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Masbia- why donate if most of their customers are not Jews?
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amother
Coffee


 

Post Mon, Nov 16 2020, 2:22 pm
I have benefited greatly from Masbia. I am a single mom without family. When my children were small, we used to go to the one in Boro Park when it was on 16th (I think it was 16th). We would go in and were served like it was a restaurant. I didn't feel ashamed and my children had no idea that we were in a soup kitchen. They just thought they were going out and getting to eat in a regular restaurant. I was so appreciative.

Then, over the years as I got more on my feet, I benefited from their Pesach distributions (from the Flatbush location). It was so helpful.

Recently, during Covid, I loss income and could barely make my rent. I went to the Boro Park location. I stood in the line that wrapped around the block, with the people of other ethnicities that are mentioned here. Again, I was so appreciative that there was a food bank that had kosher food. During that same time, they also distributed vouchers that you could get for prepared kosher meals. That line appeared to be all frum yidden.

Anyhow, I just want to say that I have been helped. I know many of the people I have seen being helped are also Jewish. They are not necessarily frum. All the more reason they should have kosher food, as they might not necessarily buy a kosher brand if it is more expensive and money is tight.

Masbia has been very helpful to me and I am very grateful.
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Frumme




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Nov 16 2020, 2:29 pm
amother [ Pearl ] wrote:
They're Mexicans, Spanish, African Americans and some Chinese & Arabs. Definitely not Jewish. It's always full of non jews.


I didn't realize that only white Europeans could be Jewish.
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Chana Miriam S




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Nov 16 2020, 3:30 pm
I think it’s amazing. What a kiddish hashem!
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dancingqueen




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Nov 16 2020, 3:36 pm
I completely don’t relate to op. I’m so happy that they help feed hungry Jews and non Jews. What better way to make a kiddush Hashem and make us realize we’re all human.
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amother
Brown


 

Post Mon, Nov 16 2020, 3:39 pm
We Jews are a notoriously proud people. Especially in the frum world, where everyone knows you. You looked in the window and saw non-Jews. How would you feel if you looked in the window and saw your friend and her kids? How would you feel if she or her kids looked up and saw you looking at them?

I'm willing to bet Masbia serves MANY orthodox Jews. They know that most orthodox won't make a spectacle nebach of themselves at the public soup kitchen, but they will go around the back, get home deliveries, or maybe pick up at their shul or another more anonymous location. They know their audience. I don't think we need to worry they only help non Jews.
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Rappel




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Nov 16 2020, 3:45 pm
Oh, OP. Sad Don't hate on a soup kitchen.

May you never know what it means to be hungry and cold.
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nylon




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Nov 16 2020, 5:41 pm
First, Masbia serves many frum Jews that you don't see--they also do food packages, not just sit down meals.

Second, even if not everyone eating is frum, its existence means that frum Jews have where to turn.

Third, the fact that Masbia serves everyone, without question, is a beautiful thing and a Kiddush Hashem.
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amother
OP


 

Post Mon, Nov 16 2020, 5:46 pm
cnc wrote:
Because I have compassion on all of Gd’s human beings. Not just the ones that look like me .

According to Mr. Rappaport the government funding covers around ten percent of their budget.
compassion yes! If there were No non-Jewish soup kitchens then I agree they should be able to partake in Jewish ones, but I'd rather tzedaka go to Jews if there are nonJewish ones for non-Jews anyway. If its only 10 percent, wouldn't it be better not accepting and making it private for Jews?
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amother
OP


 

Post Mon, Nov 16 2020, 5:47 pm
Rappel wrote:
Oh, OP. Sad Don't hate on a soup kitchen.

May you never know what it means to be hungry and cold.
chas vshalom.

I hope Jews will never need their services. If they have helped Jews then that's good, I thought they were mainly helping non Jews. Thank you to those who pointed out what they do to help Jews and the organizations they're linked with.
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amother
Rose


 

Post Mon, Nov 16 2020, 5:48 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
chas vshalom. Just would prefer they serve Jews and that non Jews use the non kosher ones.


omg, really, how does this hurt you?
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Raisin




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2020, 2:05 am
Because non Jews are people too.

What a beautiful idea. I didn't know this existed. Such a wonderful kiddush Hashem.

I doubt the cost of making kosher food is that much higher.

Are there other non kosher soup kitchens nearby?
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LovesHashem




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2020, 2:24 am
amother [ Pearl ] wrote:
They're Mexicans, Spanish, African Americans and some Chinese & Arabs. Definitely not Jewish. It's always full of non jews.


You do know there are Jews that are ALL of these.
Not as much as white american Jews - but they exist.
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gande




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2020, 5:18 am
I think the answer is they get tons of government funding so most of the food they give out is free and most Jews are not waiting on line for an hour for some carrots and apples. They do have overhead expenses such as staff cooking, rent expenses that they might need money. Honestly I haven't seen them collecting as much as they did in the beginning which makes me believe they are not desperate for money now especially with covid the government is being very generous with sponsoring food for everyone.
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watergirl




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2020, 5:52 am
gande wrote:
I think the answer is they get tons of government funding so most of the food they give out is free and most Jews are not waiting on line for an hour for some carrots and apples. They do have overhead expenses such as staff cooking, rent expenses that they might need money. Honestly I haven't seen them collecting as much as they did in the beginning which makes me believe they are not desperate for money now especially with covid the government is being very generous with sponsoring food for everyone.

Are you so sure of that? Have you looked at their returns or 990? Well I just took a look at the most recent 990 available to the public and I can tell you, they are NOT getting "tons of government funding" and they are not getting tons of funding at all. It seems to me that most of their donations are in-kind.

For what its worth, I work with the local food bank of my state and I can also tell you, there is no such thing as "tons" of government funding at all. There is some. Not tons.
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seeker




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2020, 6:17 am
I have definitely seen appeals and "emergency campaign" ads due to covid. Speaking of ads, if you're worried about where your donations go, I haven't noticed Masbia running any dinners, auctions, a-thons, galas, or gimmicks. So if their overhead costs are feeding more people, that's something I can get behind.
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amother
Pumpkin


 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2020, 6:36 am
By the way, I am a yeshivesh kollel wife living in flatbush and we get Masbia food every single week! They have a separate time for the yeshivesh crowd to come at nights so they don't need to feel embarrassed waiting with all those interesting fellows. They give an extra box to the yeshivesh families with lots of expensive food items that helps us stay afloat.
Yes, they do help everyone but that is what makes it beautiful.
This proves,dan lkaf zchus...you're not seeing the frum ppl bc they are soo wonderful and let us come at night during a private appointment.
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amother
Jetblack


 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2020, 6:50 am
amother [ Slategray ] wrote:
If they're govt funded why do they need to fundraise at all?


This. I don't care who they cater to. a hungry person is a hungry person so personally I think it's all fair and square.
my question is on the above. they get govt funds, which is usually very generous.
recently I got a text, on a group, that said masbia is handing out free boxes of food for anyone that wants. why??
and then I get emails and letters begging for funds for poor people. something doesn't add up.
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amother
Pumpkin


 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2020, 6:51 am
Maybe they had extra and didn't want to throw them out???
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ShishKabob




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2020, 8:14 am
amother [ Jetblack ] wrote:
This. I don't care who they cater to. a hungry person is a hungry person so personally I think it's all fair and square.
my question is on the above. they get govt funds, which is usually very generous.
recently I got a text, on a group, that said masbia is handing out free boxes of food for anyone that wants. why??
and then I get emails and letters begging for funds for poor people. something doesn't add up.
They probably get free food stuffs like produce and milk from local farms. Those are probably free for the giving. The other food stuffs like chicken etc, they probably need money for and need help paying for it. Just my assumption to make sense of it.
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amother
Crimson


 

Post Tue, Nov 17 2020, 8:19 am
LovesHashem wrote:
You do know there are Jews that are ALL of these.
Not as much as white american Jews - but they exist.


You're obviously trying to prove a point but in this case, OP is right. The daily crowds at Masbia are largely not Jewish. No, I haven't asked them for a DNA test, but it's fairly obvious and all you're doing is nitpicking when in this situation, you happen to be incorrect. I live right near a Masbia center and the people online are not Jewish. Period. (Yes, there are Jewish people from Arabic areas, but they don't tend to dress in Hijabs...)
And as a different PP stated, the Jewish people come at night so as to have some privacy.
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