"We came to banish darkness" is a project sponsored by "Shabbat Metoka" which provides care to the elderly through visits, phone calls and keeping in touch with them. After the volunteers saw the suffering of the generation that founded the country, they came out of their frustrations to support, encourage and be by their side.
In the last year, during the Corona epidemic, 20 lonely elderly people died in Haifa, people who were left without attention or concern and whose bodies were found only a few days later in their apartments. The phenomenon continues even in the current period.
The social services do not provide solutions, perhaps due to a lack of information about the elderly who need care or support, and those who try in every way to provide help and treat the difficult phenomenon are voluntary organizations.
Banish the darkness
Such is the organization "We came to expel darkness", which donates and cares for lonely adults and does it wholeheartedly. As part of his activities, dozens of volunteers treated and cared for the elderly in all of Haifa who needed a hug, a smile, a drop of attention and humane treatment. Many of the elderly are Holocaust survivors, urban people who live their lives in their apartments, not in sheltered housing or under welfare supervision.
Tatiana John, head of the project, says:
Back during the first lockdown last year, when thousands of people were locked in their homes without the possibility of going to the grocery store or visiting family, I formed a group of volunteers who went shopping, to pharmacies and made sure to bring essential supplies to the homes of the people who could not leave their homes and the welfare services were not prepared and organized to respond to everyone.
The history of the project
The participants of "We came to evict darkness" recruit volunteers on the project's Facebook pages and with the help of flyers. About 50 new volunteers responded to the invitations and managed to light up the faces of over 150 Holocaust survivors and senior citizens with a smile.
Tatiana named the project "We came to banish darkness" because the phrase is symbolic of the Hanukkah holiday. Before the holiday, she was joined by young and very active friends: Tal Segal, an Israeli elder, Artyom Kharchenko - the coordinator of the Yisrael Beitenu in the north.
Thanks to the vigilance of the neighbor
The social activist herself witnessed the incident which, thanks to her and the help of the caring neighbors, did not become a disaster': our neighbor fell at home and lay on the floor for two days until we noticed that we had not seen her for several days. We knocked and knocked on the door, she was almost unconscious. We called rescue forces, broke into her apartment and managed to prolong her life.'
The project "We came in the dark to feel" continues to progress and grow with the goal of growing as an organization, to persevere, to embrace as many people as possible who need help or a kind word.
For more details, for volunteering and donations, you can call the following numbers:
0547473287 – Tatiana
0548187978 – Artyom
The youngest of the founders of the state,
He is 98 years old.
How many of these are there in Haifa?
Is an elderly person who lives alone because his children are abroad,
will be entitled to benefits?9
Well done, an important project, it is important to help the elderly!
Error correction: this article.
An important project for the elderly. Well done to you, my friend Tatiana John, head of the project. I have told you several times, Tatiana, that you always do good things for the community in Israel and for the people of Israel and the State of Israel. And our friend Lazar Kaplon, the former deputy mayor of Haifa, agreed with me. Thank you, Polina Warnkova on the article enter Shalom and blessing. Even MK Yevgeni Soba expressed great appreciation to you, Tatiana, for your contribution to the public in the State of Israel. I answered him that if Tatiana runs to become a member of the Knesset on behalf of Israel, our house will support us to the extent that Minister Hamed Amar also believes in you, Tatiana.