Metro
AROUND TOWN
Philanthropic Feast
Local Israeli restaurant helps feed Jewish families in need.
YAD Director of Operations
Elaine Ryke of Rochester
Hills and Development
Director Lea Luger of West
Bloomfield
y
ossi Benjamin is in the business of serving up delicious food. Hummus,
shawarma, baba ghanoush and, of course, falafel are standard fare at his West
Bloomfield restaurant, Yossi's Famous Falafel in Robin's Nest Plaza on Orchard
Lake Road. So, it's fitting the Haifa native, who now lives in Farmington Hills, chose
to celebrate his fourth anniversary Aug. 30 by hosting a fundraiser for Yad Ezra, the
Berkley-based kosher food pantry, which will feed more than 1,400 needy Jewish fami-
lies this year alone.
"The community has been very good to me for the last four years;
it's my way of giving back," Benjamin said. "If everybody did some-
thing small to help their neighbors, the world would be different:'
Yossi closed his restaurant for the evening and provided an all-
you-can-eat buffet with his Israeli specialties outside in the parking
lot. About 100 people ate, chatted and enjoyed a beautiful summer
night. The group also listened to live music while a belly-dancer per-
formed. Yad Ezra representatives say the help is greatly needed and
appreciated.
"Over the last year and a half, our numbers have increased by 30-
percent;' said Lea Luger of West Bloomfield,Yad Ezra's development
director. "We're seeing younger families blindsided by our weakened
economy and they're struggling. Some are facing foreclosure; some
Restaurateur Yossi Benjamin with his wife, Lizette, and
their 21-month-old son, Alon
are dealing with illness; and, thank God, our community continues to step up and help
because people realize food on the table is a necessity and not a luxury':
Yad Ezra, which means helping hand in Hebrew, provides free groceries, toiletries and
household goods to Jewish families facing tough financial times across southeastern
Michigan. The state's only kosher food pantry also feeds about 700 students each month
through a lunch assistance program. All of the proceeds from Yossi's anniversary event will
support Yad Ezra's efforts.
"Yossi opened his heart and his restaurant to local families," Luger said. "It was families
feeding families all the way arounE
Spotted in the crowd were: Segal and Jimmy Levine, Lisa and Gary Schiffman and
Shlomi Hamer, all of West Bloomfield; Lisa and Hannan Lis, Meny, Sivon and Edon
Levinson, all of Farmington Hills; Elinor and Ishai Ross of Oak Park; and Sima and
Mike Snapir of Ann Arbor.
❑
Lend a Hand!
Yad Ezra's annual fundraiser will take place Oct. 6 at Congregation Shaarey Zedek
Southfield honoring Sally and Richard Krugel. For more information, to volunteer
or to make a donation, go to www.yadezra.com or call (248) 548-FOOD.
Jeremy Benjamin, 9, of Farmington Hills and Blake
Bruseloff, 12, of West Bloomfield
Rosa Pereverzev, 17, of Farmington Hills
September 4 • 2008
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