Emergency Food Drive
🥫 Emergency Food Drive: Supporting Our Senior Russian-Speaking Community
Service-Learning on Food Insecurity & Jewish Values
Many of our local senior citizens have been deeply affected by recent SNAP cuts. To help them through these challenging times, Jookender is launching an Emergency Food Drive — and we need your help!
This effort is not just about service — it’s about learning, reflection, and living our values. As we come together to fight food insecurity, we also recognize how Jewish tradition calls us to care for those in need. As Rabbi Noah Farkas has shared, our history and values shape our social awareness and drive us to help our neighbors in times of crisis.
📍 Drop-Off Details
Bring non-perishable food items (canned goods, pasta, rice, grains, peanut butter, cereals, etc.) to:
Jookender, 650 Worcester Rd., Unit 102,
Framingham, MA 01702
- Saturday, November 8, 3:00–5:00 PM
- Sunday, November 9, 11:00 AM–12:30 PM
If possible, please bring reusable shopping bags or boxes to help us pack the food efficiently.
🙌 Calling All High School Volunteers
This event serves as a Service-Learning Day — an opportunity to take meaningful action while reflecting on food insecurity and the Jewish value of tzedek (justice). Volunteers can earn up to 10 community service hours.
- Collecting and sorting donations
- Wrapping and packing food
- Assisting with distribution
🧓 Food Distribution Schedule
Distribution to seniors begins Monday, November 10. Walk-ins welcome at Jookender:
- Monday, November 10: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Tuesday, November 11: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- Wednesday, November 12: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Remaining food (if any) will be delivered to Adult Day Care “Zdorovie”, 17 Strathmore Rd., Natick, MA 01760, and distributed among seniors attending daily programs there.
✡ Service-Learning Lens
Jewish wisdom reminds us that feeding the hungry is among the holiest of acts:
“When you are asked in the world to come, ‘What was your work?’ and you answer, ‘I fed the hungry,’ you will be told, ‘This is the gate of Adonai; enter into it, you who have fed the hungry.’”
— Midrash Tehillim 18:19 (Martin Buber)
Quiet Reflection (Optional)
- What did you notice or learn about the impact of food insecurity or SNAP cuts?
- How can an act of compassion today also be a step toward a more just world?
- What is one concrete action you can take so everyone has reliable access to nourishing food?
At Jookender, service isn’t just something we do; it’s who we are. Together, we bring holiness into the everyday, reaffirming the dignity and worth of every person.