Last week, the seniors had their annual Chesed Day trips! This year they visited four locations; Daughters of Miriam Senior Care, Hebrew Free Burial Society, JCC on the Palisades Alzheimer’s Unit and the Yad Leah Clothing for Israel Foundation, and got right to work.
Matan Rockowitz, who volunteered for the Hebrew Free Burial Society trip in Staten Island, had this to say about his experience. “The Hebrew Free Burial Society is a great and meaningful organization because they help in doing a very important and meaningful mitzvah, by helping those who are not fortunate enough to be able to afford a Jewish burial. It was a very meaningful experience to help clean the cemetery and perform the mitzvah of kavod hamet.”
Dylan Breen, who went to the JCC on the Palisades, spoke about his trip as well. “We worked with people who have Alzheimer’s and dementia. We played the piano for them and had the world famous maestro Joe Baron on the cello. Just the fact that we were able to entertain these people and distract them from their condition for a short period of time meant the world to us, and more importantly to these patients.”
Netzach Schuman spent his day folding and packing clothes for the needy with the Yad Leah Clothing for Israel Foundation. Here’s what he had to say. “So many people benefit from this charity. We packed clothes that went out to over 25 different Israeli communities! Everything was sorted through, and packed by us. It felt good to make such a positive difference.”
I had the privilege of singing with the immensely talented TABC band at Daughters of Miriam Senior Care Center. With Seth Maza on the piano, Elli Spinowitz and Boaz Simontov on the guitars, Yonatan Katz on the drums, and me on the mic, we sang the resident’s favorite songs from the “alter heim,” which they really enjoyed. Thank you to everyone who helped get the crowd into it by dancing with the residents!
After an action packed day, the seniors were treated to a superb BBQ. Thank you Matan Rockowitz and everyone else who contributed for making it happen. Thank you Rabbi Jonathan Kessel and Rav Yitz Rabovsky for arranging the entire day! We appreciate all that you do for us. Chesed Day was a real success!
By Dovid Pearlman TABC ‘19
