Ottawa Jewish Bulletin Article January 23, 2011
Ten Yad to Celebrate Kindness at Gala
By Jack (Yankl) Botwinik
Three years ago, Ten Yad of Ottawa took flight and is now poised to soar higher. On Sunday, January 29, 6:45 pm, the inaugural Ten Yad Friend-Raising Gala will take place at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. The purposes of the event are to raise awareness of the charitable organization and the services it offers to Ottawa’s Jewish community, to publicly thank its many volunteers, and to inspire others to join. “It’s a friend-raising event,” said Debbie Scharf, event chair and vice-chair of Ten Yad’s Board of Directors. “Now that the infrastructure is in place, and we’ve got the experience, the time is ripe to take the organization to the next level.” Ten Yad – Hebrew for
lending a hand – is dedicated to relieving the stress on individuals and families during challenging or extraordinary times such as the arrival of a newborn, recovery from a medical emergency, a family move to Ottawa, etc. Among its activities, it co-ordinates volunteers to visit patients,
run errands, drive family members to hospital visits and help with meal co-ordination when necessary. Unlike other charitable organizations, Ten Yad only deals with acute situations, offering short-term assistance, usually for a two-week period.
Ten Yad has grown greatly since becoming a registered charity in 2009. It now has more than 200 volunteers with about two-thirds involved in meal preparation and delivery, and about one third in giving rides, making hospital visits and grocery shopping. In 2011, Ten Yad volunteers provided assistance to almost 60 individuals or families in Ottawa. “The organization,” said Scharf,” is run entirely by volunteers, and they are from all expressions of Judaism.” At $36 per ticket, the proceeds from the gala will go directly to Ten Yad’s Circle Fund, which is geared to
helping the most vulnerable members of the community. The theme for the evening is “celebrating acts of kindness.” Keynote speaker Ari
Schonbrun, a survivor of the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center in New York City, will address Surviving 9/11 Through Selfless Acts of Kindness, and Rabbi Reuven Bulka, founder and chair of Ottawa Kindness Week, will offer a D’var Torah.
Other highlights of the evening will include a jazz performance by the Central Band of the Canadian Forces and hors d’oeuvres and a
dessert reception sponsored by Creative Kosher Catering. The Canada Aviation and Space Museum is an interesting and unique setting for a
Jewish event. Tables will be set up in the heart of the museum and attendees will be surrounded by huge, stunning aircrafts. People can
roam freely among the exhibits. Despite her full-time job, being a mother, and her other responsibilities, Scharf is devoted to the goals of Ten Yad. “Giving is not always supposed to be easy,” she said. “But it’s tremendous to see the impact on people’s lives.” Scharf believes that’s what draws volunteers to Ten Yad. Esti Fogel, founder and chair of Ten Yad, agrees. She never imagined the organization would grow so rapidly.
“Ten Yad has no agenda other than to do good. People want to be a part of it,” said Fogel. Scharf considers Ten Yad an important and much-needed safety net for Jews in Ottawa. “When people are having a difficult time, they think, ‘I have a community and I’m not alone.’ This is the most beautiful thing about Ten Yad.” To purchase tickets to the gala, or for further information, contact Ten Yad at 613- 618-0485 or info@tenyad.ca.
