metro
REMEMBER THEIR
SACRIFICE
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25 Years Of Caring
Yad Ezra tells its history through the
experiences of its volunteers.
Lea Luger
Special to the Jewish News
Y
ad Ezra opened its doors on Feb.
5, 1990 — 25 years ago. Since
that time, many volunteers have
come to Yad Ezra to give of their time,
talent and energy and donate the funds
necessary to provide groceries to families
in need. A few of our volunteers share
thoughts about their experiences and the
impact Yad Ezra has had on their lives.
Lillian Kaufman
YOM HAZIKARON
ISRAEL'S NATIONAL
MEMORIAL DAY
We Join Together to Remember Those Who Have Fallen
So That Israel May Continue to Stand
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015 I 2 IYAR 5775
7:00 P.M.
MARION AND DAVID HANDLEMAN HALL & AUDITORIUM
6600 WEST MAPLE ROAD WEST BLOOMFIELD
We kindly ask that you be seated by 6:45 p.m. in order to start promptly.
There is no charge for this community-wide commemoration.
For more information, contact Ayelet at (248) 502-2856
or kon@jfmd.org.
fHeo
For Good
^Jewish Federation
•
OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT
Israel and
Overseas
ADL • AJC Detroit • Akiva Hebrew Day School • American Technion Society — Detroit Chapter
Bnei Akiva • Detroit Jewish News • Frankel Jewish Academy • Friends of the IDF — Michigan Region
Clara & Arthur Gaba • Hadassah • Hillel Day School of Metropolitan Detroit
Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit • Jewish Community Relations Council
JNF — Michigan Region • Michigan Board of Rabbis • ORT America - Michigan Region
Johnny Pomodoro's • StandWithUs — Michigan
26 March 26 • 2015
JN
Lillian Kaufman, 90, began volunteer-
ing at Yad Ezra in 1990, right after the
organization opened its doors in a small
basement office in a building at 10 Mile
and Greenfield. Lillian's earliest memories
of Yad Ezra are of the clients standing in
the hall outside the
office waiting to meet
with (the now late)
Jeannette Eizelman,
Yad Ezra's executive
director, to get their
groceries.
Lillian immedi-
ately became a regular
Lillian
Tuesday evening
Kaufman
volunteer for the next
20-plus years. As her children and grand-
children recall, Tuesdays belonged to Yad
Ezra. Lillian loved the one-on-one aspect
of her volunteer work — being able to
shmooze with clients, share a story or
recipe, hear how grateful the families
were to be receiving the assistance and
feeling good about her efforts to help.
One of Lillian's fondest memories is
bringing her grandchildren, Jodie, Emily
and Daniel, to Yad Ezra to volunteer at
the warehouse for the annual Passover
distribution. She knew the kids would
enjoy packing and distributing the spe-
cially prepared food items so all families
could celebrate a seder.
Daniel was so touched he began col-
lecting toys for his grandmother to take
to Yad Ezra for the children. For about a
decade, the Passover distribution at Yad
Ezra became an annual activity for Lillian
and her grandchildren, something that
continues to leave a huge impression.
Last December, Lillian celebrated her
90th birthday with family and friends.
The family decided to mark this mile-
stone by including Yad Ezra in the cel-
ebration. A stunned but pleased Lillian
never realized the impression her com-
mitment to Yad Ezra had on her children
and grandchildren.
PI
Seymore Eizelman
"Without Rabbi [Irving] Schnipper, there
wouldn't be a Yad Ezra" was the first thing
Seymore said to me when I asked about
Yad Ezra's beginnings.
Through Schnipper's efforts, funds
were raised and volunteers were cor-
ralled to help organize and distribute
non-perishable groceries. He would
bring in dona-
tions from his
members, friends
and colleagues.
Seymore, a
pharmacist,
became Yad Ezra's
first (unpaid)
warehouse manag-
Jeanette and
er, spending many
Seymore Eizelman
evenings going
over food menus, prices and budgets with
Jeannette, as they worked hard to ensure
that families received healthy food items.
Before Yad Ezra opened, Jim Macy, a
founder and then-executive director of the
Food Bank of Oakland County, thought
there were perhaps 100 Jewish families
in need of assistance because that's about
how many bypassed the canned ham
and other non-kosher items. How sur-
prised he, Ellie Kaplan, Mickey Eizelman,
Howard Zoller and Gary Dembs were
when 250 families came that first month.
Additional (free) groceries for Yad
Ezra's client families came from the
Food Bank of Oakland County, Gleaners
Community Food Bank and Forgotten
Harvest. Greenfield Noodle and Kramer
Foods began selling and donating food
items to Yad Ezra for distribution.
At the same time, the number of
families in need continued to grow. Sylvia
Abramowitz became Yad Ezra's assistant
director, responsible for client intake. As
word spread, more families and business-
es stepped forward to lend a hand, write a
check and/or provide warehouse knowl-
edge, equipment, refrigeration, office fur-
niture and other needed resources.
Seymore, who continues to volunteer at
Yad Ezra, is amazed at how generously the
community has partnered with Yad Ezra.
The Kleinfeldts
Nancy Kleinfeldt became involved with
Yad Ezra while working full time for
Ford Motor Company. She joined the
board in 2004, and immediately co-
chaired Yad Ezra's first spring event.
She was thrilled to attend meetings that
were positive, inspiring and left her feel-
ing she was making a difference.