The Homeless Jew

Been offline for a few days because of workload.

Israel Memorial and Independence day celebrations were moving and inspirational for me. Hope yours were same.

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Homeless man showed up at minyan yesterday. Asked for food and money. We all gave him money and kosher food from the shul kitchen.

He borrowed tefillin and he davened!

A homeless fellow Yid. Broke my heart.

I gave him and his one bag a ride to the JCC so he could shower at the gym. He was grateful and I wished him luck.

I hope he can get where he was going and find a decent job and housing.

We must not forget the unique needs of fellow Jews who are in trouble, needs that non-Jews do not have, the need to fulfill mitzvot.

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I have a relative who is homeless. Mentally ill, refuses to take or stay on medication. But very high-functioning. Nobody in the family can do anything for him, except get him a small amount of money when he's in great need. He won't accept any other help and doesn't want to be a burdren to others.

His own immediate family won't have anything to do with him. I can understand their thinking, but when it comes time to take care of his final needs, I will do it. Even before I became religious, I decided that if nobody else in the family would ever attend his funeral, then I would.

He's family, he's a Jew, and someday he will depart this life. I want to provide him some measure of dignity at that time.


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