Article from Laisha newspaper 2005

Suddenly, I became a magician
Tami Shachnay, (41), single, lives in Tel Aviv.
News paper – "Laisha" news paper for woman
Published Passover 2005
Translation: Rachel Kavitz

Professional career: Artist and repertoire director at the production company "Primary Music".
Career for the soul: Organization and distribution of food packages and flowers to senior citizens.

How did you start?
Seven  years ago I went with my mom to the cemetery on Rosh-Hashana eve. While standing next to my grandfather's grave and wishing him happy holiday, as we do every holiday, I saw a man standing all alone, with a deceased and a rabbi. He was totally alone, with red eyes, wet with tears, it was horrible. I couldn’t stand that loneliness. I couldn’t understand how you can be so lonely on the eve of a holiday. I stood there and tried to imagine myself in that situation, and I felt like a knife was cutting me from within. I cried and cried, and whenever I think about it, I cry again.
It was only several months after that I started doing something with these feelings. It was a cold and rainy winter, I went to bed wrapped in a warm blanket and was very happy. Suddenly I realized that there were people that didn’t have this. It startled me. How could this be possible? What do people do when they don’t have blankets in times like this? Within a month, I managed to collect 300 blankets, and with the help of the welfare authorities, I gave them to children and seniors. The feeling that I was able to give something was wonderful. When you discover you can share this good with other people, it fills the holes in your soul and you just get addicted to this kind of activity.
It’s a lot of work, especially before the Holidays, but that's not a problem for me. I’m a doer, I work quickly and I know how to motivate¬, how to move things. When there's a task to do, it's ready after two hours, and I’m already planning the next step. I don't waste time dwelling on an idea. I go straight to the action. I don’t let it gather dust even for a moment.

But it comes at the expense of work, you have a career and you have to make a living.
It's true, and it did bother me before I started the distribution before the holidays. I used to put up a tough appearance, as if I could do everything. I was always sensitive, but I hid it. I thought that in this world you have to be harsh and aggressive―to put up walls. For years I tried to be tough, but ever since I can remember myself, I was filled with compassion for the helpless; those who need protection because they can’t protect themselves. As I child I wanted to be a magician that could give everybody what they needed with the touch of a magic wand.
This is how I feel now, I have become a magician. I still have to work very hard to make it work, but I can see the magic happening. The first time I gave an elderly couple flowers and a package of food I had bought for 300 NIS, I felt magic there. When the next holiday approached, I told my friend that I was planning to do it again. He became very enthusiastic, and said he wanted to join me. Then another friend called and said she didn’t have any time, but wanted to give money for a package to be given in her name. One friend led to another, and suddenly I had enough for four packages.
The holiday after that I had seven packages, after that 28, ant the big leap came with the help of the managers of the "AM-PM" supermarket chain that joined me, and that gave me 110 packages. They didn’t only donate food but they helped me with their contacts and got donations from their suppliers. We grew to 330 packages. The make-up artist Ada Lazorgan  joined and other friends provided me with cars and drivers. The Tel Aviv city council member, Yael Dayan, is helping us a lot. Without her we would have much less.

Has the amount of good will surprised you?
No, I discovered that good things are infectious. That’s why, even when I’m very busy, at the most stressful time at work, I never miss a disribution. When we go in to a house and the people se the package and the flowers, they just start crying, and that does something to you. You realize you can do more, and after that you just want to give more and more.
Sometimes we come to people who are totally alone in the south of Tel Aviv, even though they have children. Some of them are sick and some live in rooms with broken doors and stairs. When I see that I tell myself: my God, I can’t believe this. It’s worse than in third world countries. Why? What happened to us? How did they become invisible?

What else would you like to do?
I dream of establishing a network of fifty to sixty people that want to do more. For example, go and visit an elderly person once a week and help him with what he needs, like running errands to the post office or pharmacy, or just having a cup of tee with him and talking. This is my plan for the future, but now, starting April 10, I need cars for the distribution, help with the packaging and more money for the food and the flowers. The aim right now is to reach more then 400 packages for Passover eve 2005.