* Translated by Janine Muller Sherr
Yesterday, we lost a pillar of kindness, Rabbi Uri Lupolianski. A humble father of twelve, he turned a small personal struggle into "Yad Sarah" — an empire of mercy, that changed the face of Israel.
When Uri Lupolianski was a young father, he needed medical equipment for his son and soon discovered how complicated, cumbersome, and expensive it was to obtain the equipment he needed.
What grew into an enormous chesed organiztion, which today provides health and home care support, had such a modest beginnings: it began with a small vaporizer that was lent to the Lupolianski family by their neighbor. Soon people began bringing walkers, crutches, and wheelchairs to his small apartment and before long they added more equipment, increased their number of volunteers, and established more branches.
Uri Lupolianski passed away yesterday at the age of 74. The organization that he founded, Yad Sarah, which was awarded the "Israel Prize", has helped millions of people and become a model for similar organizations that have opened throughout the world.
He ran this enormous organization in a calm and unassuming manner, always with his famous, warm smile on his face. I had the opportunity of meeting him recently and he was, as usual, busy at work and overflowing with kindness.
In this week’s parasha we read: “Moshe grew up and went out to his brothers and saw their burdens.” The Torah is telling us that Moshe Rabbeinu noticed the suffering of others. This is how the redemption from Egypt began — with Moshe paying attention to the suffering of his generation and trying to help. And this is how Uri Lupolianski began his public service: by noticing the needs of his fellow man.
Thank you to that young father and his decision that has changed the face of social services in Israel. Even while his funeral took place today, the many branches of Yad Sarah continued his life’s work of providing care for others.
