Remembering 36 Years of Chesed in Memory of My Sister Alta Mina

By Rabbi Dovid Tiechtel – Director of the Chabad Campus for Jewish Life at U of Illinois

This is personal.

My parents started Keren Alta Mina 36 years ago, in memory of my sister, Alta Mina, who passed away at the young age of 7. She loved babies. She loved life. And through this fund, her memory continues to bring life, love, and dignity to so many others.

I still remember being a young kid in the early ’90s, going with my father to deliver baby furniture to families in need. I’ll never forget walking into apartments and seeing babies sleeping in dresser drawers, no crib, no mattress. Just whatever the parents could manage.

As I grew up and continued helping my parents, picking up donations, delivering furniture, I saw how the giving grew. What started with one or two families slowly turned into hundreds. And even now, all these years later, whenever I visit my parents, barely a day goes by without someone coming by to pick up a crib or a stroller.

Sometimes it’s a young newlywed couple, sometimes a large family stretched thin. The people come from across the entire spectrum of our community. And my parents, without an office, a staff, or a budget, are still there, day in and day out, saying yes.

I’m sure many reading this were personally helped. Maybe it was when you just got married, or maybe it was during a hard time. You probably remember the relief and the quiet dignity that came with it.

Now, I’m turning to you.

We are running a campaign against to help our parents help our community. Our goal is to raise $50,000. Can you be a part of it?

This will help my parents continue this quiet chesed, and to make sure no baby in our community ever has to sleep in a drawer.

Let’s reach this goal together.
Let’s say thank you to my parents.
Let’s help them keep helping others.

Please donate now. Every dollar counts. Every gift makes a difference.

https://www.charidy.com/kerenaltamina/ChampaignTiechtel