Paamonim annual conference
Paamonim annual conferenceYoni Kempinski

The Paamonim organization held a conference on Monday, in honor of its National Volunteer Day.

The conference, which dealt with fiscal responsibility in the family, was attended by over 1,000 volunteers from around the country who heard lectures from professionals.

Since 2002, Paamonim has offered an effective alternative to charity by focusing on long-term, comprehensive solutions to debt and poverty. At over 55 local branches situated throughout Israel, families referred to Paamonim receive individualized all-encompassing assistance, guidance, and support in learning how to improve their financial circumstances and maintain financial stability.

Professor Yaron Lahav, a Paamonim member and Professor of Finance at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev, told Arutz Sheva that the conference speaks about “the actions families can take in order to achieve financial balance in their lives.”

He explained that Paamonim, as opposed to other organizations, helps people with financial needs not by giving them money but by educating them.

“I think that giving money to people is important but it doesn’t really educate them enough to handle their finances in the long run,” said Prof. Lahav. “If you want to handle your finances in the long run you need to learn how to do it, and we basically teach them. We teach them not by telling them what to do but by supporting them and walking with them all the way, until they reach the objective.”

The process takes about a year, said Prof. Lahav, and is long and exhaustive, requiring participants to change both the way they think as well as the way they act.

Ultimately, he said, “those who reach the goal are really hope, and I think our ‘salary’ will be to see their smile and to see their peace of mind.”