Arden Epstein was Chef du Jour on Tuesday. Arden prepared a Grab N Go feast for 20 that included Baked Spinach Ravioli, Garden Salad with vinaigrette, Italian Bread, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Banana, a water bottle and a Croissant to save for breakfast. Continue reading
Our Project Isaiah food drive produced a bountiful harvest for our community. With your incredible response we are able to support many groups in town. Many thanks to all of you for your generosity and kindness. Continue reading
On Tuesday afternoon, Lynne and Aileen prepared 20 Grab N Go Meals. Shirley Grill contributed dessert then helped with packing and delivery. The eco friendly bag contained a hearty portion of Fish Sticks with ketchup, baby carrots and grape tomatoes with a hummus cup for dipping, a club roll, a banana, and mini brownies black and white cookies and an 8 oz water bottle and a plastic silverware packet including salt and pepper. The meal was nutritionally sound, complete, tasty, easy to put together and relatively inexpensive. Continue reading
MESH started officially on Tuesday, October 5. For the time being, we will be preparing take-away meals for 20 people using simplified menus and a centralized drop off for food at the Salvation Army on Trinity Place in Montclair. The process will be different from our fondly remembered in house Carol Starr MESH Cafe. However, our guests will still be receiving a hearty, nutritious meal prepared with care and consideration
Lynne and Aileen did a trial run on Tuesday, October 5 to make sure that basic cooking utensils are readily accessible and that commonly used seasonings are in stock. The hearty meal consisted of macaroni and cheese, roasted broccoli, three bean salad, hard roll, apple, chocolate chip cookie, breakfast bar and 8 oz water bottle. We included the necessary containers, bags, plasticware, condiments, salt and pepper packets. Continue reading
During the pandemic, many citizens have lost their jobs, have had their work hours cut, and have found that the limited resources they had no longer suffice. In times like these, it is fortunate that Montclair has caring institutions to support people until the national economic crisis improves.
At Shomrei, we have been concerned about the ever-expanding food insecurity in our town. One of our ongoing efforts has been our work in providing weekly dinners for people through MESH.
The Shomrei Social Action Committee created a subcommittee during Summer 2020 that would focus on food insecurity. One of our first initiatives was to connect with the Human Needs Food Pantry to collaborate on their annual Thanksgiving collection. Continue reading
Dear MESH Supporters,
Even though it’s been over seven months since we’ve been able to welcome guests to the Carol Starr MESH Cafe at Shomrei, Shomrei has continued to do the mitzvah of providing meals to food insecure members of our community. Through the generosity of numerous congregants, we have been able to fund 40 takeaway meals from Villa Victoria Restaurant on Park Street in Montclair, every Tuesday in May through June and resuming again in September.
Villa Victoria is a convenient location to reach and, according to Dr. Gwen Ames, Executive Director of MESH, our guests LOVE the food they receive. The guests in the photos agreed to have their pictures in Shomreiweek because they want to show us their appreciation.
If you would like to contribute to Shomrei’s MESH fund to ensure that we can continue to do this vital mitzvah, donations are always welcome.
To make a donation to MESH, go to: shomrei.org/donate
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About MESH:
The Carol Starr MESH Cafe at Shomrei (Montclair Emergency Services for the Homeless) is a cooperative effort between the MESH organization and local synagogues and churches. While in-person service has been discontinued, donations from each institution are being used to provide hearty, nutritious meals for the hungry. Shomrei’s turn is on Tuesday nights. Please help fulfill this crucial mitzvah by making a donation at: shomrei.org/donate.
Have questions?
Contact:
Email Lynne Kurzweil or call (973)746-0816
Email Aileen Grossberg or call (973) 744-3836
Yasher koach to the 2019-20 Board of Trustees. Special thanks to outgoing board members Fern Heinig & Lynne Kurzweil. Replacing them are Audrey Levitin and Romy Rost.
Romy Rost, Trustee (term expiring 2023)
I’m truly excited to join the Board and work together to continue to grow our Jewish community at Shomrei. Seeing my daughter’s joy being in the preschool here has inspired me to get more involved and hopefully bring skills and experience that will help Shomrei flourish, especially in these unique times. Our youngest daughter will soon join the preschool and I have no doubt that together they will discover their Jewish identity in this very nurturing environment. As a career and leadership coach, I love the practice of personal development and therefore am always encouraging myself and others to strive for ‘better’! I look forward to doing that with all of you, too.
Audrey Levitin, Trustee (term expiring 2022) & Co-Chairperson, Social Action Committee
I am so happy to be a Trustee on Shomrei’s board and look forward to serving the community in this new way. I love all things Shomrei. I come to services regularly, participate in Torah Study and one of my favorite things in life is to be with the community and enjoy kiddush on Shabbat. (A shout-out to Aileen and Beryl.) I am also the Co-Chair of the Social Action Committee with Sarita Eisenberg. My husband Nick is a past President and my children Josh and Nina are part of the Shomrei family. Shomrei is quite simply my home away from home.
The 2020 Annual Meeting of Congregation Shomrei Emunah occurred on Monday, June 22, 2020. Members voted on a number of items including the budget and election of new members of the Board of Trustees.
Results of the meeting:
2020 Shomrei Annual Meeting Package which includes reports from outgoing President Sara Ann Erichson and Director of Education, Heather Brown.
On Tuesday evening, 4/7/20, Shomrei’s MESH Cafe funded 40 takeaway meals from Villa Victoria Restaurant on Park St in Montclair. MESH Guests line up one by one in compliance with social distancing and are given a salad, 2 slices of pizza with protein and a beverage.
According to MESH Executive Director, Dr. Gwen Ames, our guests love this meal. If less than 40 guests show up, MESH staff distribute the remainder of the meals at the Bay Street train station where homeless often congregate. Mr Joe Tyson, MESH security personnel, told me that MESH is distributing masks to help the guests protect themselves from exposure to the virus.
Yesterday Aileen and I met at Shomrei and, while standing six feet apart, we prepared takeaway meals for our MESH guests. The meal consisted of a hearty homemade tuna salad sandwich on a hard roll with sliced tomato and shredded lettuce. Semi-homemade cole slaw, a pickle and fresh fruit salad. Courtesy of leftover Purim goodies, we included chips, hamantaschen, a water bottle and a nutrition bar. We prepared 30 bags that MESH staffers, Joe and Ref, passed out to the 20 guests who showed up. Joe told us that he and Ref would then travel to the usual hangouts where the homeless go and distribute the remainder of the meals.
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