During these economically depressed days, more families than
ever have been plunged into financial distress. Chasdei
Yeshurun proves that all it requires is caring and initiative
to bring relief to many families.
Chasdei Yeshurun was founded in 1990 by two avreichim
in the Ramot neighborhood in Yerushalayim from Washington
D.C. and South Africa who were learning in kollel
together. They noticed that a nearby cheder used
to throw out leftover food, and it occurred to them it was a
shame to throw out food that poor families could benefit
from.
They began to schlepp the food home from the cheder
and give it out. Their charity initiative spread by word
of mouth, and soon they were getting phone calls from poor
families asking them for food. In this quiet way, many poor
families were given quality cooked food over the past 14
years.
Today, Chasdei Yeshurun has expanded its scope and the number
of people it is helping. The organization has a branch in
Ramot and another one in Bnei Brak. The one in Bnei Brak
takes food leftover from 11 banquet halls and other
institutions, and gives out chickens for Shabbos, and Kimcha
Depischa for Pesach. In Ramot, the organization receives food
from yeshivos, bakeries and family simchas to give
out, and stores up chometz food that neighbors give
away before Pesach. Families in Ramot and Sanhedria Murchevet
are the primary recipients of its collected food.
Volunteer drivers transport the food to the coordinator Mrs.
Maneles at Adelson 3/4 in Ramot Gimmel in Yerushalayim. The
association has freezers and boxes where it keeps food until
it is picked up by needy families. The portions are divided
up according to the number of people in the family.
Reb Yisroel, the head of the Yerushalayim branch, says that
bread is more popular today than ever before. "We have a hard
core of 10 families who get their food from us several times
a week, and another 20 families who come less often. Between
70-90 individuals benefit from Chasdei Yeshurun. These
families are not starving to death, but getting their food
for free enables them to pay their utilities and rent and
keep themselves afloat. If we had more drivers, we could
expand."
Four years ago, Chasdei Yeshurun launched its Pesach
campaign, and a year ago the directors of the association
tried to implement it on a city wide basis. Aware that many
people throw out their chometz, Chasdei Yeshurun asks
them to donate it instead to the poor. Last year, Chasdei
Yeshurun was able to fill up many boxes and freezers with
donated food worth thousands of dollars, and gave it all out
afterwards to 200 families.
Chasdei Yeshurun appeals to the wide public to donate their
surplus food, dishes, and small electrical appliances in good
condition to the organization up until bedikas chometz.
Donors are asked to indicate the hechsher, and if
it's cooked, whether it is dairy, meat or pareve.
For the Pesach campaign: Volunteers who can help transport
and carry the food, offer their homes as collection points,
offer the use of their freezers, or be coordinators to answer
phones, are greatly appreciated. Likewise for institutions
interested in donating leftover food. Please call 02-5866380
or 058-982-615 to make your donation or offer your help.
All year round: Chasdei Yeshurun accepts donations all year
round at Bank Hadoar Acct. No. 2505810, and can arrange tax
exemptions in the U.S. and Israel for financial
contributions. Please call: 02-5864818 and leave a message.
In Bnei Brak call: 03-6184207 or 052-750232.
Collection points: Unsdorf: Jaloshinsky, Sorotzkin 6/15
(until 11 Nisan). Mattersdorf: Bloom, Panim Meirot 4. Ramat
Shlomo: Staviatzky, Kalcheim 5/5. Ramot 01: Gaft, Ravivim
28/2. Ramot 02: Kantrovitz, Aharon Eshkoli 116/7 until 12
Nisan (also frozen and refrigerated food). Ramot 04:
Binyamini, Mintz 4/2 (also frozen and refrigerated). Tiferet
Ramot: Ladzinsky, 81/10 until 12 Nisan. Givat Shaul: Berger:
Amram Gaon 9 (also frozen and refrigerated). Neve Yaakov:
Klein, Abir Yaakov 26 until 12 Nisan.
Bnei Brak: Chorozinsky, Meltzer 22/2; Shapiro, Kibbutz
Galuyot 26; Karelitz, Chazon Ish 9; Kraus, Simtat Menashe
5.
