the chicken lady of jerusalem - amazon web...
TRANSCRIPT
Something about the young girl infront of her on line at Hacker, abutcher shop in Jerusalem, seemed
familiar, although Chaya Hammer hadnever seen her before. Perhaps it was theempty basket slung over an arm coveredby a threadbare sweater sleeve or thelank braids hanging alongside a too-thinface? “She reminds me of myself,” real-ized the older woman in surprise, as hermind whirled back to the distant mem-ories of herself as a young new immi-
grant in the Promised Land.“Next!” The booming voice of the
butcher interrupted Hammer’s reverie.Seeing who was next, the butcherreached under the counter, extracted abag filled with chicken fat and skins andhanded it to the girl. Thanking him, sheturned and left. “Goodness!” Hammerrecalls exclaiming to the butcher as hefilled her weekly order. “That familymust have a lot of dogs or cats to feed!”
“Actually, they have no pets at all,”he replied. “The father is on dialysis,unable to work, and the mother has herhands full trying to care for a large fam-ily on her own. We have been givingthem meat on credit for a long timealready, but their bill now exceeds10,000 lirot, and we simply cannotafford to keep it up. Now we save all the
chicken parts that no one wants; at leastthis way they can have soup and cholentfor their Shabbat meal.”
This was too much for Hammerto hear. “From now on, give that familychicken and ground meat every week—and put it on my bill!” she said.
Some time later, the butcher askedher if she was interested in taking onanother needy family. It never occurredto Hammer to refuse.
Over two decades later, this nine-ty-six-year-old powerhouse is responsi-ble for providing 490 families through-out Israel with their weekly chicken andmeat. Local recipients “buy” what theyneed at Hacker and “charge” it. Forneedy families who live a great distancefrom Hacker, Hammer sends over onehundred checks each month in attrac-
26 JEWISH ACTION Spring 5767/2007
Michelle Borinstein was born in South Africa,moved to the United States and is finally homein Yerushalayim, where she lives with her hus-band and children. She has had numerousarticles and poems published in a variety ofpublications and is currently writing a numberof children’s books.
In 1999, Chaya Hammer wasawarded the coveted Yakir
Yerushalayim award for her contri-bution to the citizens of that city.
TheChicken
Ladyof
JerusalemB y M i c h e l l e B o r i n s t e i n
Spring07Cor4 1/24/07 2:00 PM Page 26
tive cards that wish therecipients “chodesh tov,”a good month. Eventhe stamps she choosesare decorative. By dress-ing up the donation,Hammer believes thatthe recipient will feelthat he is receiving apresent rather than ahandout.
Hammer’s averageweekly butcher billamounts to $1,000.Before the Jewish holi-days, it’s usually$1,500.
“I always workwith the Hacker broth-ers,” says Hammer,who is affectionatelyknown as “Mrs. Chicken Lady.” “I never question the bill; Itrust them implicitly.” Nor has she ever requested a discountfrom the butcher shop. “They’re entitled to make a living too.If I can help them in that way while helping others at thesame time, I feel twice as good!”
Generally, Hammer sends her “clients” directly toHacker, although there are times when the brothers bring herattention to specific cases. The local families have no idea ofthe role she plays in their lives. “I prefer it that way,” saysHammer. “I like the fact that I can go to the butcher, standbehind someone I know I’m helping, yet she has no clue whoI am.” For those outside the local area, she has no choice butto reveal her identity.
Hammer’s cheerful mood dissipates as she shares someof the stories of those she helps. Pulling out an old newspaper,she points to a photograph of a young woman staring forlorn-ly at the camera. Life is a daily struggle for this woman, whowas born without arms or legs. After tracking her down,Hammer began sending her a monthly check, and calls heroccasionally, just to say hello. She has no plans to meet thewoman though. “I think it might embarrass her. [The moneyis] easier to take when you are anonymous.”
In 2000, when terrorists murdered a young couple,Hammer took over some of the financial responsibility forcaring for their eight orphans. When “Shlomo,” a father offifteen, died after falling down four flights of stairs, the widowand her children were “adopted” by the “chicken lady.”
“Miriam” and her father have been receiving a monthlystipend since Hammer learned of their hardship. The crippledman would sit on street corners in Tel Aviv, playing the accor-dion in order to feed himself and his daughter. Not only didHammer take care of them financially, but upon learning ofMiriam’s dream to be a professional violinist, she got hold of a
secondhand violin, had itfixed and then personallytraveled to the city whereMiriam lived to deliver it.
Donors to Hammer’s“chicken fund” come fromall walks of life—Jews andnon-Jews, religious andunaffiliated. Most of thedonors hear aboutHammer’s efforts via wordof mouth, or through arti-cles. People have beenknown to ring her doorbell,hand her an envelope with
money and escape beforeshe can even say thank you.No one has ever requesteda receipt; donors know thatevery penny goes directlyto those who need it.
Hammer personally pays for the hundreds of stamps neededmonthly. “I, too, want to donate to this worthwhile cause,”she explains.
Each donor receives a thank-you letter. As a concessionto Hammer’s arthritis, first-time donors now receive a form
Ninety-six-year-old Hammer manages the files for the 490 families throughoutIsrael to whom she provides chicken and meat every Shabbat.
Spring 5767/2007 JEWISH ACTION 27
Spring07Cor4 1/24/07 2:01 PM Page 27
letter, which is constantly updated. Even so, Hammer alwaystries to add a few personal words at the bottom, and alwayssigns the letters herself. Repeat donors get handwritten letters.
No stranger to poverty herself, Hammer knows what itfeels like to go to bed hungry. It is this memory that gives herthe strength to persist in her mission. “I picture the children’sfaces, remember thehunger and can’t restuntil I’ve done some-thing to help,” she says.“Hashem sends me thestrength because Heknows I’m trying tocare for His children.”
The oldest ofthree children,Hammer was born in Vinograd, Ukraine. “We were rich backthen,” she reminisces. “My grandfather and father would buyeggs from the local farmers, and send them to a brother nearKiev to resell them in town. After we miraculously survivedthree pogroms, my family managed to escape, crossing thefrozen Dnestr River into Romania. There were forty-two inthe group, eleven of whom were children. I was only ten yearsold.”
At this point in her story, tears well up in her eyes. “MyIma fell in the deep snow, and my father turned back to help
her up. The smuggler guide would not let him go to her! Heforced us on, leaving my Ima in the deep, cold snow, all alonein a harsh foreign land—she without us, us without our Ima.It was many, many months before we learned what hadbecome of her.
“Soon after, we were caught by the Romanian authori-ties and thrown intoprison, adults andchildren alike. Forfive long months, wereceived nothingmore than a smallration of bread andwater daily.Eventually, word ofour imprisonment
trickled out, and the local Jewish community managed toarrange our release. We finally found our Ima in a hospital,alive but ill.
“After arduous travels, we made it to Israel, where welived in a tent. Between the ages of ten and fourteen, I knewhunger firsthand, going to bed hungry almost every night.”
Hammer’s mother never fully regained her strength; shecontracted tuberculosis. Hoping to find a cure for theirmother’s illness, the family moved to the United States.Nevertheless, at the age of thirty-four, Hammer’s motherdied.
“An eventual return to Israel remained my priority; somuch so, that it was one of three conditions I set beforeagreeing to Ephraim Hammer’s marriage proposal,” saysHammer, who lived in Los Angeles. (“The other two condi-tions? He had to agree that we would speak only Hebrewbetween ourselves, and [that he] would teach me how todrive his Ford!)
“Ephraim and I took numerous teaching jobs, workingmornings, afternoons and evenings in order to save money asquickly as possible, yet it was not until our three daughtershad established their own families that we were able to returnto Israel. Ephraim always encouraged me with all my projects,and although he passed away twenty years ago, before the‘chicken business’ really grew, he took it to heart as much as Idid.”
Eventually, Hammer’s daughters also made it to Israel,and now, says Hammer, five generations of her family live inthe country.
Winding down her story, she gets up and fondlystraightens an award that hangs on her wall. It’s the covetedYakir Yerushalayim award given to those who have made asignificant contribution to the good of Jerusalem’s citizens. In1999, Hammer received the award from then-JerusalemMayor Ehud Olmert. “Despite all those I’ve helped, I stillcan’t rest,” she sighs. “I [have] hundreds … still calling forfood.”
It’s this thought that keeps Chaya Hammer going. �JA
AtYadEliezer,
• Provides a Big Brother or Sister to 3,000 children from single-parent homes.
• Supplies infant formula to nearly 2,000 malnourished babies.
• Gives emergency grants and loans to working families in crisis.
• Provides simple but dignified wedding and Bar Mitzvah celebrations for those in need.
• Delivers truckloads of surplus produce, Meals-on-Wheels, and Yom Tov packagesaround the country.
• Sponsors job training programs.
At Yad Eliezer, we are famous for our food boxes.It’s true – we do provide boxes of essential food items to over 12,000
families every month. But did you know that Yad Eliezer also:
That's why we can proudly say: At Yad Eliezer, we also Think Out of the Box.We desperately need your help to provide our many critical services to the neediest families
of Eretz Yisrael. Our programs succeed only because of you!
American Friends of Yad Eliezer is a tax-deductibleorganization registered within the United States.
Please send your contribution to: American Friends of Yad Eliezer1102 East 26th St, Brooklyn, NY 11210 • Tel: 718-252-0091 [email protected] • www.yadeliezer.org
Yad Eliezer: An Opportunity to Give and to Receive
wethink“in thebox”
as wellas“outof thebox”.
28 JEWISH ACTION Spring 5767/2007
People have been known to ringher doorbell, hand her an
envelope with money and escapebefore she can even say thank you.
Spring07Cor4 1/24/07 2:01 PM Page 28
Sign 1 Card, Save 8 LivesJoin the Halachic Organ Donor Society
Make your last mitzvah, the most important one!
These Rabbis don’t just support organ donation.They carry Organ Donor Cards.
How about you?92,000 people are waiting for organs and dying needlessly!
Save their lives by donating your organs when you no longer need them.
Register on-line at www.hods.org or if you have any questions about Jewish Law and organ donation, please call 212-213-5087.
The Halachic Organ Donor Society is a non-profi t 501(c)3 organization. Financial donations may be sent to HOD Society, 49 West 45th Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10036. Email: [email protected]
Make your last mitzvah, the most important one!
Israel Organ Donation (+972-03-695-7369)
www.health.gov.il/transplant
, the most important one!
646-291-4444www.donatelifeny.org/
, the most important one!
1-800-SHARE-NJwww.sharenj.org/
Make your last
212-213-5087www.hods.org
Rabbi Nachum Rabinovich
HOD Society Rabbi Nachum Rabinovich
Rabbi Shmuel Goldin Organ Donor Card
Rabbi B. Freundel Organ Donor Card
Rabbi Benny LauOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi B. Walfish Organ Donor Card
Rabbi Tzvi LeshemOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi D. TropperOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi Norman Lamm
Chancellor of Yeshiva UniversityYeshiva University
HOD SocietyOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi M. Schudrich Chief Rabbi of Poland
Rabbi Michael Broyde
HOD Society Rabbi Michael Broyde
Rabbi Yosef AdlerOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi D. Sperber Organ Donor Card
Rabbi Daniel BellerOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi Yoel Bin-NunOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi Y. WarhaftigOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi Dov LinzerOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi Saul BermanOrgan Donor Card
HOD SocietyOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi S. Y. CohenChief Rabbi of Haifa
Rabbi Marc Dratch
HOD Society Rabbi Marc Dratch
Rabbi T. BlanchardOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi M. LammOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi J. RadinskyOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi Adam MintzOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi Yuval SherlowOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi Marc AngelOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi H. LooksteinOrgan Donor Card
HOD SocietyOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi S. AvinerChief Rabbi of Bet El
Rabbi Moshe Tendler
HOD Society Rabbi Moshe Tendler
Rabbi K. BranderOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi Aaron AdlerOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi A. SchwartzOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi N. Helfgot Organ Donor Card
Rabbi M. LichtensteinOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi Eugene KornOrgan Donor Card
Rabbi Joseph PolakOrgan Donor Card
HOD Society Organ Donor Card
Rabbi Pynchas BrenerChief Rabbi of Venezuela
T:10.875 inT:8.375 in
S:9.875 inS:7.375 in