February 3, 2010

Hi!

This morning a homeless guest bid farewell with the words, “Shavuah Tov*.” I was stunned.
He has been taking courses in Judaism, in Torah, which means that, not only has he enriched his life with knowledge, but he also knows what Jews hold dear. From our long sojourn and experience as slaves in Egypt continuing to our freedom and our years of wandering in the desert in order to become a nation, we are to appreciate, no, to struggle for justice and sensitivity to others, the downtrodden.

My friend needs help and I’m trying, really hard.  He wants casual work, he wants solitude, he wants to rid himself of student loans, he wants to get back to Life. But it is so complicated.  How can I claim to be a Jew, yet turn away from a friend in need.

How can people be so heartless, How can people be so cruel. Easy to be hard, easy to be cold.  How can people have no feelings. How can they ignore their friends. Easy to be proud. Easy to say ‘No.”
Especially people who care about strangers.  Who say they care about social injustice. Do you only care about the bleeding crowd. How about a needing friend…  How can people have no feelings, you know I’m hung up on you, Easy to give in, Easy to help out. Easy to be Hard.  (Hair)

I see so many people trying to help out. At our recent board meeting, it was astonishing to see that donations from individuals have risen dramatically. A chef/shopper stepped forward to fill a vacancy yesterday as did security men who answered my desperate call for help. (I actually had to fight them off for there  were so many offers.)  Mike, our security guard, subdued Leo last night. If you were there at the dinner hour, you know that Leo likes to call out my name, loudly. But, this morning he was very sorry for acting up; he was “corked.”  All was forgiven. It would have been so easy to be hard last night, but we know Leo. How could we ignore him and throw him out into the cold night?  And of course, there were 117 guests to help devour 55 lbs of meatloaf, salad, corn, pasta, latkes, pickles, fruit and four delicious pots of split pea soup. Ten guests slept over, with above mentioned friend assisting guards by stacking chairs and removing tables and waiting until all had helped themselves to the Tropicana Orange Juice.  With so few coming for breakfast, Mom Sharon and daughter, Melissa, 15, were able to be short order cooks, preparing their specialty, French toast for Sandra and others, as well as scrambled eggs.

Sometimes, OOTC is just easy; sometimes it is hard.  Don’t be surprised if I cry out for help. It’s only because I know you will answer, that I ask.

Shavuah Tov*,
Cindy

*Traditional greeting used on the threshold of a new week.

Responses:

You owe me a box of kleenex!!!    Have a good week. carolyn

Well done, as always! Bless you. Ahuva