This weeks marks the one year anniversary of a remarkable collaboration at the Town Square Food Pantry, which is jointly operated by Temple Beth Zion and Catholic Charities at the Town Square Center for Aging. 

There is a lot to love about this pantry. First and foremost, it provides food for those who are hungry in a dignified fashion. Even more, our specially trained volunteers care for the overall well-being of our clients by learning about their specific needs and connecting them to relevant community resources. Second, the pantry brings Jews and Christians together to serve God by serving humanity. This initiative is building bridges not only between the Jewish and Catholic communities, but within the Jewish community by bringing Reform and Orthodox Jews together. In addition, a growing number of greater community organizations have gotten involved, creating a ever widening scope of services including transportation and fresh produce from two community gardens. Finally, our wonderful volunteers have discovered that doing this holy work nourishes not only the hungry, but the souls of those who serve: it has brought them closer to our clients, to each other and to God.

There is so much to celebrate, and I offer my heartfelt gratitude and congratulations to everyone who is involved!

Here is what others are saying about the project (from the Buffalo Jewish Journal):

​Rabbi Adam Scheldt - Temple Beth Zion
“It has been incredibly amazing to see the Town Square Food Pantry blossom and flower over the course of the year.  Supporting and watching our volunteers not only embody, but enjoy the amazing Jewish values that underpin so much of what the Pantry is and does is an amazing gift.  Their efforts and the pantry itself truly bring light to dark places and can inspire us all.

Amy Schaefer – Temple Beth Zion Lead Coordinator
We are excited about our successful collaboration with Catholic Charities and the broader community. The Food Pantry will continue to look for opportunities to expand its outreach to serve more clients.With over 20 volunteers who come on a regular basis and more who have helped with holiday food preparation and collections, we are very pleased to celebrate the first anniversary of the Town Square Food Pantry together.”

​Jen Scheibner, Community Assistant at Catholic Charities.
“The Town Square Food Pantry has been a wonderful addition to the community. We are delighted to be a part of this operation in helping those in need,” 
Currently the Town Square Food Pantry is serving nearly 175 families and about 40 residents at the Jewish Federation Housing unit and also reaches out throughout the zip codes of 14221 and 14068 in Amherst, New York region. Town Square Food Pantry located just west of the Weinberg Campus in Amherst welcomes donations or if you are in need of their services please call 716-391-2921.

A friend and colleague of mine, who is a master storyteller, used to quip that half of the stories he tells are actually true. Well, I've got a story for you, and it happened just last week. My wife and I don't have the luxury of getting out much, so with one kid at camp and another busy working in a theater during the evenings, we've been trying to make up for lost time! Last week we decided to go with friends to a Mexican restaurant a bit of a drive away, just past the southern border of Buffalo. We made a reservation and set off on our adventure, only to discover that the restaurant was closed. There was a poorly written sign on the door that basically said they had decided to close for the evening.  I don't remember the exact wording on the sign, but in the last line, written at a sloppy angle was a single word: 'relax.'  Not, 'we're sorry for the inconvenience,' just, 'relax.'

Who ever heard of a restaurant closing on a night when it had at least one active reservation? And why didn't they bother to call us? 

Well, we thought that relaxing was pretty good advice, so that is exactly what we did -- at a different establishment! While we had a great time, I can tell you that we will not be making the drive to give this other place a second chance. They made it clear to us that they were not interested in our business or in us.  

New York restaurateur Danny Meyers wrote an excellent book about the opposite end of the spectrum called 'Setting the Table.' He has built up one of the most successful restaurant groups in the nation by focusing on hospitality. And just so that we are clear, he's not just talking about hospitality towards his guests. Meyers built his business model on taking care of his staff, his customers, and his community all while staying true to his core values.

Although Danny Meyers may not be aware of it, this model is a very old one indeed. According to Jewish tradition, God chose Abraham specifically because of his holistic and heartfelt hospitality. Sadly, most synagogues today are not nearly as hospitable as they think they are. Too many of us are more like that place with the note that says, 'we're closed, relax.' We create tensions within our communities with exclusionary policies and unfriendly actions, or by taking the approach that we are not here to serve our congregants, but rather they are paying dues for the privilege of serving the congregation. Then we are surprised when people decide to disengage. 

We need to be more like Abraham, and we can learn from Danny Meyers as well. Our success ultimately depends on us, and I believe it begins with cultivating hospitality at every level, starting with our staff and moving outward in concentric circles. It won't be easy, because we are if nothing else, creatures of habit and a stiff-necked people. Yet, if we can find the strength and courage to reorient ourselves back towards true hospitality, then we can all really relax, confident in the knowledge that we are building communities worthy of our commitment.