Stores’ Food Helps Jews At Passover
By DOMENICK RAFTER
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| Borough President Helen Marshall takes some kosher items off the shelf for the donation as Councilwoman Liz Crowley (l. to r.), and store Manager Tammie Smith look on. |
One in five Jewish families in New York City are living in poverty. That number put a strain on food pantries before the Passover holiday, but in response, the Forest Hills Stop & Shop stepped in with some help – a half a ton’s worth.
The store at 89-89 Union Tpke., frequented by many Jewish families in Forest Hills and Kew Gardens, donated 1,000 lbs of kosher food to the Queens Jewish Community Council’s kosher food pantry the week before Passover, which started on Monday. Stop & Shop’s donation featured a bevy of kosher food products that are used in the Passover Seder. The Forest Hills store is home to a small, but popular, kosher food section.
“We hope those who needed these food products are enjoying their holiday,” said Tammie Smith, manager of the Forest Hills Stop & Shop.
“Today, there are new kinds of burdens,” said Borough President Helen Marshall, “and poverty is one of those burdens in particular. [Stop & Shop’s] expression of generosity provides a valuable and practical way to ensure that many of our Jewish residents will be able to observe the Passover holiday with proper ritual food.”
As the aftermath of the recession and financial crisis continues to come to a head, the number of needy families has risen even as the economy slowly begins to recover. The Queens Jewish Community Council served 930 people in need in February 2009, but in the same month in 2010 that number increased to 1,818 and in February 2011, jumped to 2,240. That number has left the QJCC’s and other kosher food pantries running low.
“1,000 pounds will make a difference,” said Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village).
Warren Hecht, President of the QJCC, said the donation was “needed this year more than ever.”
“The requests for assistance from members of the Jewish community as Passover approaches has been overwhelming,” he said.
Ilene Marcus, chief of staff of the Metropolitan Council for Jewish Poverty, said kosher food pantries have given out over 2.5 million pounds of food to needy families.
“The sad thing is that it’s never enough,” she said.
Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at drafter@queenstribune.com or (718) 357-7400, Ext. 125.