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The bacterium of poverty is not interested right and left, it strikes us mercilessly

While a social red color alarm is activated, households from all shades of the political and employment spectrum become poor. This is not the time for exhilaration, but for waist relief so we can get out of this mud

• poverty

Eli Cohen

A social red alert has been activated. The State of Israel, the second round of the Corona model, has become divided and divided, and it seems that we are a few weeks away from a big and dangerous explosion. The demonstrations at their peak, the extremes on the sides of the political map are highlighted daily and the corona, the one that is actually "to blame" for the socio-economic situation we are in, does not intend to stop anytime soon or for our sons.

Meanwhile, the demonstrations, the violence, the number of people infected and the economic destruction - are becoming a dangerous and serious incubator whose dimensions and effects will only be known in many years, when it will be too late. The new bacterium that was created during this burning period and infects people on the right, center, left and everyone who gets in its way - is poverty. The bacterium of poverty does not matter who is in power, who is protesting or what is the political view of the infected person. The poverty bacterium does not differentiate between LGBT, ultra-Orthodox, leftist or hill boy. It does not differentiate between a CEO and a junior employee and does not differentiate between the elderly and the disabled and children and their parents.

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In fact, the bacterium of poverty is the only area in the divided age in which we live, which in fact does not differentiate our sons and "treats" us all as equals. But unfortunately the bacterium does not engage in free love, compromise or cure Corona. The bacterium of poverty makes a person, on one bright day - destitute. Undressing him from any class he knew.

The bacterium does not have early symptoms and does not warn of its outbreak. Until the moment he arrives - the infected person will feel that his life is on the right track and will think he is protected. But in an instant, due to dismissal, bankruptcy, accumulated debts, loss of business or any other financial trouble - a "normative" person can find himself coming to the aid center of Pethon Lev and asking, in shame and late at night, a food basket.

The bacterium attacks high-tech people, managers, educators, creators, artists and basically - anyone who spreads in the State of Israel and falls into a black economic hole, in the face of the corona crisis. The same infected person learns, the hard way and with record speed, how to live with the bacterium of poverty and how to lead a different, limited and challenging lifestyle - for himself and his family.

In "Opening of the Heart" there are "veteran" poor, who come every week for many years to receive a food basket and in fact already know how to conduct themselves financially, emotionally and practically with the bacterium of poverty, from which they were infected long ago. They are not happy with the situation or happy with it of course. In contrast, the new poor are inexperienced, and are in a double collapse, both financially and mentally.

The sharp transition from life allows and is convenient to a life of lack and reduction, in one blow, giving a blow under the belt that the State of Israel may suffer from its consequences for many years to come. Meanwhile, the corona crisis is here to stay and every day he bites at another family, while a shattered dream, while a business owner whose life savings are invested in the walls of the place - and crushes it all into one word, alienated, scary and worrying - poverty.

The State of Israel does not know how to deal with poverty - neither in the corona period nor in ordinary days. She never knew. Therefore, the aid associations were established, in order to be an executive contractor on behalf of the government and to replace its role. Even during an economic and health crisis, the State of Israel does not really count the new and old poor, and continues to budget Pethon Lev, for example, in a meager and infuriating amount of 1% of the organization's total budget. Glory policy.

The poverty bacterium is here to stay and it infects more and more families every day. Not just laid off Corona with no financial backing, or seniors who stopped receiving grants. The poverty bacterium preys on everyone.

It is time to unite and fight the bacterium of poverty - how to save our friends, neighbors, children and the future generation of the people of Israel. Instead of hating, hitting, inciting, tweeting and rebelling, it is time to join forces, embrace and lend a supportive hand. The principles, values ​​and agenda are worth nothing if on the way, the population at risk, our softest belly, is trampled and becomes dust and a thing of the past. The poor of Israel need the people of Israel, who will help, contribute, embrace and inject them with the vaccine for the bacterium of poverty. Turn anger into contribution, incitement to volunteer, and division into embrace. The people of Israel, more than ever, need each other to survive.

The author is the director general of the organization "Pethon Lev" for breaking the cycle of poverty in Israel.