Op: Ed by Dov Hikind

I had an eye-opening experience on Sunday, as I often do each year when Pesach gets closer. Along with many others, including my new community liaison Chesky Klein, I had the pleasure and privilege of participating in a number of food-packaging opportunities. Baruch Hashem, there are many organizations in our community whose sole mission is to help others, but before Pesach, these organizations kick into overdrive.

Our first stop yesterday was the UJO and the Met Council Pesach food distribution at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Williamsburg. The organization is known for its generosity, but what I saw was something few people get to witness. Supervised by Rabbi David Neiderman, the food distribution was run like the very best military operation, with fine-tuned precision and attention to detail. I would be genuinely shocked if the United States Army is more organized. I helped package food along with other volunteers—many of which do such activities all year round—and watched as hundreds of pounds of carrots and onions and potatoes were boxed and distributed, along with other Pesach essentials. It was a spectacular event to behold, let alone participate in.

And then we were on to the next distribution point, Oneg Shabbos for more Pesach food distribution. What a pleasure it was to meet Rebbetzin Deutsch and see the fine work done at Oneg Shabbos.

No sooner had we finished at Oneg Shabbos, we were off to Borough Park’s important Jewish Community Council, where I was delighted to join the JCC’s head Yeruchim Silber and Community Board 12 Chairman Yiddel Perlstein as grape juice was packaged and given away.

It felt great. Helping others always does. But what amplified the feeling was with everything going on—with quite literally tons of food being distributed—no one raised their voice. Everything was organized and everyone was polite and helpful. It was almost other-worldly.

And that was just Sunday. There are more many more Passover food distribution opportunities coming up, many of which I plan to participate in.

Moreover, I am sure that what is going on here in Borough Park, Midwood and Williamsburg is also going on in Jerusalem, London, Antwerp–everywhere Jews are found, Jews who understand the needs of their fellow Jews this time of year. Our communities are famous for our generosity all year around, but Pesach in particular is a time when we meticulously remember the less fortunate among us.

My eye-opening experience? When the thought crossed my mind that if we could only do this type of work every day, all year. If we could only duplicate this feeling of achdus, of unity, that everyone has during this season.

When I was a boy, my father had a fruit store, which he maintained for more than 30 years, first on Bedford Ave. in Williamsberg, then later on Nostrand Ave. in Crown Heights. I always remembered Pesach as the very busiest time of year. As I would be schlepping boxes for my father, he would give away an enormous amount of food directly from his store. He wanted to make certain that people had what they needed for the holidays. Helping him with these efforts left an indelible impression. It was literally the best of times.

One might say our community is at its best this time of year. People are busy preparing to commemorate our all-important Exodus from Mitzrayim, but not just by koshering their homes. Taking care of our Jewish brothers and sisters is so much a part of our shared holiday preparations that it makes me wish every week was eruv-Pesach. As hectic as it seems. This is our community at its very best.

Wishing everyone a chag kasher v’samayach!

Dov Hikind

(Note: This piece originally ran as an Op Ed in the Hamodia on April 9, 2014)

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