I recently had the privilege of visiting the Israel Chesed Center (ICC) in Hewlett, New York, several times, and each experience left me in awe. On October 7, my granddaughter, Lonnie Levin, a ninth grader at Shulamith, spoke at the tekes zikaron (memorial service), which was attended by over 700 people. Just last month, my husband, Rav Moshe Weinberger, had the honor of giving the introductory remarks for Rav Yitzchak Dovid Grossman, the renowned “Disco Rabbi” from Migdal HaEmek, at a packed evening of chizuk.
Whatever amazing things you may have heard about the Chesed Center, you cannot truly appreciate the depth of its work until you visit and see it in action. The organization, which is entirely run by volunteers, addresses an astounding range of needs, making it easy for anyone to find a way to contribute. The amount of gear, funds and items they’ve directed to Israel is extraordinary—estimated at over $12 million since October 8, 2023, and with virtually zero overhead. The unity and selflessness demonstrated by the ICC is a powerful example of what we can accomplish when we come together as a community.
If you haven’t visited the center yet, I strongly encourage you to do so. Seeing the work firsthand is truly inspiring. And if you have visited, kol hakavod! The Chesed Center is a special place, deeply rooted in gemilas chesed and ahavas Yisrael.
The center is open every day, and it makes it easy for anyone to help in any way they can.
If you’re traveling to Israel, consider doing a chesed and taking bags with you! Last month, my husband and I spent two weeks in Israel. Of all the activities we participated in—visiting our grandchildren, having dinner with the Israel year students from our shul, meeting soldiers and connecting with bereaved families—one of the most meaningful parts of our trip was checking in 10 bags of gear at JFK. I cannot recommend this enough: if you’re going to Israel, contact the Israel Chesed Center and offer to bring duffel bags of supplies. You will be saving lives!
Let’s all join this incredible effort—whether by volunteering, donating or spreading the word. Together, we can strengthen both the people and the land of Israel, as well as all of Am Yisrael.
Rebbetzin Weinberger and her husband, Rav Moshe Weinberger, are the founders of Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere. Aish Kodesh has been at the forefront of the 5 Towns community’s response to the October 7 attacks.
