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Rationale Established only 63 years ago, Israel is a young state with citizens from higher and lower economical levels who need help. Although the help needed in the country itself, many Israelis recognize the need to help others, not as fortunate as them and others Israelis. Save A Childs Heart is an organization, which sees others needs, in places where conditions are not as good as in Israel and helps them with all their heart. What fascinated me about SACH and the reason I chose to research that organization, was their ability to ignore political boundaries and help any child in need of cardiac care; Muslim or Christian, African or Asian. I chose to interview my neighbor, Miriam Gottlieb who spends a lot of her time working for Standing Together, an organization that helps IDF soldiers. Many times Miriam sends out emails and advertises volunteering by handing out snacks along with supplies to the soldiers. I was interested in what exactly Miriam does, how she got to her job and most of all what makes her so excited as well as passionate about her activity. When looking at Israel you can not ignore politics. Everyone has a political opinion that influences them to act or talk in a specific way. Many times one will underestimate another due to his political views. The politics remain a border between people that some think can not be broken down. I believe that there is much more to the Israeli nation beyond those political borders, that if we cross them we can revile the real face of Israel, a face full of love and desire to help. In my creative connection part of the project I decided to present my views of our nation, of who we are beyond political borders.

Research
 S ave A C hild's H eart- **SACH**   **What ideas is the organization based on and how does it fulfill them in reality? **  Many times you may receive an email, asking for donations in favor of a child in a cardiac condition whose family is financially unable. In addition to the donations the sick child may get from caring Israelis responding to the email which you can include you, money may also come from the government or other organizations in order to give this child proper medical help. Unfortunately, that reality does not exist in third world, developing countries. Children in places such as Africa and parts of Asia, where proper cardiac care is unavailable in addition to being unaffordable have no one to help them with their heart problems. SACH- Save a Child's Heart, is an Israeli international humanitarian project whose purpose is to solve the problem previously mentioned by making cardiac care available for children that live in developing countries suffering from heart diseases. SACH believes in the idea that every child deserves the best medical care available with no connection to the child's race, nation or any abilities. This belief is implemented in reality. Since 1995, the organization has treated over 2,700 children from infancy to 18 years, from all four corners of the earth, all suffering from heart diseases with no proper medical care available. The race is ignored, what matters is giving love, care and help to the kids. 40% of the children who are treated come from Africa while 49% are from the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, Iraq and Morocco. The credit for implementing these beliefs goes to the man who started SACH, an inspiring leader, excellent surgeon, a caring person who had no political or national boundaries when it came to saving these children's life, Dr. Amram (Ami) Cohen. Dr. Cohen was born in Brooklyn and moved to Israel in 1992 to work at the Wolfson Medical Center in Holon where he served as the Deputy Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery, and Head of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery. In 1988, before he moved to Israel, while serving in the U.S forces in Korea, Dr. Cohen met the head of the international organization “Save the Hearts”. The organization's activity, of sending orphaned and injured Korean children to developed countries for locally unavailable medical care impressed Dr. Cohen who received permission from his superiors to be part of the blessed activity. In the remaining time in Korea he did 35 pediatric cardiac surgeries. A few years later (1995), Dr. Cohen was asked to help two Ethiopian children in need of immediate heart surgery. That was the beginning of SACH, and the continuation of giving help is today. Unfortunately, in August 2001, while climbing the Kilimanjaro Mountain, Dr. Ami was killed in a painful accident. Despite the pain and loss for all who knew him, his goals and beliefs are being carried on today by the continuation of the organization, which was so important to him being filled with the desire to give and help. In his own words: "I am convinced that for the vast majority of people who chose cardiothoracic surgery as a profession, idealism was initially a strong factor. For those of you who are reading this and just starting out, hold fast to your 'day after-vision' because, if it fades, despite all the skills acquired, there will be something missing. For those who are searching, join us and together let us make the network to help children with heart diseases big enough to be equal to the task. There is work for everybody. There are no dollars and cents in it, but it is worth a fortune." (Save a Child’s Heart site) Another idea that motivates Save a Child's Heart is the old Jewish tradition of ‘Tikkun Olam’ which means repairing the world. By giving medical care to so many kids regardless of who they are the organization is contributing to the peace and health of the whole world, making it a better place for the children they heal, operate on.

While the children must be brought to Israel to receive care, Save a Childs Heart has a bigger goal, to create medical centers in the places these kids come from, train doctors and make proper cardiac care available in developing countries. In order to achieve that goal Save a Child's Heart organization brings medical workers from SACH partner sites around the world to the Wolfson Medical Center for a training program. The programs can take three months to five years. There, with the help of the Sackler School of Medicine of the Tel Aviv University, the participants receive a solid training in pediatric cardiac care. By doing so, the organization tries to make it possible to have proper cardiac care in the places the children come from and that way more kids can be treated (in their homeland), and more hearts can be mended. The amount of money needed to save a seriously sick child, including transportation as well as hospitalization is $10,000. It is very hard to raise such amounts, but SACH manages though it is privately funded. There are many donators and the state of Israel subsidizes indirectly. Finance may be a problem, but nothing can stand in the way of people full of passion to save others' lives. The organization's logo was influenced by a drawing of a four year old girl who had serious heart problems and recovered after five months with four very complicated surgeries. The explanation she gave to the picture she drew: "I had a dream, there were many colors over my bed, then, a very big hand came in the middle of the night. We flew to a far-off country and they gave me a new heart, and I could run and dance." That girl, Katya was just one out of hundreds and thousands of children who got a new heart, a new opportunity to live thanks to Save a Child's Heart organization. Save A Child's Heart site - []

profile
**Miriam Gottlieb- Director of Development at 'Standing Together' ** T aking her whole family to have their BBQ with soldiers on Israel Independence Day, writing the organizations web-site as well as newsletters, answering all the emails, running the organization's facebook profile in addition to uploading all the pictures are only some of the activities that Miriam Gottlieb, Director of Development at 'Standing Together' organization does.

Standing Together is a non profit organization directed by David Landau from Efrat. The organization's purpose is to show gratitude to the people protecting Israel. The way they do that is by giving out snacks to soldiers to raise morale, special activities for holidays, furthermore, at war time they go to the front to give out basic supplies to the soldiers (toothbrushes, deodorant, etc.). All their activity is done with the help of volunteers from Israel, as well as visitors from overseas. Although the organization's main goal stayed the same as in the past: to reach as many soldiers as possible and show support, the goal does expand sometimes. When Sederot was under constant fire, the organization realized that the citizens were soldiers without uniforms. Half of the city had left and the remaining people had become soldiers, trying to still function. The organization visited them gave them doughnuts for Chanukah and ice cream in the summer. They helped a bakery stay open by selling his chalot all over the country. That way the bakery made money and stayed open providing a bakery for the people of Sederot. Miriam Gottlieb believes very much in the importance of helping the Jewish community which includes soldiers. Although she never had a goal: "do something for the soldiers", it was interesting to her and she viewed it as something good to do. Growing up in the New York area she was very active in the conservative youth movement through which there were social action programs. Throughout her whole career, Gottlieb worked for the Jewish community which she always wanted to contribute to. In America she worked for ‘Tehilah’, an organization that helped religious families make Aliya as well as for her son’s school. Gottlieb also worked for an organization that helped special aid children in yeshivas. Gottlieb views herself as lucky, and loves being able to work on something that she believes in. like working for the Jewish community, Aliya and Israel were always very important goals to Miriam. Gottlieb fell in love with Israel at the age of six teen when she visited Israel for the first time. Making aliya was a dream come true but, of course, still hard because, in her words, when making Aliya there is always something left behind After finishing Ulpan, while looking for a job, Gottlieb came across an email on the 'Efrat list' from David Landau who was looking for someone to work for the organization. She responded to the email but instead of being interviewed, she was asked to write a press for the organization. Not knowing what to write about, she made up an idea that Standing Together was going to give out chocolate (something that the army does not provide) to the soldiers for Passover. David loved the idea and said, "Great! Do it", that meant getting donations along with anything else needed and going to give out chocolate. That was the beginning, the rest is history. Today, Miriam is the only employee, in other words, the only one in the organization receiving a salary (which is minimal and paid by the government). Based on volunteers and staying small has advantages and disadvantages in her words. On the one hand, being small means not needing to pay bills (for offices and salaries), so almost all the donations and money coming in are being used for the soldiers. Another advantage is the ability to change focus, and act spontaneously according to the present realty. For example, helping the Sderot citizens, or driving out and giving out supplies the minute the Gaza war started, without needing approval from a big staff. Despite the advantages, Gottlieb hopes to grow and expand. Being bigger, would mean reaching more soldiers who are not local, going out more times a week and maybe having more trucks and drivers. Working for the organization includes crazy hours (if David has a brainstorm at 10:00 pm, for instance) as well as going to America to fund raise two to three times a year for a few weeks at a time. Gottlieb says that her work does come over other activities sometimes such as time for her children, although most people's jobs do. Her children are very involved and understand that they are sacrificing for the soldiers, since the soldiers are sacrificing in order to protect them. Her family loves going out to visit the soldiers; they are fully part of the organization's activity. Every year they celebrate Yom Haatzmaut (Israel Independence Day) at army bases, Gottlieb's children give out happy New Year cards as well as joining volunteer groups to give out snacks. One time, the volunteers left without serving waffles and ice cream to all the soldiers, so her daughter stayed till after midnight until each solider on the base was served.

Gottlieb hopes that her activity teaches her children "Chesed" which is human kindness and caring. In her opinion, "Chesed" is something that must be taught by doing. So, when helping within the community, such as making meals, she involves her children in the making or delivering so they will understand that "Chesed" is something we do as Jewish people. Knowing that one day her children will be the soldiers receiving makes Gottlieb more passionate about her activity, as well as many teenagers who love volunteering, partially from the knowing that one day they will be soldiers as well. The volunteers are always excited and thrilled since they feel that they are doing something good. The feedback from the soldiers is great as well, they appreciate the volunteers for caring about them, and the commanders also love the organizations activity claiming that it raises morale. Over the years the organization had grown. The trailer was bought in 2007, a freezer, sandwich maker as well as a popcorn machine were bought since, all which make giving out snacks easer, cheaper and in bigger quantities. Despite the development, one of the main difficulties in addition to being small has remained fund raising. Fund raising is a disadvantage in being small, the organization dose not have a big and known name or donor base as other associations. To raise more money, the organization tries to increase their mailing list, visit new people in addition to having a volunteer who is an Israeli soldier along with being a teacher. When he goes recruiting for the yeshiva he works for he also meets with donators for Standing Together, he is able to raise money in a very different way than others due to his personal experiences as a soldier. If money collecting would be more successful the organization could grow, expand its activity which means getting more people involved who would help more soldiers. Improving at fund raising in order to help more soldiers is one of Gottlieb's goals for the future as part of continuing to do good for the Jewish people, especially Israel. As a person who believes and loves working for and helping the Jewish community, Gottlieb says that volunteer work in general is very important and is part of being a Jewish person. She believes that everyone, no matter their age, has some level of expertise, or interest in something that they could add and contribute to society with.

Reflection
In the I faces 2012 project we were expected to research an Israeli organization that contributes to the world, interview a person who contributes to Israeli society and express our connection to Israel, through a piece of literature or something creative. When I began this project I expected no more than a dry, full of facts research, working on writing as well as researching skills. Although there were dry facts, the research was very interesting, I was exposed to Save a Child's Heart- an Israeli organization that does important work which I did not know about before. Though I did improve my writing skills in addition to learning how to interview followed by writing a profile, this project taught me about true contribution to Israeli society in addition to Israelis contributing to national society. I have learnt about contributing with all your heart in my research about Save a Child's Heart organization. The organization's purpose is to save as many hearts as possible ignoring borders such as religion and race. I interviewed Miriam Gottlieb, who talked about the importance of contributing to the Jewish community, which she does with much passion by helping and giving to soldiers. My research and interview influenced me to do my creative connection about borders within Jewish Israeli society and how the borders can be broken down or ignored at times of contributing to one another. Giving while ignoring political borders, and the importance of contributing to our communities were ideas that I learnt through this project. I understood that these ideas could be found in Israeli society as I showed in my creative connection.

Bibliography
Gottlieb, Miriam, Director of Development at 'Standing Together'. __Personal interview__ __. __ Neve Daniel, 27/11/2011. N arvey, J onathon. "Ami Cohen save a child", __ Rediscover Israel __, 04/23/2010, 06/11/2011, < [] >.

__ Save a childs heart __, 06/11/2011, < [] >.