Rabbi Sholom Raichik, of Chabad Lubavitch of Upper Montgomery County, has been distributing gift cards for Tomchei Shabbos to Yad Yehuda clients in his community for several years.
As a community Rabbi, many people have turned to me for help over the years. They reach out for many different reasons. Many times there’s a financial need, such as an individual who’s not able to work or someone who’s been laid off and has children and a household to take care of. They turn to Chabad because they know that we’re their quickest address for assistance.
In many cases, I’ve directed them to Yad Yehuda, which has always been able to help them in their time of need. Yad Yehuda has assisted many individuals I referred to access government benefits to which they were entitled but for which they did not know how to apply. On other occasions, bereaved households needed supplies for shiva and Yad Yehuda (through Misaskim) came through for them, too.
But the most impactful assistance program has been Tomchei Shabbos. These gift cards have been a great blessing for many in my community. We know that, every month, Tomchei Shabbos will be there for them — whether a person has lost a job and is struggling to make ends meet until they start a new one or has been disabled for a long time and cannot support themselves. Baruch Hashem, many people have received temporary assistance to get through a tough time and were able to get back on their own two feet, no longer needing Tomchei Shabbos cards.
The Rambam teaches that the most important part of giving tzedakah is how you give it — that you give the tzedakah in a manner which respects the recipient’s dignity. Yad Yehuda’s Tomchei Shabbos program distributes grocery gift cards in a way that really protects the privacy and dignity of those they assist.
The Greater Washington Jewish community is very large, one of the largest in the United States. At the same time, it doesn’t have the same extensive Jewish communal support network as Los Angeles or Miami — and obviously not like New York. So the roles that Yad Yehuda has stepped in to play touch so many elements of Jewish communal life — whether it’s Tomchei Shabbos gift cards for food, the Capital Closet for clothing — or G-d forbid, burial assistance through Chesed Shel Emes or shiva needs through Misaskim.
Yad Yehuda serves the community in so many ways.
I am tremendously grateful to Yad Yehuda for all they do for our community. Working with Yad Yehuda is — I could call it a pleasure, although obviously you’re calling them for someone in need. But you know that, when you call, there will always be someone on the other end of the line. You’re not waiting days for answers. You don’t have red tape to cut through. You have a number you can call and you’re going to get a response from that person and the issue will be taken care of to the best of their ability.
Whatever time of day, whatever day of the week — you know that someone is on the other side of the line and will get back to you in short order. It is such a blessing that we have Yad Yehuda in our community.
