the transformation in her had become so obvious we were satisfied that our investment was truly producing "fruit that remains".

    4/03:  "T" is a cheese farmer in the north of Israel who has been trying to make a profitable business for over 15 years.  Meanwhile "H", a Christian businessman with his own charitable organization and business connections in the States, was hunting all over Israel for a believer who might help him get into the business of exporting cheese to the U.S.  "H" was not having much success when he "happened" to mention his search to a Restorers board member, who "just happened" to know "T".

Within a couple of days, "H" met "T" and was impressed with his products.  He immediately set out to make T's business viable for FDA approval.  Renovations began, with all material and labor secured by "H" and financed where necessary by his charity.

    6/03:  "D", a farmer in the Negev, was struggling with debt and working overtime trying to get it under control. His wife gave birth to their sixth child in the midst of this situation. After a midnight trip to the hospital and labor, they greeted a healthy son, but while driving home he dozed at the wheel from sheer exhaustion and hit the car in front of him.

Restorers learned of the incident and informed The Jerusalem Cornerstone Foundation of the need.  When they asked for a bio on the family, Restorers conducted the interview and provided the information.  Cornerstone responded by covering the needed repairs with a gift of $300.

    7/03: Jerusalem Cornerstone, eager to help further, asked Restorers for more leads.  They were contacted by "S", an Israeli leader whose congregation is located in a low-income city with many needy members.  Cornerstone asked us for verification that this leader was both honest and wise in evaluating the needs of his people.  Restorers was able to give a high reference for him, enabling our partner to establish an ongoing relationship of giving to the needs of his congregation, beginning with a gift of $250.

    8/03:  "B" and his wife had been active in leadership, but they resigned from their congregation in order to follow a new calling from the Lord.  As a result their financial situation became increasingly strained.  Finally the day approached when "B" and his family were due to move to the South of Israel to pursue this new calling, but they lacked the funds for moving.

Restorers learned of their predicament while on a  speaking tour in the U.S., and we briefly mentioned it at one of the meetings.  Within minutes, we were handed a check for $500 from a private donor, who wanted to help ease the family's distress.  The Restorers tour ended just in time for a board member to be able to hand the money to "B" -- on the very day he was to move!

This gift helped the family to hang on through a tough transition time.  They eventually found a house to rent, schools for the children, work opportunities and fellowship with believers - successfully putting roots down in their new community.

    3/04: An established ministry here, Christian Friends of Israel, contacted Restorers, asking to take advantage of our growing Resource Pool, and offering to share with us any information they have on resources that our network might need.  All sorts of helping organizations have been springing up around Israel and abroad, many of them just within the last year - food, clothing, dental treatment, counseling, funding - even aliyah assistance.  Some serve all who come to them and others focus on the believers.

We are glad to pool our information with others - that's what Networking is all about.

    6/04: Middle East Ministries, based in Chicago, contacted Restorers for help in locating needy Israeli families who would appreciate volunteer believers coming to paint and repair their homes.  It goes without saying that we had NO trouble finding "customers"... more than the group could handle.  These wonderful people came and worked for several days, dividing their time between service and touring the country.  They loved every minute of this unique trip, and the personal contact with Israeli brothers and sisters has given them a connection with the Land that tourists can only envy.  They are already talking about their next trip in the fall of 2004.

(NOTE: There are several tour-and-serve ministries planning trips to Israel on a regular basis. If you would like to participate in hands-on service to the Israeli Body that is rewarding to both givers and recipients, go to our Partners Page for contact information.)

    6/04: A supporter of Restorers from England put us in touch with the producer of a TV station that broadcasts a combination of clean, family-friendly and evangelistic programming to Europe. While browsing through their website, we noticed that there was nothing on the schedule for youth.  Meanwhile, we had just talked a few days before with an Israeli believer who produces quality music videos with a message of faith, as well as a 1/2 hour English program for (and by) today's youth.  A word to each of them resulted in strong interest on both sides.

    8/04:  Another Israeli ministry passed our phone number to Keren Sheba, a Jerusalem ministry helping Ethiopian immigrants.  They were seeking participants in a project to renovate the kitchen of "R", a believer and single mother with 3 teen sons. The kitchen was a wreck - to put it mildly - and it required teamwork from several groups to raise the funds for the needed repairs.  Restorers joined with 5 other donors to make the project a reality, by supplying the last NIS 2000 needed.

(Incidently, the best price quote for the renovation was submitted by an Israeli believer - which means that one donation helped two families in the Israeli Body!)

    11/05: Canadian donors were interested in helping needy believers, but they didn't have the connections to locate and evaluate the needs. They used the RZ Shamash Network to locate verified needs in congregations scattered across the country, and passed NIS 2400 through us to these families.

* Living in a dream world
    An Israeli congregation of 3rd-world immigrants heard about Restorers, and their leader wrote us an introductory letter, in which he listed needs totalling hundreds of thousands of shekels.  The congregants were living far beyond their means (for example, one family owed  NIS 5000 for a new computer, while living on a monthly income of NIS 2500).
    Tactful realism was needed here, so first we asked that a Shamash be chosen to represent the congregation - someone other than the leader (who headed this list).  Once that was done, we asked again for needs to be submitted.  This time, only one request came through: a valid one for a modest amount of aid, which we did answer.

    This congregation of around 20 families also sent Restorers a proposal for sponsoring the congregation itself: at a cost of some $600,000 (NIS 2.5 million) a year....  The proposal had been written by a well-endowed foreign group who designed a US-style megachurch program on paper, encouraged the Israelis to rent a large meeting place (at $1100 a month) and donated the rent for the first year.
    Soon after, the donors moved on to their next "successful church planting" effort - never noticing that these impoverished and largely unemployed Israelis would be unable to carry the lease they had signed... or that megachurch programs are not appropriate for Israel.  The solution for this congregation was not to continue this heavy dependency on foreign benefactors and foreign structures, but to scale their operations to fit both the culture and the economic means of the flock.
    It is taking some time for the leadership to accept that.  We hope to eventually interest these brothers in receiving group counseling on money management, for their congregational as well as personal finances.

* Loss of focus
    One congregation in the North had come up with a group proposal for a business and presented it to Restorers (we had suggested this initiative because of the many unemployed in the congregation, and the poor prospects of work in their location).
    It looked good - the planners had received expert guidance, and a few interested groups abroad had already pledged funding support.  Then the key entrepreneurs suddenly found employment and dropped out of the plan.
    We encouraged them to try for an alternate business idea.  Instead, they asked that the funding pledged for business development go toward something else: buying an organ for congregational worship.
    Knowing that the donors had wanted to help this group become self-supporting, and were trusting us to honor their wish, we gently refused.  We urged them to persevere in creating a viable business. Then the employed congregants could donate from their own funds to buy the instrument - as a healthy, self-supporting fellowship and a model for others in the Land.
    We are hoping to eventually receive a new business plan from the leaders.

* Spiritual uncleanness
    Another business plan was submitted to establish a health clinic using natural medicinal properties in essential oils and massage.  Some of the material was scientifically sound (yes, G-d has provided some tremendous benefits in natural plants and minerals), but because this field is so often a mixture of science, quackery and occult lore, we did some focused research on the unfamiliar aspects, which included a peculiar massage technique and reference books.
    We found that there were indeed occultic elements incorporated into the techniques that this believer was learning, as well as a history of unscriptural and illegal conduct by the founder of the essential oil company (who claims to be a Christian).
    As gently as possible we shared our findings, and we asked for a revised proposal that would eliminate the dubious areas.  We have not heard from the Israeli entrepreneur since then.

* Unsustainable plan
    A congregation in the South had several families whose mothers were not able to work full-time because of young children at home and the high cost of childcare after school. This created a chronic financial strain for the families, and the congregational leaders came up with an idea: establishing their own daycare center.
    They presented us with a business plan, which was creative and enthusiastic, but it was incomplete and the figures did not add up.  We asked them to complete it and fix the discrepencies.
    After a few revisions, one problem still remained: the operating expenses greatly outstripped the expected income.   The project would never be self-sustaining, and the planners were asking Restorers to subsidize it indefinitely at the rate of NIS 13,000 ($3000) per month or more. (This sum alone could sustain 3 or 4 of the families whose needs were supposed to be met by providing the childcare, so that they could go out and earn that amount!)
    We suggested several changes that cut expenses and made the project nearly self-supporting (with 10% of the original subsidy needed).  But the planners were unwilling to alter their original idea to that extent, and in the end they decided to seek funding from other sources.

The board members of NCC and Restorers are all working on a volunteer basis, with a bare minimum of operating expenses, in order to make every donated dollar yield the maximum benefit for the Restoration of Israel.
 

Tax-deductible donations from the U.S. can be sent to Nehemiah Covenant Corp (or "NCC"), a U.S. 501(c)3 organization dedicated to helping the Israeli believers, and one of our funding partners.  If you live elsewhere, write us for instructions.
 

Join us now in whatever way you can, to multiply those dollars and meet needs.
And watch this journal to see your contributions go to work!

[last update: Feb. 2008]

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