It is said that this number, 333, saved my family and is the reason we are still here.
STORY
During World War II, when my great grandfather's sister was being led to the gas chamber at Auschwitz, she held up three fingers.
It was a simple yet powerful gesture, offering strength and hope. Those three fingers reminded her children that salvation lay at 333 7th Avenue—my great-grandfather's office. After the war, with much of our family lost, salvation and a new beginning were indeed found there. When so much had been lost, family was reunited and born anew.
It was a few years ago, I learned of this story and the significance of 333, when my grandmother wrote me a letter sharing this story. That letter now serves as a constant reminder and the inspiration for 333.charity to gain strength from adversity and to charge forward when things look to be the worst.
MISSION
333.charity's mission is to take a human tragedy and use what came out of it as an INSPIRATION.
Presently, there are 14,655 Holocaust survivors living in the New York area, over 50% of whom are living in poverty. 333.charity is partnering with UJA Federation of New York to raise funds and support those survivors. In addition to helping those survivors in need, 333.charity will be raising funds to support the people who are ensuring nothing like the holocaust ever happens again, the Israeli Defense Force (the IDF). 333.charity will be donating a portion of the funds raised to help disadvantaged youth in achieving high ranking positions in the IDF.
UJA will be supporting disadvantage youths by providing additional academic and physical preparation prior to joining the IDF, allowing for more seamless integration with their peers. UJA additionally supports the "Wings Program" for lone soldiers in the IDF which provides soldiers with necessary physical and emotional support in the absence of their families nearby. The "Wings Program" support includes counseling, care packages and hospital visits to wounded soldiers.
