Larry Dekelbaum and Shalom Kosher have been partnering with Yad Yehuda’s Tomchei Shabbos program since 2006.

My name is Larry Dekelbaum, and my family and I own Shalom Kosher Supermarket in Silver Spring. We sell gift cards to Yad Yehuda for Tomchei Shabbos at a very significant discount, so Yad Yehuda can give them to people in need.

My family goes way back with the Mond family, to when I was a young kid in Potomac. After the tragic passing of Yehuda z”l, the Monds started an organization in his memory and asked us to help. We were happy to play a part — but we had no idea at that time that Tomchei Shabbos gift cards to Shalom Kosher would turn into such an important community charity.

The unique thing about how Tomchei Shabbos preserves the dignity of those receiving help is that these gift cards are the very same Shalom Kosher cards used by our customers and other community organizations. When Yad Yehuda customers use them in our store, there are no questions about who they are or why they have them: it’s the same gift card that all our customers use.

Yad Yehuda is an organization that helps people in the community. Shalom Kosher is a business in the same community and — while we are a business — we also try to help. The community supports us, and we, in turn, want to give back. One of the ways we do that is Tomchei Shabbos. Together, I think we’re very successful at helping people in need.

Shabbat was given to us as a Jewish nation; it’s a time for us to celebrate, to eat, to learn, and to enjoy each other’s company. If not for Tomchei Shabbos, some people in our community wouldn’t be able to enjoy the gift of Shabbat that Hashem gave us. Without Tomchei Shabbos, I don’t think we’d be able to grow and flourish as a Jewish community — or as a nation.

I think everyone in our community should support Tomchei Shabbos. We all come upon stumbling blocks in our lives; sometimes we’re on the receiving end and other times we might be on the giving end. This program has a spot for everyone — on either end. One day you may be in need — and one day, when you’re not, you can be on the giving end. It’s a great program to help and give back.

Inside Shalom Kosher, we also have collection bins where people can donate food to the Capital Kosher Pantry. A lot of food gets donated in our store bins, which the Pantry then offers to people in need.

I’ve been in this business since the age of eight. It’s an honor and a pleasure to serve our community and I work very hard at it. I’m proud of the service that we provide and how we give back. I appreciate the community’s support of our business and I’m grateful that Shalom Kosher has been able to support the community as well.