NEW YORK, N.Y. ā Brooklyn caterer Israel Frischman is continuing to prepare dozens of meals for elderly Holocaust survivors even though the Jewish community center that provides them owes him money.
The Nachas Health and Family Network in Brooklyn has been forced to suspend its counseling services, exercise classes and Torah lessons due to the coronavirus outbreak. But itās relying on the kindness of Frischman and volunteers to continue delivering vital kosher meals to survivors, many of whom live in poverty, and are in their 80s and 90s and at a high-risk of the contagion.
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Frischman and volunteer Freida Rothman are united by their roots and their cause. Their grandparents survived the Holocaust, and they say itās their duty to help others who suffered unspeakable horrors in concentration camps and who are now isolated at home, fearing the impact of the fast-spreading virus.
āPeople have to do what they have to do. They have to be kind,ā Frischman said via videoconferencing. āSometimes it doesnāt suit our pockets the right way, but itās not about what goes into our pocket. ... We have to make sure that people have what they need to continue to survive.ā
The coronavirus has infected more than 350,000 people worldwide and killed more than 15,000. The virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, for most people, but severe illness is more likely in the elderly and people with existing health problems. More than 100,000 people have recovered from the illness.
āThis is going to go down in history, and youāre going to think back: āWhat did I do to make a difference? How did I make other peoples' lives easier and better?'ā Rothman said, before she delivered meals in Brooklynās Borough Park neighborhood.
āMy grandmothers are the most empowered women I know ā both survivors of Auschwitz. So, for me, my first reaction was: āWhat are we doing for the elderly? What are we doing for the survivors, who are not only important to me, but to the whole community, and really, to the whole world,'ā Rothman said.
Before the virus outbreak, about 40 survivors would come daily to Nachas (Yiddish for ājoyā) to receive legal assistance, study Torah, exercise, get counseling ā and to eat. All activities were suspended as New York state asked residents to stay at home unless they have vital reasons to go out.
āWeāve all heard the news and we know whatās going on, and that the elderly should not be out on the streets and running around,ā Frischman said. āBut we make sure that these people get their food, regardless.ā
Many Holocaust survivors in the U.S. live in poverty and rely on donations because they struggle to pay their rent and even buy food.
Frischman delivers 30 to 35 kosher meals three times a week to Nachas. The menu includes options, like tilapia or flounder with vegetables, chicken with potato souffle, and baked ziti or eggplant parmesan. The women love the food and used to eat at the center before the crisis and always took a packed meal home.
These days, though, theyāve relied on volunteers to deliver them, including Rothman, a jewelry designer, who last year organized a āWomen of Strengthā gathering for dozens of Holocaust survivors, and who now tells their story of courage in her Instagram account.
On a recent day, she arrived at the home of survivor Hannah Nudel, wearing latex gloves and a turquoise face mask. After delivering a warm meal on her doorstep, Rothman and Nudel chatted from a safe distance.
āHannah, is there anything else you need? Anything? Weāll bring it for you,ā Rothman said from the hall.
From her floral-wallpapered kitchen, Nudel paused and said with a sigh: āI need a refuah shlemaā ā Hebrew for a ācomplete recovery."
āYou need a refuah shlema?ā Rothman asked, then added: āRefuah shlema to you!ā
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While nonstop global news about the effects of the coronavirus have become commonplace, so, too, are the stories about the kindness of strangers and individuals who have sacrificed for others. āOne Good Thingā is an AP continuing series reflecting these acts of kindness.
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for this content.