Nonprofit gifts Passover to Go kits
For a second straight Passover, Jews are facing a dicey proposition of whether to gather with family and friends for a traditional Seder since COVID-19 precautions are still in place.
It’s an especially tough time for seniors, those with special needs and the immunocompromised, who may have difficulty acquiring Seder ingredients on top of feeling isolated.
Giving It Forward Together (GIFT) is seeking to mitigate that problem. The Pittsburgh-based nonprofit is taking orders for free Passover to Go kits for who those who need assistance to get supplies for the holiday, which begins at sundown on March 27.
“It’s not just catering to their basic needs,” said Rochel Tombosky, GIFT’s founder and executive director. “It’s really like a hug and it reminds them the community hasn’t forgotten them and they matter.”
The kits contain a catered frozen meal of chicken, kugel, matzo ball soup and tzimmes; Passover accoutrements like matzo and grape juice; a paper Seder plate; all the items that usually go on a Seder plate like a shank bone and haroseth; and various fun gifts.
Everything in the kits are reusable, including the food containers.
Kits can be ordered via GIFT’s website.
In the past, GIFT had offered the service only to seniors. But this year, they expanded its availability to include anyone with mobility issues or with weakened immune systems.
The nonprofit has been around since 2015 and its purpose is to serve seniors of all backgrounds. Last year, it ran a similar program for Thanksgiving that provided a holiday experience to 500 homebound seniors.
“It’s a demographic that many people discount,” Ms. Tombosky said. “They don’t really recognize that there’s this tremendous need. I do think that now because of COVID maybe more people will be aware of our seniors.”
About 200 kit requests had already been made on March 9, but she hopes to provide kits for 400 individuals and households. They will all be delivered on Sunday, well before the holiday.
Ms. Tombosky pointed out how instrumental Pittsburghers of all religious denominations have been in her Passover to Go efforts.
“The non-Jewish community has been super supportive financially to make sure that the Jewish community can celebrate Passover with dignity and joy,” she said.
Last year, she and her husband delivered 300 Passover to Go kits by themselves because they didn’t want to put volunteers in harm’s way at the start of the pandemic. But this year they will have help from volunteers, who will assemble the kits outside in a socially distanced manner.
It’s a labor of love for Ms. Tombosky as she does her best to ensure people in tough positions get what they need to have a safe and fulfilling Passover experience.
“Although we may not be able to sit down as a family,” she said, “this is our way to say we care and you matter.”