Preparing Individuals for a Sweet New Year

This past Wednesday, August 25th, Apartment Program Residents visited the Alpert Jewish Family Service offices to assemble Rosh Hashanah Baskets for clients of our agency. Residents decorated the boxes with well-wishes for “A Good and Sweet Year”. Boxes were filled with delicious traditional Rosh Hashanah items; including apples and honey, gefilte fish, Matzah Ball soup, and more. Much appreciation to the Herrendorf Family Foundation for a $10,000 grant that will enable Alpert JFS to provide much-needed support to dozens of young Jewish families locally who are dealing with the challenge of food insecurity.

“As new residents to the West Palm Beach area, we are proud to be able to support families in our community during the High Holidays,” said Joshua Herrendorf, president of the Herrendorf Family Foundation. “When my family moved from Haifa to the United states, it was important for us to maintain our culture and traditions in our new home, and our family  hopes to give this back with dignity to those in need here as well.”

The number of Jewish households in need of assistance may come as a surprise to many who live in Palm Beach County, a catchment area perceived as wealthy. Since the onset of the pandemic, the situation has become dire, with one in three local Jewish adults in worse financial situation than before the crisis; 20 percent having lost a job; and an increase in requests for emergency financial assistance showing an 800 percent increase.

Alpert JFS is committed to combating hunger in the Jewish community. The Agency provides kosher food multiple times a year to Jewish individuals and families who face poverty and food insecurity. This happens in a number of ways: through the Alpert JFS Kosher Food Pantry, which provides non-perishables and personal hygiene/toiletry items, holiday mitzvah meals that share kosher-style prepared meals, food baskets and/or Publix gift cards, and holiday food baskets to more than 100 of younger Jewish clients and their families, at Passover, Rosh Hashanah and Thanksgiving. Beneficiaries of Alpert JFS food insecurity programs include those who are experiencing financial setbacks, the homebound elderly, and vulnerable families with hungry children.

On Thursday, August 26^th holiday baskets were delivered to young Jewish families by volunteers and employees of the agency, including Herrendorf Family Foundation president Joshua Herrendorf and wife and Vice President/Director Suzi Glassman.

Herrendorf Family Foundation President Joshua Herrendorf and wife and Vice President/Director Suzi Glassman.

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