Time to Give Those Aprons a Rest

Sincerest thanks to everyone who took part in the Social Action Committee's project at the shelter in Hackensack to feed it's residents and walk ins. There were shoppers and schleppers, chefs and chauffeurs, servers and scouts. There was cooking going on in a multitude of kitchens, reheating, organizing and coordinating happening in the social hall, lots and lots of action in the kitchen at the shelter and many of our families giving up a Sunday so that one hundred plus strangers would not go hungry that day. There must be one, giant sized, to be shared mitzvah in there, somewhere!

Marilyn Katz and Lauren Rowland started it all off as we planned the menu and then became scouts for the group as we observed another organization at work and took notes. Then the planning really took hold through conversations following Shabbat services, in phone calls plus messages left and via emails too numerous to count! The end result was remarkable as people asked, up to and including the day that we served, how they could be involved. This became a family activity for many, such as the Noorily-Katz family, which baked 300 chocolate chip cookies, the Bien family, cooking together, picking up and delivering donated cakes and bringing Alex to the temple to assist with prep work, and various "marrieds" who worked together in an assortment of ways, including cooking and serving, while in the case of Fanny and Michael Fishbein, cooking and bringing me to Restaurant Depot, an experience everyone should have at least once; well, maybe. Anyway, one could kvell but there was no time to do so!

The real test came on the day of serving. According to Ronnie, the supervisor at the shelter, we passed! The better way of knowing this, however, came from those whom we served. There were sincere thank you's from just about everyone as well as compliments about the food. One woman told us that she could not eat the pasta for dietary reasons so was given extra meatballs and was very grateful. As some of us walked around offering extra fruit, one shy, young man sheepishly took an apple with a look on his face which made it seem as though he were being offered great riches. Virginia Gitter, being the coffee expert she has become through our onegs, served cups of joe to anyone who wanted, with special requests taken, sort of.... Virginia, Starbucks is looking for you!

Here is the list of Adas Emuno's heroes of the day. If anyone is left out, please, someone let me know. Okay, here we go:

Rabbi Barry and Debby Schwartz, who bravely worked close to but never touched meat, Richard and Cheryl Alicchio, Bien Family, Robin Barth, who drove in from NY with a special delivery of food, Fanny and Michael Fishbein, Fischer-Rowland Family, Virginia Gitter, Noorily-Katz Family and friend Caroline, Claudia Portnoy, supreme cake cutter, Norman and Joan Rosen, Claudine Colmenar, who had a friend waiting in the wings incase she was needed, Phyllis Schwartz, Kate and Noah Scooler, Carol and Jerry Bodian, Doris White, Jody Pugach Priblo and Lisa Klein. Richard Alicchio reached out to Palisades Park Bakery which donated two frosted sheet cakes. Artie Cohen, my brother, asked his boss, Stuart Kaminsky, owner of Agri Exotic Trading, if we could buy some fruit from him at a discounted price. Mr. Kaminsky would not hear of it and instead donated two cartons of fruit, one being totally blemish free bananas and the other apples, the size of, well, huge apples.

Due to the kindness of so many people, there is a reward coming your way. Are you ready? Wait for it.... here it comes.... We are having a do over!!!! Date will be announced but we promise, it won't be for quite a while.

Okay, Everyone, now you can kvell!!!!

L' Shalom,
Annette DeMarco
Chairperson, Social Action Committee

And let's kvell as well about our Social Action Chair, Annette DeMarco, for the sensational effort she put into this project, and her amazing organizational acumen! We are very proud and grateful for your leadership, Annette, and send you our most heartfelt todah rabah!

Saturday, February 2, 2013