Amid the devastation in Houston following Hurricane-turned-Tropical Storm, there is a shining light in the form of tremendous acts of Chessed; Jewish communities from around the USA uniting to help their brethren in Texas.
As reports of a Kosher food shortage in Houston emerged, concerned people immediately mobilized to help.
Three full trucks have already departed from Lakewood, NJ, and hope to deliver food and sorely need supplies to the community before Shabbos.
Notices began circulating late Tuesday, urging people to drop off supplies at a truck parked in the Lake Terrace parking lot. Amazingly, by departure time on Wednesday evening, no fewer then three full trucks left Lakewood, due to the overwhelming response!
You can help fund the trucks by clicking HERE.
A massive collection is underway in many communities in the tri-state area, overseen by Seasons Supermarket. The trucks will be departing on Monday, September 4.
You can see a list of the drop-off locations and times in the attached flyer.
Note, only specific items will be accepted. See the full list of accepted items for each location on seasonskosher.com/houston
The first delivery of supplies for Houstonians actually came from closer to home.
Chabad.org reports a full 20-foot truck was delivered from College Station, Texas on Tuesday evening. Along with fresh-baked and store-bought food, and construction and cleaning supplies, the truck had cardboard boxes in which people could store their clothing while they renovate their damaged homes.
Rabbi Yossi and Manya Lazaroff of the Rohr Chabad Jewish Center at Texas A&M organized students who were baking cakes, brownies, cookies, challah, muffins, and more for relief workers and people in need. Students also went out to purchase supplies that they packed into the supply truck. The truck was filled with packing boxes, sheetrock, box cutters, cleaning supplies, heavy-duty garbage bags, baby formula, diapers, eggs and other food staples.
The delivery was deposited at the Chabad command center at Chabad Outreach, which has been converted into a soup kitchen, supply pantry and emergency help station for anyone in need.
Dallas Kosher supervision has arranged for it’s certified caterers to send Kosher meals to Houston.
Over 1,000 meals will be served each day to those in need, and 2,000 meals will be served on Shabbos.
They note that this distribution is being promoted to the entire Jewish community in Houston, whether the recipient keeps kosher or not.
“Tomorrow’s Shabbat meal and challah, we believe, is going to taste better than any they have ever had.”
You can contribute to this cause by donating on JewishDallas.org
Several Kosher food companies are sending an enormous amount of supplies. These include Quality Frozen Foods – who is sending at least 10 pallets, Mehadrin, J&J, Reismans Bakery and Dagim. The attached photos and video are from Quality.
NY State Assemblyman Dov Hikind joined with community volunteers this afternoon in an effort to get kosher food to the desperately-in-need Houston Jewish community. The emergency work was organized by Lecheris, which is headed by Shauly Roth, and is being done in conjunction with Chabad of Houston.
“The people in Houston are devastated by this disaster,” said Hikind, “and we feel their pain here in our community and want to help. There are truckloads of frozen kosher food—all donated by our local businesses—already on their way to Houston. There’s another truck leaving today that will stop for Shabbos in Birmingham, Alabama and then continue to Houston after the Sabbath.
“I have never been so proud to be part of our community. This is who we are, rising up to meet the needs of others when they are in trouble. May G-d bless all the communities who have been devastated by this disaster, and may he bless the efforts of these wonderful young people here in our community who want so desperately to help.”
People are also donating their time, making a Kiddush Hashem with their actions on the ground in Houston.
YWN reported on a group of Hatzolah members from across the country who traveled to Houston to help rescue efforts, as well as deliver food and supplies.
Check out the Kiddush Hashem made by this group from Lakewood, as seen in Facebook posts by a local politician.
Agudath Israel of America is raising funds for assistance like food, clothing and, in this case, Yomtov needs, for Houston’s Jewish families and institutions in need.
You can donate HERE.
Mi K’Amcha Yisroel!
(Nat Golden – YWN)
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