The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, The Bayit, welcomed more than 120 people to its annual free kosher Thanksgiving meal. Preceding the meal, they joined together singing niggunim and were invited to share their thoughts of how and why to give thanks, what they were thankful for and their best hopes for the future. A full and delicious Thanksgiving meal was served.

For more than two decades, The Bayit has welcomed members of the synagogue, the community and beyond to this special event. Teams of volunteers set up, prepared food, served and cleaned up, bringing joy to those who joined them. People came from as far as Queens and Lakewood.

This year, volunteer coordinators Hal and Ellie Weinstein had a total of 64 volunteers, including 25 children. Soprano soloist Sigal Chen, a native of Israel, entertained and thrilled the audience with her stirring voice. Bayit member Jonathan Dzik, who has taught music for more than five decades, accompanied Chen in singing a variety of musical selections.

Following Friday night services, every week The Bayit hosts “Abraham and Sarah’s Tent,” a free Friday night Shabbat meal, a program generously subsidized by a legacy gift from Josef Guttman in memory of his wife Goldie and son Henry.

Robert Kalfus, a prize winning photographer since 1973, has twice been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for news photography.