JANUARY 19 • 2023 | 25

of West Bloomfield has been collecting toys, 
books and games and bringing them to 
Mrs. Schwab’s patio; baby paraphernalia is 
always a huge hit. When Rhonda Ginsburg 
of Southfield heard about the gemach, she 
started posting online, asking for donations 
of hangers, then she drives around town to 
pick them up, and brings them all to Mrs. 
Schwab’s porch. 
“It’s a huge help, we used to scrounge 
around for hangers,
” Mrs. Schwab said. 

MEET SOME VOLUNTEERS
Judy Ishakis of Southfield has been help-
ing out at Ohel Leah twice weekly since 
late 2020, except when she escapes the 
Michigan winter with her husband, Jake. 
“I first got involved after my mother 
passed away. I was retired and needed 
something to do,
” said Ishakis on a call 
while relaxing on a sunny Florida beach. 
“The ladies schmooze while we sort the 
clothes; I really needed that, especially after 
my mother died.
” 
The volunteers jokingly nicknamed the 
gemach “Mrs. Schwab’s boutique” and 
Ishakis said a side perk is getting first pick 
of the new stuff. She’s happily taken clothing 
for her grandchildren from the bags and on 
one occasion, found a new top so stunning, 
she wore it to her grandson’s bar mitzvah. 
Still, she said the best part is knowing that 
so many people benefit from it. 
“I really enjoy it and feel so good doing 
it; it’s such a meaningful thing,
” Ishakis said. 
“We’re all so excited when people come to 
pick out clothes.
”
Leah Sarne of Oak Park also began vol-

unteering in 2020; she’
d been a secretary at 
Yeshivas Darchei Torah in Southfield for 22 
years but retired when COVID was preva-
lent. 
“There are quite a few of us who put in 
many hours of work every week,
” Sarne 
said. “We really keep it up and so many 
of the community benefit from it, myself 
included. It takes a lot of teamwork to make 
it successful … I’ve never seen so many 
bags in my life! We live in a very generous 
community!” 

SHOPPING FOR FREE
It’s a win-win; people feel wonderful know-
ing that their donations are benefiting oth-
ers in the community while others wind up 
with clothing they love for free. 
Mindy Cohen moved to Oak Park from 
Chicago in 2017 and only started going to 
Mrs. Schwab’s gemach this year. Previously, 
she had peeked inside and thought it looked 
too claustrophobic for her. It was only 
recently that a community member built a 
strong carport over the racks and installed 
flood lights. 
“I had also been under the mistaken 
assumption that it was only for people 
who couldn’t afford clothes; but it’s not, it’s 
for the entire general public,
” continued 
Cohen, who has found a few useful items 
at Ohel Leah for her and her son. She has 
also donated many bags of clothing to the 
gemach over the years. 
“Mindy’s exactly right,
” Mrs. Schwab said. 
“This gemach is not based on class or need. 
It’s for whoever wants. Many community 
members come — and there’s no embar-

rassment or stigma attached.
”
Many people are glad for the opportunity 
to save, but there’s no doubt it’s especially 
helpful for those with large families. Chaya 
Stock of Oak Park, who has been browsing 
the gemach for years, said, “I love ‘shopping’ 
at Schwab! We’ve gotten many things there 
ranging from uniforms, robes, dresses, 
coats, men’s shirts, you name it. It’s the best 
place to shop first. Mrs. Schwab is always so 
helpful. When she sees me, she comes out 
to help and even tells me she’ll look out for 
items if I’m after something specific.
”
Shoppers are always complimenting Mrs. 
Schwab on how beautifully the gemach is 
maintained and the quality of the offerings. 
Best of all, people don’t feel like they’re 
bothering her. They don’t even need to 
knock on her door, they’re welcome to just 
come, browse and take what they want. 
“I’m not even home half the time. You 
can just turn up whenever is good for you, 
even at night — there’s good lighting now!” 
Mrs. Schwab said. Sometimes, as she putters 
around her house, she realizes there are 
people browsing the clothes on her patio 
and the realization fills her with joy. 
“The best part is when I see empty hang-
ers — that means someone was there and 
they found something they liked! It hap-
pens all the time and it’s wonderful,
” Mrs. 
Schwab said. “It makes it all worth it for us. 
Clothes prices are crazy these days — and 
there’s no reason to spend. If you pick up 
something at Ohel Leah, people would just 
assume that you’
d been shopping at some 
high-end store. There are only gorgeous 
things here!” 

