Submitted by Jewish Family Service of Cincinnati
On Sunday, April 14, a community-wide effort to make Passover possible for all who wished to celebrate kicked into high gear. Starting at 9:00 a.m., more than 50 volunteers arrived at Jewish Family Service Heldman Family Food Pantry to package, bag up, and transport Passover food to fellow community members. Five hours later, the 26th annual Dr. Samuel S. Rockwern Passover Delivery Project of Jewish Family Service (JFS) was another resounding success.
Those successful and busy five hours of this year’s Passover Delivery Project were, like the visible tip of an iceberg, only part of the story. A number of dedicated volunteers and staff devoted long hours in the days and weeks leading up to April 14, and more would step in to lend their assistance in the days following.
Helping to spearhead this year’s event was JFS Chief Operating Officer Linda Kean, who explained why this event is so important. “Our organization feels strongly that all families should have the opportunity to celebrate Passover, regardless of the high cost of ritual foods,” she said. “And this year, with the help of our devoted volunteers, donors, and staff, the Passover Delivery Project provided meals to over 400 people, in 215 separate households, in our area.”
The food pantry is located at Jewish Family Service Barbash Family Vital Support Center, which is on the campus of Hebrew Union College, in Clifton. Kean shared that virtually half of the recipient households are “Russian speaking older adults.” She also noted that over 150 families received an additional subsidy in the form of a check, through a partnership with Adath Israel’s Ma’ot Chitim Fund. “We are proud to provide a 1:1 match of all donations made to Adath Israel’s important fund,” Kean added.
The Passover holiday, which officially began at sundown on Monday, April 22, commemorates the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt over three thousand years ago, following generations of slavery. The Passover Seder — a ritual meal, rich in symbolism — is traditionally observed on the first two nights of the eight-day holiday (in the US), or the first night of the seven-day holiday (in Israel). According to JFS Chief Executive Officer Liz Vogel, the high cost of seder food challenges the ability of some to be observant. “The special items needed for the seder have become increasingly expensive,” Vogel said. “And today more than ever, we have an obligation to pursue a more just society. It’s crucial we help make sure that everyone who wants to celebrate, can celebrate.”
Echoing Vogel’s sentiments regarding the mitzvah (commandment), Heldman Family Food Pantry Manager Tracy Wilking added that the volunteers seem to have fun participating in the event. “We had families and friends delivering together, which has happened in prior years,” she said. “I think it’s clear that people truly enjoy doing good for the community.”
Wilking also confirmed that the volunteering activities stretched into the week following the April 14 push. “At JFS, we have outstanding volunteers and Board members; they helped us see this through to the last delivery. Sometimes an address needs updating or a client is unable to come to the door, so we continue to make deliveries as long as we need to.” Wilking said that the very last bag was picked up at 3:15 p.m. on Monday, April 22. “An older gentleman who lives in a building that we could not access came to pick his bag up at the food pantry. Although we closed at 3:00 for Passover, I was more than happy to wait for him.”
The Heldman Family Food Pantry is ground zero for the Passover Delivery Project, but Kean made clear that the impact is not limited to the one location. “We coordinate a satellite pantry at Congregation Zichron Eliezer [in Amberley Village], and a food drop program at The Jewish Discovery Center [in Mason],” she said. “So a portion of our Passover assistance goes through these locations, as well. There are many moving parts.”
On the day of the event, Vogel was visibly thrilled by the flurry of activity. “We are so excited to be making a difference with this, our 26th annual Dr. Samuel S. Rockwern Passover Delivery Project of Jewish Family Service,” she said. “This event provides a critical touchpoint for those individuals suffering from social isolation, and also leverages donations and volunteer energy to make the Passover holiday a viable possibility for those — who for whatever reason — experience some degree of food insecurity. But ultimately this endeavor is about more than the food; it fulfills a deeper need.”
