By: Amishai Gottlieb-Jewish Exponent
Drexel University students have rallied to help a Chabad couple who provides kosher meals for them after a kitchen pipe recently burst.
The Chabad house caters daily dinners for about 25 students as well as home-cooked meals for larger groups on Shabbat and special events.
It is the only place where Drexel students can get daily kosher meals. Drexel Hillel currently does not have the facilities to offer such a plan, according to a Hillel student representative.
So it was more than a matter of maintenance woes when Rabbi Chaim Goldstein, 28, and his wife, Moussia, 25, returned from an extended visit with relatives in Texas a couple of weeks ago to the home that doubles as their residence and the hub of Chabad programming.
“We walked into the house and I heard rushing water,” Moussia Goldstein recalled. “It was flooded for days.”
Despite the extensive water damage, Moussia Goldstein said, they decided they had to find a way to continue preparing kosher meals for the students who rely on them.
“It’s difficult, but it’s life,” said Goldstein, who does the bulk of the cooking with her 2-year-old daughter beside her. “Kids need to eat no matter what’s going on — as long as they need us, we’ll be around.”
Since it will take time to fix and remodel the kitchen, the couple converted a tiny upstairs kitchenette used for rare dairy meals into their main meat kitchen.
“It’s taken a lot of adapting,” Goldstein said. “I’m using tables as counters, and I’m down to a few knives and a couple of forks.”
“They’ve had to cook for over a 100 people” for a Shabbat meal “using a single oven,” said David Tessler, a 19-year-old Drexel student from Virginia Beach, Va.
“It really adds up to a lot cooking,” Goldstein added.
The Goldsteins’ dedication — meals are free, though students and their families pay optional donations — spurred the students into action.
On March 3, they began a fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $20,000. They have already raised $500 and, according to Tessler, an anonymous donor has agreed to match $7,500 in donations dollar for dollar.
“We are a tight-knit group, a family of students working together,” Tessler said. “It’s a communal effort to help” the Goldsteins “because they help us out so much.”
Goldstein said that she and her husband have been floored by the students’ support.
“I don’t think it’s so common,” she said, “I thought it was incredible that this is what they want to do with their time and effort.”
To donate, click here: www.JewishDragon.com/BLT.
start a target registry, what can we get you?
Please help the Goldsteins if you can. They. Have created a home away from home for the Jewish kids at Drexel.
i waana leave out of town for about 2-3 weeks can someone please write a detailed comment what i should and shouldnt turn off
turn off the gas, too. And the electricity for everything but the fridge.
I went to speak for them, they are doing an amazing job, please let us all help them immediately
please join the campaign. As they write – “We know that if you can help, you will.”
Even your $36 can help!
There is no better time then now for us to help them out
If we all just donate $180 right now it will easily help them reach there goal of $20,000
Chaim and Mussia are from the most dedicated Shluchim of the ” next generation
I’m working with rabbi Goldstein on the repairs, it was actually discovered that it had nothing to do with freezing pipes!
Think before you comment
instead of ranting, show your support to the aftermath and donate now! Then comment that you just showed your support for this unfortunate turn out..
NEver turn off heating , pipes will burst freezing weather
My heart goes out to you.
A loving Chabadnik from NOLA !!!
everyone,
Learn from this.
Before you leave for even a weekend, turn off the water intake to your home.
Sadly, the Goldsteins haven’t seen all the damage yet. They are going to receive an enormous water bill. 🙁
Hopefully, they will remember to include that charge when they file the claim on their insurance.
The ibergigebenkeit of these shluchim is unbelieveable! I just joined and helped. Look for – I’m in #ibergigeben. Let’s see some more donation’s with that hash tag!
Chaim – You’re amazing! – Keep the energy going.