The woman glances frantically around the supply room, her eyes darting from shelf to shelf like a frenzied bumblebee hunting for the last drop of pollen in late autumn. By her side, stands her daughter, silent, unassuming, and frightened. They've hurried to the Jerusalem headquarters of Yad Sarah- the largest lender of free medical supplies in the world- to borrow a tank of oxygen, which the girl needs to breathe.

Rivka Burg and Malka Jacobs, two of Yad Sarah's 6,000 volunteers, know exactly what to do. Malka, who is 19 years old, leaps to the computer to check the database for available oxygen tanks, while Rivka, her 82-year-old partner, gently comforts the worried mother. "What we're doing here could actually save a life," says Malka.

To the casual eye, Rivka and Malka might not seem like a heroic lifesaving team; after all, a generation gap of more than 60 years separates them. In fact, people who don't know them might easily underestimate their abilities. But the client this morning, the anxious mother, sees past Rivka's wrinkles and Malka's youthful manner. She welcomes Rivka's strong shoulder to lean on, and she willingly places her trust in Malka's tender smile. "Each generation contributes its unique abilities," explains Rivka. "I may have more life experience than Malka, but when it comes to experience at the computer, she's way ahead of me."

Ever since Yad Sarah opened its doors in 1976, it has depended on the energy and life experiences of Israel's senior citizens to supply medical equipment to those in need and to provide services for the elderly and homebound. Reuven Greenhouse, for example, smuggled Zionist literature into Iraq in the 1940s and dodged bullets while fighting in the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem during the Six Day War in 1967. Today, he offers that same passion for survival to disabled patients who face long and difficult rehabilitation in their homes. "It's inspiring to see people like him," says Hani Markowitz, a young volunteer from Kochav Ya'akov. "Reuven and others like him have already struggled to establish the State of Israel, and yet, they still keep giving." As Hani turns to leave the rehabilitation center where Reuven works, she adds with a smile, "Zekeinim [elders] like Reuven have something to tell us, and we should listen."

Reuven readily admits, though, that he takes from Yad Sarah as much as he gives to the agency. Working, especially with teens, keeps the 85-year-old volunteer youthful. He calls the cooperative spirit at Yad Sarah "cross-pollination." The younger generation cherishes the elders, learning from the seniors' accumulated wisdom, even while they fix a wheelchair or assemble a pair of crutches together. And the older generation working at Yad Sarah? Their faces shine with joy when they come to work. "This place gives satisfaction to me and my wife," Reuven says, a smile of contentment spreading across his face. "It brings the generations together and improves relations between people, no matter what their age."

Zoom In
Before he became Jerusalem’s mayor last year, Uri Lupolianski managed the largest free loan empire in the world. He built Yad Sarah—a volunteer organization that provides free medical supplies—with one small vaporizer and one giant idea. When his own child no longer needed an expensive vaporizer (which Lupolianski had struggled to purchase), he decided to share it with his neighbors. This simple example of hesed mushroomed into a $7 million organization that has revolutionized the health-services industry in Israel and served as a model for countries around the world.

Named in memory of Uri’s grandmother, who perished during World War II, Yad Sarah extends its helping hand to more than 250,000 Israelis each year. In addition to loaning medical supplies, Yad Sarah:

• operates a toy library and enrichment center for children with learning disabilities
• provides free or low-cost legal services for the elderly
• repairs the homes of the elderly and disabled
• teaches courses for the elderly in everything from Tanakh to tai chi.

In 1994, the State of Israel recognized Yad Sarah’s “significant contributions to the society and the State” and presented the volunteer organization with the nation’s highest award, The Israel Prize.

By the Numbers

• 65 percent of the volunteers working at Yad Sarah are over age 65.
• 250,000,000 dollars are by saved the Israeli government annually thanks to Yad Sarah’s medical services for the elderly.
• 96 distribution centers throughout Israel serve people of all faiths, including Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Druze.
• 350,000 pieces of medical equipment are loaned to the needy each year.
• 1 out of 3 Israeli families have been helped by Yad Sarah.
• 30 emergency transmitter bracelets are assembled each day for the elderly who are part of Yad Sarah’s state-of-the-art, 24-hour emergency alert system.
• 60 organizations worldwide have been funded by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee to duplicate Yad Sarah’s know-how.
• 1 man—Uri Lupolianski—began the Yad Sarah lending empire with one vaporizer that he loaned to his neighbors.