Dear COLlive,
It’s amazing how we rush to judge people without knowing the true story.
I was just at Sam’s Bagels on Malchei Yisrael Street in Jerusalem, and as I walk out the door a man walked up to me with a 7 year-old girl holding his hand. He turned to me and asked for some money for food.
I looked at him and my heart broke, seeing a little girl with no food to eat, and seeing a man who has to beg for food in front of his daughter.
I took out all the shekels I had (1,300 which is over $300) and gave it to him, right then and there.
I started walking back to work, and as I got to the corner I saw the man walking over to a teenager with a knapsack. He walked over to the teen, handed him the money, and in return the teen gave him something.
Seeing this, I was very upset. I thought, “This man is going around scamming people with a little girl just to buy some drugs, what’s going to happen to this girl?”
I decided to follow him, and I see him collecting and going back to the teen over and over.
So I walked up to the teen, I looked him in the eye, and I said, “If you want to sell drugs, that’s your business, but how can you watch someone collect money with a little girl to buy drugs?”
He didn’t answer me, and I saw tears well up in his eyes. Just then the man saw we were talking and walked up to us. I started screaming at him, asking how he could do this.
The man listened to what I had to say, and then responded, “I’m so sorry, but you see that teenager, that’s my son.” He pointed to the little girl “and that’s my daughter.”
“I lost my job a few weeks ago and ended up on the street, and now I’m walking around begging for food.”
To prove it to me, he took out his driver’s license, his son took out his, and his son emptied his knapsack. There were no drugs, only some clothes.
I apologized and walked off, feeling very ashamed of myself.
I have hurt an innocent man in front of his kids, and judged him unfairly.
How careful we have to be before we judge someone, “Al toden chavairo ad shetagiea limikomo.” Never judge someone until you are in his shoes,
What a valuable lesson I have learned today!
Sincerely, Yossi F.
Many tzdaka collectors on Ave J and Ave M in Brooklyn are not even Jewish. Th women are Gypsies. Stop giving them $$
I agree with you…real help has to cover all the bases and not serve as a bandaid…although I like the comment from the first person’s comment about the Rebbe *not* kicking anyone out…Bella
did you ever think maybe there is something more to the fact they are talking and walking with these drugees.
I have been seen walking and talking with a drugee and when aproched had a great expplanation.
while i am a nobody but i am in a 12 step program and it brings me in comntact with drugees and alchoholics.
DO NOT RUSH TO JUDGE.
no problem that way
It is a bigger mitzvah to spend the money in Jewish stores and support Jewish businessmen, especially in Yerushalayim (and Crown Heights) where small businesses often support big families.
Being a sucker is not a mitzva. It encourages these criminals, and that is exactly what they are. Some may be Jewish, but giving to them is the same as investing with Solomon Dwek.
This is one exception for the many many many scammers that walk around CH.
I think it’s time to…. I don’t know. But there are people that seriously need it, then there are people who dress up as frum (ladies) and the russian mafia with the send modus operandum and come together in the same subway.
Allowing this to be is just as evil as making a mistake and embarrassing someone who really needs it.
something is funny with the mans story. He doesn’t answer why the man kept going to his son and exchanging the money or just giving it to him. where was the money when he tried to prove his innocense? Be that as it may, I know for a fact that one of the real old time regulars is an old lady who is NOT Jewish and actually collaborated with the nazis back in the forties. She was married to a Jew who has long passed away. 28 years ago, she used to come into my store on Kingston with him,… Read more »
think before you give
many buy drugs with the money
they need to be placed in rehabs not given $
just today I saw a lady asking for money on Kingston
a while later I saw her sitting by the bus stop and while she was sitting there she pulled off the sheitel she was wearing
to everyone saying this person was prejudice, it”s far from simple, there are lots and lots of phonies out there
beware the gypsies walking with their kids around the neighborhood too
BS’’D
Thank you for sharing this, its really beautiful. Yes we should be careful who we give to, but his point was to never stop a person and search them out, because it may very well be that all they want is a nice dinner.
Hashem should help us all!
Again, thanks for sharing, its very brave of you.
whether the person needs it or not – stop writing negative comments to a positive article!!!
wow what an amazing, inspiring story
Can you please identify who on kingston is faking it?? I never know who to give and who not too!!
I see them on eastern parkway at night getting drugs from goyim..do not give them money, give your tzedakah to reliable sources
an amazing person, this yossi f, first doing so much chessed in london and now continuing it in israel 🙂
Yossi, your honesty is refreshing and you have inspired me to be more careful not to judge people. I wonder if there is a way that we can help this man.
This is a classic scam, even if it is not for drugs. Don’t fall for it. These schnorrers (in both Yerushalayim and Crown Heights) are richer than many legit businessmen.
still dont know who legit out side 770 or down kingston so i only give to kscv or rabbi leider or hatzolah where i know the money going to the right ppl
has connection with today’s rmabam 3 perokim – a little
That’s horrific – how can it be that a family is left on the street begging – noch in 2012 – its supposed to be Moshiach tziten. Hashem yishmor! To the big baalei tzedakka who gave $300 without hesitating – I’m sure that “yotzo hefsedo bischoro” and that the man forgives you.
There were drug users and alcoholics living in 770 for years when the Rebbe was alive. Nobody dared kick them out. Today we became policeman who put Jews in jail.
Thanks for sharing… so we can learn – some times its confusing…and we are not sure who are not with drugs…
You should take pictures of them at night and post the pictures. These holy yiddishe neshamas should get the help they need to get off drugs-by people giving them money, it does not help them get off drugs.
the drugs of the 1960’s were harmless regarding stealing and so on, no one stole for those drugs, its the newer ones that create monsters to steal and kill!! the ones on kingston will one day be so desperate may god spare us all.
the drugs of the 1960’s were harmless regarding stealing and so on, no one stole for those drugs, its the newer ones that create monsters to steal and kill!! the ones on kingston will one day be so desperate may god spare us all.
All the ones on Kingston Ave are imposters. I would never give any of them a penny. Especially that screaming woman. She is a disgrace.
Even if it were true that he was a drug addict, who gave you the right and the chutzpah to look down at him instead of helping him all the way. The Rebbe never investigated or had investigated the multitudes of junkies and druggies and alcoholics who resided full-time in 700. How things have changed. Here is a true story showing this, When hadar Hatorah was first established in the 60’s, due to the times many students were using and doing drugs during their initial stay, it was simply a part of college culture in those days. When one of… Read more »
Your initial prejudice remains.
For once your website has the guts to step out of the box and tell it like it is… Yasher Koach. PS: Regarding this story.Number 1, I agree, I have witnessed first hand these 3 fake tzedaka collectors on the streets, who hide behind the chassidic mask to further their drug usage. FUYAH FOR SHAME
Someone want to wither away on the spot in shame?
wow, we really can never judge
I AM TELLING EVERYONE ONCE:
THE COLLECTORS OF KINGSTON AVENUE (3 OF THEM) I SEE MANY-TIMES AT NIGHTS WALKING WITH GOYIM (DRUGIES) WITH THEM THEY ARE ON CRACK COCAINE AND WE ARE GIVING THEM MONEY ALL DAY.