Hi! Tom, Shel, et al, my observation even at my young age is that with time tolerance levels seem to drop. At least so it seems where I am. "Tel Aviv second" is getting shorter and shorter...
In Israel there are huge many people who live beneath minimal level of income set by the state. Fortunately the tradition and other factors make it so that most of these people get help which includes free hot meals and so on. Even more unfortunate is things such as the most recent article I read in our local newspaper. There're people who come to those places where free meals are served. But after the meal they drive away in quite new Volvos! These people are very few but they put shame on so many others who don't deserve this shame. In my family we have a custom - every time there is a person who knocks in our door and asks for donation - he or she gets one. No questions asked. Theoretically, they usually give receipts and at the end of the year I could collect all these receipts and get certain tax deduction. The custom of our family says that we never do it. This would defeat the whole purpose of donation. You donate but then you do not expect anything in return... You can call me stupid if you wish... Boris
