From David Morris, the Founder and Chairman of the Board of the Chessed organization Lema'an Achai** in Ramat Beit Shemesh which provides social services and help for hundreds of needy Ramat Beit Shemesh families:
It is particularly important, as Oslo War shows every sign of heating up again, to set a firm precedent that Jews can be relied upon to aid our fellow Jews, who are punished for defending themselves from Arab attacks.
I spoke today with Yaniv Cohen, the son of Miro Cohen, Security Officer for Tekoa, and a Jewish Hero.
Sixteen years ago, during the First Oslo War, in the course of Miro's security duties, he was attacked by Arabs with rocks and boulders on the road to Tekoa. When Miro fired back in order to defend himself and other Jewish drivers, an Arab attacker was seriously injured and died of his wounds two years later.
As an inevitable consequence of a policy of successive Israeli governments which hold as suspicious and which brings court litigation against almost any Jew who defends himself or his family against Arab terrorist attacks, for the past sixteen years, Miro has been pursued and harassed by an extremist left wing group, Yedidei Beit Sachor, through both criminal and civil courts.
To cut a long and harrowing story short, Miro was found innocent in the Criminal Court which found that the rock attack by the Arabs posed an imminent threat to his life. Later, he fined 600,000 NIS by the Civil Court which deemed that there was no threat to Miro's life.
Subsequently, Miro pleaded that he is does not have and is unable to pay 600,000 NIS. The court then reduced his fine. Miro now must now pay legal fees to the Judge of Civil Court, some 90,000 NIS ($25,000) to close the file. He has three months to pay.
Miro does not have the means on his own to pay. If the fine is not paid within three months, the court will seize or attach his pension until it is paid. Miro is a family man, father of ten children of which four, ages ranging from 13 to 20 years, are still at home. He needs both the pay he earns as Tekoa's head of security and his monthly pension in order to live.
Yaniv Cohen lives in Ramat Bet Shemesh, and is working hard to collect the money for his father, who is aged 62 and worn out after years of struggle. Yaniv speaks very little English and has virtually no contacts abroad.
I invite you to help;
1/ By donating funds in order for Miro Cohen to pay the fine assessed and close the file.
2/ To set up a quick and effective local fundraising campaign for Miro, a Jewish Hero.
3/ Please email me if you are;
a. willing to give some of your time to this important and urgent cause.
b. If you would be able to donate money for Miro's fine (or know
people who might).
Tizku L'Mitzvot!
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Donors in Israel can make donations to;
Amutah "Bet Tzomet"
Yishuv Tekoa
d.n. Tzafon Yehuda 90908
Attn: Ayal Levi (Miro Cohen Yishuv Tekoa)
and by clearly specifying that the donation goes to; "Miro Cohen Yishuv Tekoa" and marking same on the bottom left side of the envelope.
The Seif 46 # for Bet Tzomet is; #580373512.
In America, checks can either be sent to;
Tomche Yisrael
369 Crown Street
Brooklyn, NY 11225
USA
501(c)(3)# 141290002
Memo Line on check should read; "Miro Cohen Yishuv Tekoa"
Attention line on the envelope; "Miro Cohen Yishuv Tekoa"
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**Lema'an Achai received universal praise as being one of the first Chessed organizations to arrive at the Jerusalem Hotels on the days of the expulsion of our brethren from Gush Katif to provide aid, comfort and strength to them in the hours, days and weeks after they were evicted by the government from their homes and land in Gush Katif.
In the summer of 2006, Lema'an Achai played a leading role in facilitating temporary living accommodations for hundreds of residents of the north who came to Beit Shemesh and Ramat Beit Shemesh to get away from the onslaught of Katyusha and Grad rockets and mortars during the Lebanon conflict.
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