Thursday 12 January 2017

February 26, 2008

Hello.

If the detectives from CSI were called in to find any evidence of our dinner last night, they would be stumped!  Knowing that our dinner numbers and those of our overflow church, Centenary, have been on the increase, we even prepared more than usual.  No one left hungry.  The "bar" has been raised again, this time by Louise Algranti with help by Arlene, Shirley, Shirley, Marlene.  What disappeared?  Red Lentil soup, Asian Chicken with soya & honey, Turkish Green Beans with a sautee of onions and tomatoes, Rice with toasted orzo, Homeland (Canada) Tossed Salad, Bananas AND Homemade Fudge made with love by Hava Starkman.

Guests have been asking for recipes, but it's hard to measure the amount of ingredients and creativity.  Besides, once one cook turns her back, another cook is known to throw in something of her own.
During dinner, a new guest was reading our business card listing our locations, days, and hours.  He remarked that there was not a Sunday OOTC.  I agreed that it was unfortunate. He replied, "Well, that just makes me appreciate Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday MORE!"
If only we all had that outlook.  Grateful.... to the last bite.

Let me remind you about the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner; Tues. April 8th, and the OOTC Sabbath at Beth Jacob Synagogue on Sat., March 15 (see attachment.)

Have a lovely week,

Cindy


Early last November, as I was purchasing the ground beef needed for the next day’s OOTC shepherd’s pie, the cashier apologetically explained that there was a limit of six packages. As I’m not as shy as I used to be, I explained that all of the meat was for a food and shelter program called Out of the Cold and maybe she could make an exception.  A polite no, was her response.  A lady and her young daughter stood next in line. The lady asked how much the meat was.  I told her and she told the cashier that she would be purchasing the other six packages for herself. As I was bagging my groceries, the daughter who appeared to be about 10 years old, started putting her mother’s meat in my grocery cart. I looked up at the lady and, smiling, she said, “It’s for your program.  You’re doing something very special for people in need.”  Quite naturally, my response to her was, “You are an angel.”

Judaism, as well as the other monotheistic faiths, is opposed to accepting the existence of gods other than its own.  But the desire, perhaps innate in humanity, to identify natural and cultural phenomena with spiritual beings finds an outlet in the belief in angels.  An angel in Judaism is a messenger, servant, or functionary of G-d.  Sometimes they look human, sometimes they have the appearance of animals or appear in forms of nature.
Adapted from: 10 Minutes of Torah, Jan. 8, 2008, Union of Reform Judaism)

In your experience as a volunteer for OOTC, are you ever called an angel?  As guests are leaving after dinner, hasn’t one of them ever called you an angel? As you have dropped off soiled laundry in the rain, broken a sweat by loading a carload of donations, peeled onions or garlic until your tears salt the supper, haven’t you ever thought you must either be crazy or an angel? Or when you’ve explained to people how you choose to spend your precious spare time, hasn’t anyone ever called you an angel?  We can’t aspire to such heights, but our hearts, minds and bodies, with or without wings, are in the right place.

Imagining you all with wings,

Cindy

p.s.  Please plan to attend a special Shabbat with a light lunch following. Scroll down for the invitation and pass on the word to other angels.


Response:

Dear Cindy:   Thank you for your lovely, heartwarming reports! If I'm
any example, you make us all feel very special, and honoured to have
such guests.
Ahuva

Response:

Wow! Loved reading this ... even about the tossed Clementine incident, which indicates the incredible love and patience of those joining you in this sacred work!   Every time I hear you speak about "Out of the Cold" I hear a liveliness and excitement in your voice.   As much as you obviously give others, it is pretty clear that you get so much in return.   You are a remarkable woman, Cindy ... strong, determined, loving, hard-working, patient and caring.   Those you serve are lucky to have you around ... and all this just reaffirms why I am honored to call you my friend.   I wish you all the best as you continue this work ... and hope that even when there are days that you are fed up and discouraged that you take heart in all the good you do.

Rabbi Irwin A Zeplowitz



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