My Nonprofit Reviews

My name is Don Channen and I work as a volunteer at Melabev Beit Shemesh. I give a class on keeping kosher in and out of the home. This subject always gets a big response because kashrut is very significant to elderly Jews who grew up before kosher food was so available. Most of them were raised in kosher homes and still keep kosher today. During my class, I like to describe a certain situation involving questionable food and the members have to decide if they can eat it. I was delighted to discover how passionate the seniors can get about this topic. It's a good feeling to facilitate an enthusiastic argument between normally quiet members and it's a lot of fun as well. One time I brought in a bottle of tequila that had a worm inside it and passed the bottle around asking, "Are we allowed to drink this?" Everyone had a strong opinion one way or the other and they made some pretty good jokes besides. I was surprised how much the elders knew about certain kosher practices and customs. A few of them told me how their Bubbes used to kasher pots and silverware and some remembered seeing their fathers shecht chickens for Shabbes. I enjoy volunteering at Melabev because I forget about old people sometimes. In Ramat Beit Shemesh you don't see too many and my elderly relatives live in the states so I rarely visit them. Being at Melabev is like a step out of time. The members remind me of my grandparents and there is sweetness and slowness about them that I find very relaxing. Melabev Beit Shemesh is a great place but they could use a bigger and better facility. I understand the place is growing and they need more space. That is the only thing they are lacking because the staff is both professional and creative and the activities are very well thought out. There's a lot of positive energy at Melabev, it's very upbeat despite the fact that most of the seniors there are coping with difficult physical and/or mental disabilities. Hashem should bless Melabev with all the financial assistance it needs to continue serving the elderly. Everybody gets old someday and some of us may end up there. If it's me, I'll bring my tequila.

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