Passover marked the beginning of a beautiful relationship between The Kind Kitchen of Palm Beach and Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service, with the caterer’s volunteers delivering home-cooked holiday meals. Recently, we joined forces in a new initiative, with the delivery of the first of 200 hot, homemade kosher meals to our Holocaust Survivors Assistance and Care Management clients. The service will continue during the COVID-19 crisis, thanks to funding provided by the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County’s J-Help Coronavirus Emergency Response campaign committee.

Many of the volunteers who dropped meals off at the doors of isolated, vulnerable seniors brought their children with them, modeling their giving natures and showing the younger generation the importance of helping those less fortunate. Everyone involved practiced social distancing, and wore gloves and masks, per established CDC safety protocols.

The seniors loved seeing the kids. As one meal recipient said, “The young people were so nice and pleasant. They made sure I stayed safe inside, wished me well and waved as they moved onto the next place.”

“Like Alpert JFS, The Kind Kitchen is there for anyone who needs help,” said Alpert JFS CEO Marc Hopin. “We are grateful to owner Chana Ezagui and her volunteers who are ‘open for business,’ as we are, to provide some warmth and care during this time of isolation, when our most vulnerable clients need us more than ever.”

“We are dedicated to doing kindness, to whomever, whenever,” said Ezagui. “We have been providing meals for 32 years. It is ‘real’ food, not frozen, like mom used to make!”

Our clients enthusiastically concur. One of them described the “juicy chicken” and “sweet gefilte fish like my mother’s” as “gourmet prepared food,” and has recommended The Kind Kitchen to family members!

“How wonderful to be able to provide kosher ‘comfort food’ during an uncomfortable time,” said Alpert JFS Long Term Care Director Jennifer Escobar. As a client shared, ‘At Shabbat time, I ate the meal with pleasure. A little bit of Yiddishkait (Yiddish for “Jewishness”), it was so good!’  We feel privileged to play a part in lifting spirits, and providing sustenance.”

The Kind Kitchen of Palm Beach, a project of the Jewish community synagogue of Palm Beach, is located at 844 Prosperity Farms Road in North Palm Beach. The non-profit organization provides weekly kosher meals to those in need of help. Menus rotate each week so established clients have variety. Visit www.thekindkitchen.org for information.

Visit www.AlpertJFS.org/for-seniors/ or call 561-684-1991 to learn more about our programs and services for older adults and Holocaust survivors.

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