When You're Hungry, Nothing Else Matters

By Rabbi Rachel Smookler The Ruach

When I put out the call to The Ruach Community to collect the grab-and-go, non-perishable bags to deliver to Roof Above, I had no idea what the response would be. Taking this past year into consideration with no in-person gatherings, I was very concerned that we may have extremely little response to our call to serve the homeless. However, every time the call went out to donate, The Ruach Community members immediately went to the sign-up link and filled up each and every slot for times/donations.

Since putting out the call to donate to an area homeless shelter on Kol Nidre, The Ruach Community has successfully completed three months of meeting our commitment to become an active part of our local community. I receive countless emails from The Ruach Community members who are saddened to find out that they have gone to the sign-up link a little too late, only to find that all slots are full — so much so, that Wendy Gordon Pake (a part of our community helping to make our project a reality)has even begun to find alternative shelters we could deliver our extra bags to. This past month, Roof Above experienced a critical emergency and contacted us to see whether we could provide nearly double our usual donation. Once again, we put out an email of this increased need, and within the same day, all slots were filled.

After sign-ups are complete, here is how our project works: The Ruach Community members drive up to my house. I wait outside all day as car after car, family after family show up, everyone masked and socially distant, and then place all the bags they have packed into boxes that will then go into my car. Thank you so much to my son, Zach, for loading and unloading this month’s donations to Roof Above.

For more information on The Ruach Experience and our community projects, contact the.Ruach.band@gmail.com.