News from Kol Ami

on Monday, 25 November 2013.

EVA KAY

                                                                  by Marleine Kay

Every year, at Poppy selling time, including this October and November, Eva is found busy at the Young and St Clair subway station centre pinning poppies onto several hundred lapels. As a member of the Canadian Legion General Wingate Branch Ladies Auxiliary, which is the Jewish branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, Eva is actively involved in raising money for the veterans’ care at Sunnybrook Hospital, Veterans Wing, as well as visiting them.

Considering that Eva is 88 years young, she gets up at 4.30 a.m. every morning of her shift, and leaves the house by 7.00 a.m., in full uniform, to help set up the poppy table at the subway. She then entices passersby, with her never-ending smile, to stop and donate money for a poppy or two. 

Eve Plus 1Many people linger to tell her of loved ones lost in the war, and Eva listens to their stories, often holding their hand, or finding them a Kleenex. Sometimes people are lonely and just need a sympathetic ear. Eva loves when children come over so she can explain why it is important to wear a poppy. 

In addition to her Legion volunteering, Eva has also been enthusiastically involved with homeless and international relief initiatives. She has helped to feed the homeless in both Toronto and Glasgow, Scotland and helped to put three water wells in Africa, raise funds for an extension to an AIDS orphanage, plus ongoing soliciting for donations of clothing, school supplies and medical supplies for a hospital in Zimbabwe. Soon she will be serving afternoon tea to the veterans at their annual Channukah Bash at Sunnybrook Hospital. 

Eva plus manHow do I know all of this?  Well, Eva is my mother and I have watched her make sandwiches to hand out to the homeless since I was a small child, and have seen her work tirelessly to help the sick, poor, mentally challenged and lonely all of my life. I was so proud to watch her in action this “poppy selling season”, showing endless kindness to one and all and patiently listening to some folk’s difficult life stories.  

Mazel Tov Mensch of the Month. Wishing you every strength to continue your beautiful work to 120! 

If you know of other people in our congregation, who have been busy performing mitzvot, please contact marleine@rogers.com. Kol Ami Social Action team wants to know all about them.