Deena Yellin, NorthJersey.com
Chesky and Libby Deutsch pondered how they and their Jewish neighbors would prepare for the Sabbath in the aftermath of the Jersey City attack that took the lives of four victims plus the two shooters, and decimated the city's sole kosher grocery.
Like many religious Jews, the couple usually cooks up big meals in advance of the weekly celebration, considered by ancient tradition to be a day of rest and peace.
"With everything that happened, we didn't have time to think about how to prepare," said Chesky Deutsch, adding that their three sons were stuck in the school above the grocery store during the terrorist attack.
Nachman Nusson Berdugo, 13, of Jersey City, is shown as he obtains food for Shabbos. After the mass shooting on Tuesday, the orthodox Jewish community in Jersey City was left without a place to shop for kosher food. Met Counil, a large kosher food corporation, which has a charitable organization, decided to donate free food to the community through a partnership with the Jersey City Health and Human Services department. Met Council donated free food to the community. Thursday, December 12, 2019 (Photo: Kevin Wexler, NorthJersey.com-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Content Services, LLC)
With the city's only kosher grocery boarded up, nobody could get kosher food.
But when a large delivery truck filled with up to 10,000 pounds of kosher food for the community arrived in town on Thursday afternoon, they were awed by the outpouring of support.
The food was donated via Met Council, a New York-based Jewish charity, which helps needy people across the tri-state area.
With the only kosher food store out of commission in the Jersey City neighborhood where this week’s deadly shooting took place, about 10,000 pounds of kosher food was donated via Met Council, a New York-based Jewish charity to help Jewish families make it through the Sabbath. (Photo: Deena Yellin/NorthJersey.com)
David Greenfield, CEO of Met Council, said Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop contacted him Wednesday night because he "understood it would be a significant challenge to these families who no longer had their only kosher market in town. We customized the order so that they'd have what they need for Shabbat and the following week."
Greenfield said: "The best part of the experience was when the moms came in with their little kids, who were obviously pained by what had happened. They were smiling because they were able to pick out cookies and candies."
Greenfield was gratified that the broader community embraced the operation. "We had a cross section of people who volunteered to help. We had council members there, the mayor himself volunteered, people of all backgrounds. It was an amazing thing."
Volunteers of all backgrounds joined in the effort to create a free pop-up "store" at the Bethune Community Center on Martin Luther King Drive, where Jewish residents were invited to "shop" for supplies. There were boxes of challah, gefilte fish, pastries, cheese, cereal, milk, and other supplies.
With the only kosher food store out of commission in the Jersey City neighborhood where this week’s deadly shooting took place, about 10,000 pounds of kosher food was donated via Met Council, a New York-based Jewish charity to help Jewish families make it through the Sabbath. (Photo: Deena Yellin/NorthJersey.com)
Volunteers took orders via WhatsApp and delivered the food to families that could not pick it up themselves.
They also delivered a food package to the family of Douglas Miguel Rodriguez Barzola, who was one of the victims at the kosher market.
As of Friday morning, Met Council officials estimated that over 75 families from Jersey City had utilized the impromptu store.
Ben Gottleib, a resident of Jersey City who was filling his shopping bag Thursday night, said that while the assistance was helpful practically, he was touched by the outpouring of love. "I suppose I could have gone to Brooklyn to buy food but we are all still shaken, so every bit of help is appreciated," he said. "This also shows us how much people care about us. We are so grateful."
Deutsch agreed. "What can I say? Everyone in the neighborhood has been under such trauma," he said. "But the emotional support we've gotten from everyone has been amazing."
