A LIFE SAVED, A FAMILY HEALED

 “Around the same time, I found myself unemployed.  I had lost the prestigious position which was the zenith of my professional life, and had to accept a lower paying and much less rewarding job; a job with a lower salary, long commute and one which did not fulfill my professional needs.  During the third year of this employment, my salary was significantly lowered. Our basic living expenses remained the same, but my ability to pay them was drastically reduced.   It was a nightmare.  Checks bounced, the mortgage company was continually calling, the credit card companies (who had been more than happy to loan us money) were now shutting off all our credit.  The struggles, emotional, financial and physical, were crushing. I was psychologically shot, I couldn’t smile, and I felt terrible.”

Yitzchok, who had been in this professional field for 35 years, quit his job.  Unfortunately, subsequent job searches were unsuccessful.

“Soon, we had no money.” He continued.  “The marital strife, unhappiness of the children, and the sense of professional loss were unbearable. We were beyond desperate.”

Yitzchok and Yocheved turned to Project EZRAH®.

A note from Rabbi Stern:  “I firmly believe that in order to put a family back on the right path, both husband and wife must work together as a team; therefore, all meetings are held with both present.  Additionally, it is imperative that there be full financial disclosure.  Toward this goal, each family is asked to complete a financial statement and provide one year’s financial history of expenses, income, liabilities, equity, credit card bills and bank statements. These are analyzed so to ascertain the real numbers and spending patterns of the family.” 

All cards were put on the table and Project EZRAH’s® professional team of financial planners and job counselors started to work with both husband and wife. 

Project EZRAH® took over all the family’s bills and connected them with a supporter who arranged for Yitzchok to train, without pay, as a nursing home administrator.  He also hired Yocheved (who had previously worked only part-time as a substitute teacher) as the nursing home’s recreational therapist.

Project EZRAH® closely followed the couple’s finances. Each month, the couple paid as many bills as they could manage on their own and submitted to balance to Project EZRAH® for payment.  Within two months, both Yitzchok and Yocheved’s earning’s were sufficient enough to allow Project EZRAH® to comfortably reduce the monthly aid…by more than a quarter!   Five month’s later, Yitzchok started to earn a small salary. The couple was now able to cover most of their own expenses.  Shortly after, Yitzchok passed the administrator’s licensing exam and the chain that he had interned with hired him as a full time administrator. 

Though the couple was now completely financially self-sufficient, Project EZRAH® continued to monitor their finances.  When the financial counselor noticed a spike in spending leading to a shortfall of several thousand dollars, it was decided that Project EZRAH® needed to throw another of its hats into the ring. The couple had been helped with financial aid, career counseling and job placement.  Now, both Yitzchok and Yocheved agreed that, to live a financially healthful life style, they needed financial counseling. 

“For eleven years of married life, no matter how much we earned we always owed money.”  Yocheved recalls.  “There were always credit card debts and we were never on time with payments, which led to accrued finance charges.”

Project EZRAH’s® lawyers negotiated credit card settlements and within a short period of time, the couple was in the black. They worked out a budget with the Project EZRAH® financial counselor and deposited their earnings in their Project EZRAH® “account.” With this money, Project EZRAH® paid bills, issued scrip for food and allotted a cash amount for sundries. 

Both husband and wife worked together as a team.  Though some requests were hard, they listened to the advice given by Project EZRAH®.  With love and tough love, chesed and din, Project EZRAH® showed both Yitzchok and Yocheved how to achieve financial stability.  “The only thing we missed was the stress,” smiles Yitzchok.  “The bitter medicine was a wonderful cure.  After one year with Project EZRAH®, I was a different person, we were a different family.”

 “Project EZRAH® not only showed us how to manage our money and live within our means, but someone was always there for us to discuss, to smile, to offer new ideas” Yitzchok concludes.

Today, the family is financially and physically healthy. They are fully self-supporting and have not needed financial aid for years.  More importantly, Yitzchok and Yocheved love their new professions and feel a true sense of fulfillment in their new careers.  The children, living in a happier environment, are themselves happy and productive.