Talking Turkey

There’s never a shortage of mitzvot opportunities in the St. Louis Jewish community, but perhaps no time of year are these opportunities as bountiful-or as greatly needed-at Thanksgiving.

The Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry (HKJFP) recently collaborated with a local grocer to order 200 turkeys at a special discount to distribute for Thanksgiving thanks to a special donation that was received. HKJFP is currently working with donors to cover the cost of the order. The pantry will supply those turkeys to qualified large families that come through between now and December.

According to the HKJFP staff, this year’s needs are greater than ever as the pantry is currently assisting more than 5,000 people a month. Donations of more turkeys and chickens to assist families are welcome, along with other canned food and personal care items, according to Joan Robinson, program manager at HKJFP. For more information on making a donation of food items, call 314-812-9337.

In addition, Congregation Shaare Emeth is hoping to make a difference in the lives of those who are homebound and on Medicaid this Thanksgiving through its Thanksgiving Homebound Meal Prep. Organizers are asking those interested to make or purchase a side dish to feed 10 people and deposit it in the synagogue’s freezer between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17 or Friday, Nov. 18, marking it “meal prep.”

On Sunday morning, Nov. 20, volunteers will then assemble individualized meals. Children 5 and older are welcomed with an adult.

Items to bring include sweet potato/yams, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, cranberries and the like. Pies, cooked turkey and other Thanksgiving staples are welcome as well. For questions, contact Holly Goldblum at 314-369-9814 or Linda Sayre at [email protected]. Shaare Emeth is located at 11645 Ladue Road.

Volunteers also are needed to bring a dish for 10 people and help serve and clean-up a pre-Thanksgiving dinner at Peter and Paul Community Shelter, 1025 Park Avenue, between 6 and 9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23. Again on Thanksgiving Day, volunteers to help serve and clean up lunch between 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. would be appreciated at Hosea House at St. Vincent’s Church, 2635 Gravois Avenue.

To participate in the Hosea House or Peter and Paul projects, contact Ronnie Brockman at 314-692-5308 or [email protected].

Go ask Alice

You’ve heard of “Designing Women.” Well how about achieving ones?

According to Women of Achievement President Alice Handelman, now is the time to nominate your favorite female volunteer for this year’s awards, and I have long learned not to mess with what Alice says. 

Nomination forms are available online at www.woastl.org or by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to Women of Achievement, c/o MAC Meetings & Events, 801 North 2nd Street, Suite 302, St. Louis, Mo. 63102.  The deadline for submitting nominations is Jan. 13.

The Women of Achievement luncheon this year will be held on Thursday, May 17 at the Ritz Carlton.

A piece of Pratzel’s

Many of Pratzel’s baked goods, including challahs, tzitel rye, bagels and upside down chocolate cupcakes, are available for sale at Straub’s locations in Clayton and Town and Country. Straub’s catering manager Robert Protzel says the stores receive about five deliveries a week from Pratzel’s, adding the bakery items “are extremely popular with customers.” Special orders can be placed in advance through Straub’s at 314-725-2121. All Pratzel’s products are kosher.

Lois Caplan update

Regular readers have been asking, “When is Lois Caplan’s column returning to the Light?” Well the answer is not soon enough for me. I had hoped we’d see “Kibbutzing with Caplan” back in the paper this week, but Lois felt she needed a little more time before resuming her column. She has been out for the last six months or so recuperating from complications of a nasty fall.

In the meantime, I am asking those of you in charge of benefits and other charity functions either for Jewish organizations or organizations whose membership includes a large Jewish contingent to email me the information and I’ll do my best to get it into the paper.

Truly, no one can duplicate Lois’ inimitable style. After all, she’s been writing a column in the Light for more than five decades (she even precedes the mighty Robert Cohn!). But one of the many things Lois has taught me is how valuable this kind of information is to our community and I don’t want us to suffer on that front. Until Lois is back in commission, feel free to email the information at [email protected]. Once Lois is raring to go, I will forward your emails to her.

Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving to all.