(Click on images to ENLARGE them) While most Jewish families looked forward to spending their Rosh Hashanah meals with family and friends, some of Brooklyn’s poorest Jews feared the Yom Tov table would be barren. At the urging of its supporters, Boro Park’s unique restaurant-style soup kitchen once again furnished lavish meals throughout the Jewish New Year to meet the needs of some of the city’s poorest Jewish residents.
“Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation”
“Masbia won’t be taking a holiday vacation,” said Alexander Rapaport, one of the founders of Masbia. “As yom tov approaches, the phones are ringing off the hook with people looking for a seudah.”
Unfortunately, there was no lack of diners. In addition to Masbia’s regular patrons, a letter went out to 400 single mothers notifying them that Masbia would be serving food over the holidays. Assemblyman Dov Hikind helped spread the word to those in need on his radio show last week.
Masbia saw many new faces on Rosh Hashanah, including youth-at-risk who had nowhere else to turn. On Yom Tov morning after kiddush, the restaurant resonated with music as diners sang Sabeinu Mtuvecha. The accents included Litvish, Chassidish and Sefardi.
MASBIA was founded by few individuals who believed that the rich in the community would jump to support an organization like this, and that’s exactly what happened, said Rapaport. “Donors pushed us to be open on the holidays, they brought the money forward to make us open on the holidays,” Rapaport said. “We want to be open 24/7 we just need the money to be able to do it.”
But Masbia’s core of supporters do not cover its expenses. “We rely extra on the community for support at Yom Tov time,” Rapaport said. “People are responsive, Baruch Hashem. But we have to take each Yom Tov as it comes. If we don’t keep asking for help, we can’t keep serving Yom Tov meals.”
According to Rapaport, each Yom Tov day at Masbia costs some $1,800 or more.
MASBIA is funded almost entirely through private donations. This year’s donors include Strauss Bakery, which donated fresh baked goods; Dagim, who offered fish; and EMI-YOSHI who is providing fancy dishes for the meals to be served on. Perfect-Setting provided the tablecloths and linens.
The Best Of The Best
At Masbia, no expense is spared.
“Because there is often shame in coming to a soup kitchen, we want people to feel very good coming here,” said Rapaport. “But more than that, our donors want us to go all the way—they don’t want to sponsor a skimpy soup, they want to sponsor the best.”
To create a yomtov-dige atmosphere, the tables were set elegantly with fine china (donated) and stocked with juice, soda and even gourmet wine. The menu would have satisfied even the most discriminating diner. Meals included salmon and white fish, ribeye steak, chicken, and a variety of kugels accompanied by Herzog wines. There was also a fruit platter for patrons to make a shehechiyanu on.
An average holiday meal at MASBIA would go for roughly $80 at any New York restaurant, Rapaport said.
“We want everyone who comes to feel better than if they had cooked themselves. Those who come for a hot meal will be getting the best of the best.”
For more info please call 718-972-4446 email: [email protected] or visit https://www.masbia.org/donate.asp
Click HERE to watch a short video of Masbia (be advised that when the video is over, you will be redirected to YouTube – an external website!)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
11 Responses
This should be an added zchus for us as we go into the new year.
Thank you to all the donors and organizers of this wonderfull effort!
A special thank you to Reb K. Fisher (he is the guy in the pictures) who volunteers, as a cook at Masbia and other places. Mr. Fisher: We your friends know of your golden heart. We are all very proud of you!
Let it be noted that besides for being a volunteer “Shloe al Menos LeKabel Prass”, Mr. Fisher is a superior culinary cook. His specialty food is so yumi, you would believe that Mr. Fisher is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America…! So not only do the city’s poor have Heimishe, fresh food on Yom Tov, they have the best “Upper Class Restaurant Style Food”.
This really sounds like a wonderful, one of a kind program. I am very familiar with Jewish non-profits and have never heard of anything like this in the states.
Mi k’amcho Yisrael!!!
Just a thought,
Make this place available to those who don’t need it and want/can pay.
First of all they can raise money. Second, those who need to go, will feel less bad. (The danger may be that with no stigma there are those who will take unfair advantage)
Wow! What a great way to start the new year! All I can say to the wonderful one and only Reb Kalmen Fisher (the cook), is ‘Komosoi yirbey beyisrual’! and the Zechus of being mesameach so many of our brothers and sisters, who unfortunatley have to reach out for this help, should bring a Shefa of Yeshuas and Refuas to all of kelal yisrual Amen!
”Desperate” is not a term to be used regarding the aneyei yisroel.
(Even if true, as it doesn’t befit a Yid.)
Boruch Hashem for inspiring those that established and those that run Masbia.
I work in Boro Park and pass Masbia a few times a month, and know lot of info about it first hand, would like to post a few thoughts.
1.I will start with a small correction; Mr. Fischer who is my friend and a very humble man and cooks phenomenally actually is paid by Masbia, just for the record. He is an all year round cook for Masbia.
2.What is unbelievable is the mothers and children who eat there every day, would any one believe before Masbia opened that they are Jewish kids going to sleep hungry every night!
3.Hundred and sixty portions a day is huge number, if you a think of it it’s almost a wedding meal every single night.
4.The red carpet, in no charity organization Jewish or non Jewish are the needy welcomed with a real red carpet.
5.From the other hand it looks like Masbia is struggling to keep there patrons confidential by putting plants between every table and a divider facing the door, but I think that a majority of the needy still go to sleep hungry rather then going thru the shame of coming to Masbia. Any one with a good idea should please post.
6.On there banner on YW they have pictures of people picking garbage dumpsters, if poverty is so terrible in Boro Park, shouldn’t we all do more about it?
Two (more) comments:
1) Dear Baal Boose, I’m not sure it is such a good Idea because then this might become a hang out. Also, you need the room for those who really need it! Let’s just donate to this wonderful “Soup Kitchen” as was the Minhag in the “Old Home”. Just my thoughts. Of course you don’t have to agree…
2) Let’s not forget our beloved Mr. Rapaport and his son for all they are doing for this wonderful organization. Mr. Rapaport, you are still the greatest, even thought I sometimes did not agree on some of your views… Remember me? Also let’s not forget the people behind the project who made it financially possible.
And Mr. Fisher… Keep it up! The way you feed the hungry, they will all have to put on ‘Hozen Treger’ (suspenders) soon. I will never forget your kindness for the Klall. May you be Zoche for a happy, healthy and Parnusedige new year!
In reply,
How about double or nothing?
You can either pay double and be a menadev, or get it for free. No in between.
a) they raise money b) It eliminates the gratuitious hang-out. c)It becomes bechoved to eat there because maybe your are a menadev.