The Nancy Morgenstern Memorial Fund is a tax exempt fund set up expressly to perpetuate Nancy’s name by engaging in activities consistent with the life she led—dedicated to helping her fellow human beings, while remaining true to her Jewish traditions and heritage.

Nancy had ambitious goals, and so does the fund. The fund is currently engaged in a number of projects described below. In addition, the fund will continue to support the indigent families that Nancy herself provided financial assistance for in her lifetime.

Establishing and Sustaining a Volunteer Ambulance Group in Ramat Bet Shemesh, Israel

Ramat Bet Shemesh is a growing community in Israel, about 20 miles west of Jerusalem. The nearest hospital is in Jerusalem. In August, 2002, we purchased an ambulance for the community (prior to that there was no ambulance in Ramat Bet Shemesh) that has subsequently given rise to an all-volunteer medical emergency support service consisting of 50 drivers and emergency medical technicians responding to emergency calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The ambulance services the entire Bet Shemesh vicinity including the many smaller towns in the area. The ambulance also responds to calls from Jerusalem following terror attacks. This original ambulance was decommissioned in the winter of 2004 after logging more than 50,000 miles and a replacement ambulance has been put into service. As of August 2005, the ambulances responded to over 2,700 calls and have logged over 70,000 miles. The fund has purchased a state-of-the-art radio dispatch system. This new system provides for a direct paging system that communicates directly with doctors, nurses and paramedics providing better and quicker responses to medical emergencies. View the ambulance in action and some correspondence from people helped by the emergency medical technicians.

Supporting the construction of a synagogue in Ramat Bet Shemesh

The rapid growth of Ramat Bet Shemesh has brought with it the need for additional houses of worship. Nancy’s own zealousness about keeping to her daily regimen of prayer has made supporting the construction of a new synagogue in Nancy’s memory a logical choice. The synagogue also houses the Kollel (see below), and is home to a variety of Torah classes for adults and children throughout the week and on the Sabbath. View photos of the synagogue here.

Writing a Sefer Torah in Nancy’s merit

The Sefer Torah is a fundamental part of many aspects of Jewish life and religion. The Torah’s teachings and contents were also very formative guides to Nancy’s behavior and character throughout her life. Therefore it is fitting that the fund has commissioned the writing of a Sefer Torah in Nancy’s z’chus (merit). We expect that the Torah will be completed and dedicated in January of 2006. View photos of the writing of the Torah here.

Ongoing Support of a Kollel (a program of advanced Talmudic study)

Through the ages scholarship has always been a major component of Jewish life. In its purest form it is expressed through the study of Torah. It is common for groups of talmudic scholars to assemble (a Kollel) and study a wide variety of subjects related to Jewish life such as the laws pertaining to the Sabbath, Kashrut (Jewish dietary laws), ethics, etc. In the spring of 2002, the fund established such a Kollel in Nancy’s memory. It is currently under the leadership of Rabbi Efrayim Kirschenbaum, a graduate of the Ponevich Yeshiva. View photos of the Kollel here.
 

The Nancy Morgenstern Free-Loan Fund

The Nancy Morgenstern Memorial Fund has established a gemilas chesed fund called Keren Chana Perel – The Nancy Morgenstern Free Loan Fund in Ramat Bet Shemesh where needy individuals are able to borrow money, interest free, for short periods of time. Simple things like a car repair or making a modest wedding or bar mitzvah which would not be much of a problem for most of us, can be a significant financial setback for some families. In addition, the recent decline in the value of the dollar has adversely affected some families and the fund has been invaluable in providing them with short term financial relief.

Download the sample Free-Loan fund loan application form, page 1 and page 2. These are both documents in Word format.