24 | MARCH 24 • 2022 

OUR COMMUNITY

Y

ad Ezra clients returned 
to in-person shopping 
March 1 after a two-
year hiatus, once again able to 
select the foods they want. 
The return to total choice 
food pantry, where clients 
can select what they want as 
opposed to a default list of 
items, comes after two years 
of Yad Ezra using a delivery 
model due to the pandemic. 
Throughout it all, Yad Ezra 
never closed or had a single day 
where clients were unable to get 
food. 
For the last two years, Yad 
Ezra put together packages 
based on family size and did not 
have the bandwidth to custom-
ize delivery packages.
“We’re allowing our clients 
to return and choose what they 
would like on their own. To 
shop with a shopping list, which 
is what they were used to,
” said 
Daniella HarPaz Mechnikov, 
executive director of Yad Ezra. 
“We’ve decided we’re calling this 
phase one of bringing people 
back for total choice. We’re also 
still allowing clients to receive 
delivery.
”
Yad Ezra volunteers, who 
walked through new pandemic 
procedures Yad Ezra put in 
place on Feb. 25 and Feb. 28, are 
also returning.
All clients and volunteers 
will be required to wear a 
mask when in the building 
and during close conversation. 
Shopping lists will be given to 
clients at Yad Ezra at their vehi-
cles/cars, and clients will stay in 
their cars until called into the 

building to review their shop-
ping lists. Every client will be 
given a new client card at that 
time. Groceries from clients’ 
shopping lists will be packed 
by Yad Ezra employees and 
brought to clients’ cars.
Technology upgrades have 
streamlined check-in processes 
and keep everyone safe.
Clients were asked to register 
and let Yad Ezra know if they’re 
coming back or if they want to 
continue to receive deliveries. 
About 250-300 clients, about a 
quarter, will continue to receive 
delivery, which amounts to 
about 70 deliveries a week.
Yad Ezra is partnering with 
Jewish Family Service, helped 
by a grant from Federation to 
help supplement transportation 
costs for the deliveries. 
Mechnikov says volunteers 
are thrilled to come back, and 
for many of their clients, com-
ing back for total choice is a 
relief. 
“There are a lot of clients who 
are just excited to see us. Over 
the years, relationships devel-

op, so people are excited to be 
together again,
” Mechnikov said. 
“It feels like a beacon of normal-
cy to people who were so used 
to coming here. It was such a 
part of the fabric of their lives to 
come once a month.
” 
Yad Ezra will now also be 
offering items that make life a 
bit easier for busy mothers and 
families, adding menu items 
such as boneless, skinless chick-
en breasts, chicken nuggets, 
Cholov Yisroel string cheese 
and marinara sauce. Items for 
babies under 2 years old, such 
as baby formula, diapers and 
wipes, are available for free 
without it counting against a 
client’s point allotment. 
“For me and some of our 
staff, it’s particularly exciting 
because some of us have never 
been here during a total choice 
pantry experience,
” Mechnikov 
said. “I started working at Yad 
Ezra a couple weeks before the 
pandemic, right before Passover. 
For me, I’m excited to see Yad 
Ezra in its full glory.
” 

Clients are once again choosing their own groceries at Yad Ezra.

Clients can choose the delivery option as well.

Yad Ezra Bringing Clients 
Back for In-Person Shopping

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

National Council of Jewish 
Women, Michigan (NCJW | MI) is 
holding a Youth Video PSA Contest 
for Oakland County high school 
girls on how to be an upstander in 
the face of bullying or hate. 
 NCJW | MI hopes that entrants 
to the youth video contest will 
come up with compelling and 
imaginative 30-second video 
entries. 
 First prize is $1,000, second is 
$750 and third is $500. Entries 
are due by midnight on Monday, 
March 28, and the awards will 
be presented at a ceremony at 
Bloomfield Township Public 
Library (1099 Lone Pine Road) on 
Thursday, May 5, at 7 p.m.
 According to stopbullying.gov, 
government statistics cite that 
around 20 percent of 12-18 year-
olds have experienced bullying on 
school grounds or through texting 
or on social media. 
 Further intolerance is shown by 
the continuing rise in hate crimes. 
Statistics from the U.S. Department 
of Justice show that hate crimes 
with a bias against race/ethnicity/
ancestry rose from 3,963 incidents 
in 2019 to 5227 incidents in 2020, 
some of which was reported due to 
religion, sexual orientation, gender 
identity, disability and gender.
“At a time when there is unfortu-
nately so much hate in the world, 
we need our young people to stand 
up to threats, intimidation and bul-
lying like never before,” said Amy 
Cutler, president of NCJW | MI. 
“We know that the high school girls 
in our community are imaginative 
and will take a stand against injus-
tice, so we are hoping that we will 
see some outstanding videos that 
inspire everyone to be brave when 
they see bullying or hate in action.”
For more information on the 
award, contact mail@ncjwmi.org or 
call (248) 355-3300 ext. 0. 

Standing up to Bullying 
or Hate: Youth Video 
PSA Contest

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