Dear Crown Heights,
I am a procrastinator, and should’ve written this letter about a year ago when I needed to, but I did not. I am ashamed, this was always my plan, to thank him publicly, but I have not. And now, I believe, is the perfect opportunity to do so.
My wife and I were down in the dumps financially. I’m not a gezhe nothing, my parents aren’t rich, she doesn’t get discounts at any of the crown heights stores because our parents know the owner, or because our families donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to the yeshivas and girl schools. In fact, we’re nobodies. We’re both BT’s and we really didn’t have much money on either of our side.
We did, however, have two beautiful kinderlach, B”H. Getting to my point, when we tried to line up things in our lives to make more money, when we tried to make it work, at every corner, we met a red light. No success. That’s how G-d planned it. Well, what is a young couple with two children to do?
By the way, for those scoffers who leave annoying comments, let me just clear it up right now, my wife had a full time job, and I was in college back then as a full time student.
Before things got really bad, we shopped at the shuk all the time. We weren’t always destitute. But here we were. Broke, and hungry. Our car had just been towed away for parking tickets that couldn’t be paid—thank you NYC—our previous car which we bought with tax return money broke down, my wife had no way to get to work. If the dumps are all the way on the bottom, then we were there.
Above all else, we were hungry. We needed food, but G-d knows how high the cost of food got. So I stopped going to the shuk or any place. I started going to food pantries. It got bad, folks, really bad.
One day, after our junk car got towed away, and things were really bad, I went to the shuk, and looked Shloime Ifergan in the eyes, and half-jokingly said, “You don’t have any dead-broke-discounts, do you?”
Shloime simply smiled a very warm smile, a very reassuring smile, and replied, “Go get whatever you want from the store. Anything you want, and come to me afterwards.”
I figured he’s giving me an awesome opportunity to save some serious cash, and went and got whatever I thought would raise our spirits for shabbos. I got some awesome stuff that day, and my wife of course prepared it really well, and there were guests, B”H.
The secret here is, folks, that Shloimy, after I came with a shopping cart that was already throwing up from all of the food I packed into it, simply said when I got to him, “Have a good shabbos.”
“But I didn’t pay yet, Shloimy.”
He came close to me and whispered, “Don’t worry about it. Don’t even worry about it.”
It was embarrassing, yes, but I felt so relieved, like G-d in heaven brought me to this man so he could help.
I didn’t tell my wife how I got all this stuff. But Shloimy really cushioned our fall. And not just once.
Each week for a few weeks more, he would extend the same chesed to me and my family. And finally, when things started picking up a bit, financially, we started to pay. But not full prices. NO NO NO. Knowing my situation, he would give me amazing discounts. Like 30 to 50 percent off the entire purchase. And this went on for a year, people. A full year.
Well, B”H, we’re well now financially, I finally finished school, and am now still a nobody, you won’t recognize me in the street as a somebody, and we may cross each other’s path every day, or daven shachris, mincha, and maariv together in 770 every single day.
But for about 52 consecutive weeks, 2 years ago, to an Ish Chesed, a Ba’al Rachmanus, a true shalom-bayis-and-life-saver like Shloime Ifergan, I was truly a somebody.
Shloimie, You probably remember me, unless of course there are countless others who you quietly helped along the path of your business dealings, but you do remember me, if these details are familiar, and you know who I am, I ask that you don’t make an issue out of it the next time we see each other. I would be embarrassed, and I hope I haven’t embarrassed you in any way, shape, or form during this letter.
May The Ribono Shel Olam truly bless your family with every brocho possible.
With love,
Nobody
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remember to pay!
Maybe ask a neighbor to lend you money, even to pay.
And not only to the shuk- to every business!
We should not get used to running up choives.
Calling yourself nobody in a story like this is meant to increase the awesomeness of the deed done. Get over it, the article is very cleverly written.
These days its preferable that people know just how much chesed is going on so that we can all follow the lead of people so selfless.
Yasher chochacho!
We have been reading very inspiring stories. BUT it is not enough to shower him with brochos. What Shlomo REALLY needs now may be help to stay openif it’s not too late. WHOEVER owes him any money should absolutely prioritize to pay him first if they can. I can imagine that he is owed over $100,000 if not more. Now is the time for all to repay him for his chesed immediately before it is too late CH”V. It is both correct towards such a baal chesed, and also a life saver for CH from a Monopoly situation where the… Read more »
Shloimi gave me food for free !!!
for more that one and a half year …
he deserve all the berachos for his big chessed …
thank you for sharing
if mr shuk iselling to mr empire kosher., then all those that are worried someone will take advantage of mr shuk’s kindness, don’t have to worry
REally nice!!
comment 15- LOVED IT!!
Don’t know if you should sell the business! The Al-mighty has granted you a great Zechus. As our Rabbeim taught us, it is worth it for a Neshama to go through 60 or 70 years of tribulations here, just to do one Yid a favor. Now just imagine sustaining an entire Jewish family for a year. Now figure in all the other people that you’ve helped out in similar fashion. Where else could you accumulate a stack of Zechusim like that? It is obviously the will of the Al-mighty that your hidden deeds be revealed to the public at large.… Read more »
I understand that the owners have to sell because of all the choivers that people wrote down. I am not a regular customer (I haven’t shopped there in 2+ years) but I am bothered by the feeling I owe about $50, I don’t know if it’s right, but I will, bli neder, on Sunday call & ask & if it’s so, drop in the $$.. At the same time I must return the stuff i bought at another store which turned out to be not pas yisroel. I have no reason to believe this story is untrue. But Mr. Nobody,… Read more »
there is hope…there are good people… I almost gave up….
I thought our minhag is not to say a hesped.
You are pathetic. To be so cynical after reading of this kindness. I for one, know shlomi and have no doubt this story is true.
I feel sorry for you that you cant see the good itn life.
not chopped liver you at all.. u bt’s rock and most of ya are alot better in the head then some of us ‘ole ffb’s. Glad u had a good experience – hey empire kosher if ur readin hire this guy – he obviously left a mark on a # of folks 🙂
CH must learn from this….this is the first step in the right direction!
Why does being rich make u a somebody and why do shluchim overseas think they are better than others and think it’s normal to get speciall discounts? Are they better than everyone else and deserve it more?
you are such an i…. this story happenes every day in the shuk!
if you dont know, it dosnt mean its not happening.
“Task of the day: Get in touch with your somebody; say goodbye to your nobody.”
I love it!
A mench is a shpigel, dos vos er zet bai yenem hot er bai zich. This is an absolute truth. We tend to see others through our own perspective. About the other person – we may possibly be right – MAYBE! About ourselves – one hundred percent that we are what we see in others. Careful what you say about others, that yourself you’re looking at.
what time is Shloimi there??? Im coming with my mishpocho??? Shabbos is here and men muz firen tisch.
How much??? fish chips meat and ice cream???
Pepsi and some israeli beer a bisel arbes — why not.
whats with the nobodys and somebodys! are you guys bored? what are you doing sitting on col and commenting on everthing 1000 times!?!?
I have no doubt that this is NOT A REAL LETTER. No reflection on the owner of the Shuk, but for whatever reason (politics? I have no idea), IT IS A MADE-UP STORY.
this story truely brought tears to my eyes.
hatzlacha and i hope you become really rich one day and can help others the way you were helped!!
From Nobody to Somebody in one Op-Ed. Well Done!
nice to hear there are still good people in this world -!!!
brought tears to my eyes
THIS BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES………
AND THEN THE CROWN HIGHTSERS ARE CALLED FARMERS???????????
THIS STORY SOUNDS STRAIGHT OUT OF THE MEMOIRES OR THE LIKE. OR SOME SIPUREI TZADIKIM.
I KNOW OF SIMLAR INDIVIDUALS…
FROM A SHLIACH WHO GREW UP IN THE REBBES SHCHUNAH
Had I know this story before, i would have shopped at the Shuk to support such a great person and his even greater acts, even though i don’t like it there and I like Empire better.
tell that to people who work in a junk yard.
great che$$ed brings Mo$iach.
i pray this article doesnt cause that people would take advantage of him
Thank you for sharing your beautiful story. Very inspiring.
Your struggles are very real and you would be surprised to find out how many people are in your boat.
The fact that you wrote this op-ed takes effort and conviction. I have been warmed by your story – as have many others.
May G-d bless you and your family so that you too, can ‘pull-a-shloimy’ on someone else who needs it, and to the shloimy – yasher koach may Hashem bless you ‘elef p’amim kacha’.
Thank you for saying thank you and opening our eyes to the goodness that is all around us. May Hashem bless you because of this, and may He bless Shloimy many times over (as well as the countless others who do good even without being acknowledged).
C’mon people, let’s get more of these articles.
This was a beautiful article. It is beautiful to hear about.
(just one question… if you were so broke… couldn’t you get food stamps? i know from experience- they’re a life saver!)
Remember G-D don’t create no Junk!
This is just one example!
Crown Heightsers, nows the time to be proud of your community!
You are all a bunch of “Somebodys”
Moshiach is coming from all the chessed!!!!
wow that is so special!
shlomie your a great guy
I had shopped at shlomy’s a few times a couple of years back when i was in ny for the kinus and simchas. Once i was with a family member who knew him and told him that i was on shlichus abroad. He immediately (at the checkout) said “it’s on the house.”
Well, i must have had over 200 dollars worth of stuff that day, but shlomy was gracious and refused any payment even when i tried to give him something.
May Hashem bench you will all your hearts desires.
A shlucha overseas
THE TIME IS NOW!
You are not a nobody – you are me and the next person. Anybody could be where you were, but for the grace of Hashem.
You’re a real mentsch for your hakoras hatoyv!
There is a story told about a Yid who had to go to court for something. He wanted to prove his honesty, so brought a letter from the Chafetz Chaim to attest to his honesty. The Judge asked who is the Chafetz Chaim, that i dhould take his letter seriously, to which the lawyer replied, the Chaftez Chaim is someone who when sending letter to a place, and hears that someone is traveling in that direction, he asks the person to deliver the letter. However, the Chafetz Chaim still buys a Postage Stamp and throws it away, so that the… Read more »
Reminds me of the dentist who didn’t take money from a galach. So the galach sent him a Bible.
Another galach sent him a tzeylem.
Then the Rabbi came – also no charge. He sent him another Rabbi.
Shloimy – be prepared.
I am a shuk fan! I shop there all the time, and Shloimy is an emample to all!
What a special story. Thank you for sharing! What a beautiful world it would be if there were more people like Shloimy.
when is it my turn to write an anoymous op-ed article.
Wow do I have something to write about the somebodies who are nobody but really think they are a piece of work?? HUH? when is it my turn.
from a nobody who started to think he is a somebody and finally realized he is a nobody unless he has some Ca$$$$h
Dear nobody,
You just became somebody!
By sharing such a moving story of true ahavas yisrael you are not just saying thank you to Shlomie publicly, you are also teaching us to be more giving…
May you continue to inspire others
You have made great strides, changes in your life so you are much more than me “ffb” who did not.
If you think you’re a nobody, you’re ersht a somebody. If you think you’re a somebody, you’re takeh a nobody. –Zohar If you consider the other guy a nobody, then you’re a nobody. If you consider him a somebody then you’re a somebody. –Pirkei Avot (guess where) If you think you’re a somebody because of your soul, which is a part of G-d, then your “somebodiness” is real and healthy. If you think your’re a somebody because of your body–or gezhe, or money, or dashing appearance — then your “somebodiness” is majorly weak and hides your real “somebodiness,” the somebodiness… Read more »
Do not get over excited. The “lei-dig gayers, are about to wake up” and start with attack comment!
(I just realized, that this is exactly what I started myself, a negative comment.)
how true…
i was about to write the same thing…
thanks…
I can’t believe my eyes….
People writing like “menchen” about each other!
Dear self-proclaimed BT, The reason you are a “nobody” has nothing to do with you being a BT, not ‘gezhe’, or from a working class home. First, having money or being born to a Russian family does not help you get a discount from a C.H. stores and pay less tuition for school. I doesn’t either make you a ‘somebody’. You were in the dumps and got 2 parking tickets not because “that’s how G-d planned it”! Don’t either blame you status it on your wife. (On a side note: how dare you call your wife a nobody when she… Read more »
Very touching. Boruch Hashem. Perfect story for the three weeks.
However I take issue with you keep repeating that you are a “nobody” since you are not gezhe, rich, etc. I think that the only people who think not being “gezhe” is an issue, are the people who are not “gezhe”. My family is officially “gezhe”, but most of us have married into non-gezhe families (including my Chassidishe mother who married a BT) and brought lots of nachas to the Rebbe through our work and shlichus.
You are a ‘nobody’ only in your own eyes. Please get over it.
thanks for sharing….
True ahavas yisroel. And you are NOT nobody, on the contrary you are a very special somebody with a very special neshama and Shlomi recognized that.
Tears sprung to my eyes on reading this. Beautiful and heart warming.
May Hashem repay those who do good with only good in their lives. Amen.
Hashem will bentch you many many times over for your kindness and generosity!!!
Hashem will bless you.
I never knew that shlomi was like this.
Just shows how there are people out there who really are good, and they keep their kindness secret, which is an even bigger mitzvah.
May Hashem bless you with only good.
This brought tears to my eyes. This was written from the heart, and it is really sonmething. Inspiring. THANK YOU!!
Truly Inspirational…
Very touching i totely understand you
my wife and i work and cant make it finacely too i know how you feel some time we dont even have money for food to put on our table.