In the waning part of the year, when Hanukkah is observed, many people reflect on the things that they are thankful for and think about those who are not as fortunate. It is no wonder that people feel a greater directive to share their bounties with others. And while we all know that need knows no season, it is good to have at least one season during the year when people focus on their opportunities to give back to their communities.
What Hanukkah Is
Hanukkah is the festival of lights and dedication, celebrated in remembrance of the miracle that took place. After the Second Temple was destroyed and defiled by Greek and Syrian fighters, who were eventually driven away by a small band of Jews, the temple was cleaned and rededicated. The temple’s menorah was to burn through the night each night, but after the temple was attacked, there was only enough oil left for one day. The miracle took place when a day’s worth of lighting oil lasted for eight nights. Jews around the world now celebrate Hanukkah in remembrance of that miracle. Traditions for celebrating Hanukkah include lighting the menorah every night, giving gifts, playing games with a four-sided top called a dreidel, and making and eating traditional foods like latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts).
For Those in Need
In the Chicago area there many Jews who rely on Jewish United Fund supported food pantries to help them make ends meet. After all, not all food pantries are able to meet the specific dietary requirement of observant Jews. Meanwhile, even more Chicago area Jews in need depend on holiday care packages from Maot Chitim to help them observe the holidays in a dignified and traditional manner for Rosh Hashanah and Pesach.
More Than Latkes and Dreidels
During this season when we reflect on miracles and the bounties God has bestowed on us, it is important to share what we have received with those who have less. In this way, we show God our gratitude by being a part of His continuing miracles.
What You Can Do
Since 1908, Maot Chitim has been helping Jews in the greater Chicago area by providing much needed food packages so that families can observe the holidays in a traditional and dignified manner. You can help Maot Chitim help others by volunteering. Volunteers give of their time and help put together care packages and make deliveries. You can also donate money which provides the supplies that Maot Chitim passes along to those in need. If you would like to help, you can contact Maot Chitim here. Be a part of the miracle by sharing some of the bounty you have been fortunate enough to receive.
Miracles are All Around Us as Evidence of God’s Love
One facet of Judaism is the belief in miracles. For example, Hanukkah, also called the Festival of Lights was created during the second century B.C.E. to commemorate a miracle. After the people of Israel defeated the Syrian-Greeks in the Maccabean Revolt and reclaimed the Holy Land, spiritual leaders went to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
Upon entering the temple, they found only one cruse of olive oil (enough for one day) left uncontaminated and used it to light the menorah. Instead of only lasting one day the oil miraculously lasted for eight days. Hanukkah symbolizes the miracle by lighting one candle in the menorah each night for eight nights.
What is a Miracle?
Ancient Jewish writings describe miracles as fact. Remember that before science existed no one considered any explanation other than divine intervention. An unusual occurrence that was beyond understanding demonstrated that God is reaching into the physical world. Modern Science would call this a supernatural event because it suspends natural laws.
Others would argue that the existence of an ordered universe (God’s creation) is the greatest miracles. If you believe in the power of God, you must accept that miracles happen: however, they may not always be in the form you expect. Many miracles go unrecognized, but that doesn’t lessen their impact on the lives they touch.
The Miracle of Giving
The whole point of faith is trusting that God does intervene. Perhaps the best you can do is follow God’s example and strive to create little miracles in His name. Share kindness by becoming involved with charitable contributions. Without fanfare, and not for personal glory, but because help is needed and because it is right, and it honors God.
You should use the holidays to share with others. Spread God’s love and inspire people around you to do the same. Get involved in the Jewish community in your area by helping with charitable contributions. Get busy and create a miracle.
The mission of Maot Chitim is not only to provide food for those less fortunate than ourselves, during Hanukkah and all year long. Whether it packing boxes, making deliveries, or donating dollars so there is food to provide, we provide many opportunities to give of oneself. Please contact us or visit our website for more information on how to be part of someone’s holiday miracle.
Why Giving Back is Important Around the Holidays
Holidays are a time to give thanks for all that you have, and what better way to do this than by giving back to those around you?
Charities exist is to provide a crucial need that is being unfilled, whether it be for food, for shelter, for medicine, or for other necessities. When you donate money, you are helping someone who is less fortunate have a better chance at living a happy and fulfilling life. That person is someone’s daughter, someone’s mother, someone’s son, or someone’s father. That person could be your neighbor, your co-worker, or your friend. Giving is a selfless act that greatly benefits the community in which you live. It can help feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and shelter those without homes. It can help mend a tired and broken spirit.
They say it’s better to give than to receive, but is it really? Believe it or not, charitable donations can lead to improved physical and mental health. According to a study by Harvard professor Michael Norton, giving money to someone else was found to make a person happier than if they were to spend it on themselves.
A different study conducted in 2006 found that participants who gave of themselves, whether it be through charitable donations or charitable acts, had lower blood pressure than those who were not involved in any charitable work.
In 2007, a study on the benefits of giving showed that those who volunteer benefit from improved heart health overall, not just in regards to blood pressure, experiencing a lower chance of suffering from heart disease when compared to people who do not volunteer. Recently, a 2013 study even found that charitable work can increase longevity. Participants of this study who engaged in volunteer work outlived those who abstained from volunteering by an average of 22%!
The mission of Maot Chitim is not only to provide holiday food for those less fortunate than ourselves, but to offer an opportunity to give of oneself as well. We provide hands-on volunteer experiences for all ages. Whether it be building boxes, packing food, delivering boxes, or donating dollars so there is food to provide, we are there for you. Please contact us or visit our website for more information on opportunities to give back during the holidays.
Every two years, the Chicago Women’s Charity Players prepares a different show. This amazing women’s theater group donates the proceeds to different charity. This year, the group presents “Fiddler on the Roof” and they are donating this year to Maot Chitim. The performers are comprised of Jewish women who contribute their time to help for this cause to help different charities.
We are incredibly grateful to the Chicago Woman’s Charity players for choosing Maot Chitim as this year’s organization. Maot Chitim buys all the food that is distributed to low-income residents of the Chicagoland area for the Jewish Holidays. This opportunity will help with our food purchasing for the upcoming holiday.
This year the performance will take place at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts at 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie, IL. The performers ask that only women attend this event.
Tickets are on sale now for Sunday December 4 at 2pm and Monday December 5th at 7pm. Don’t miss out on this incredible performance!
The Brisket leftovers are have been eaten, Bubbe’s recipes are put away, and all the holidays this month are over. Now what?
Rosh Hashanah brought us the sweet taste of the New Year. Apples and honey were devoured, as were all the new fruits, circular challahs, and honey cakes. On Rosh Hashanah, the custom was performed of actively throwing our sins away during Tashlich as we did Teshuvah in preparation for the day of judgement.
Yom Kipper was our time to reflect. We fasted and turned away from anything that might distract us from our conversations with G-d. We all prayed in hopes that we would be written and sealed in the book of life.
Our focus was then shifted to a more joyful event: Sukkot. The Sukkahs were built, our Lulavim and Etrogim were shaken, and we spent time in our temporary homes outside.
On Simchat Torah, we paraded through the streets and our synagogues celebrating our Torah, and ending the holiday month B’Simcha—with joy.
The New Year is a time for growth and reflection; a time to set goals with yourself and with G-d that you intend to follow for the upcoming year. It is important that you all hold up your end of the bargain that you made with G-d and with yourself. Religious changes, social changes, internal changes; whatever the case. To ask G-d to write you in the book of life means you are making a commitment for growth.
May you all find a way to hold true to your word and have a year filled with growth and joy!
And only 158 days, 10 hours, and 30 minutes until Pesach! The countdown begins!
What a way to finish the Jewish Year: With a Mitzvah!
The past few weeks, Maot Chitim has been preparing for the Rosh Hashanah holiday by purchasing food, acquiring a warehouse, organizing the packing and delivery date, and working with our recipients to make sure that every person who needs a package, gets one.
What we could not have done on our own was done by the most incredible volunteers who showed up to package and deliver boxes.
The many people lining up to do a Mitzvah before Rosh Hashana.
We are so grateful to every family, organization, and person who showed up for three different days this month for box making, food packing, and personally delivering packages. Our volunteers made this year’s Rosh Hashanah delivery possible. The time that our volunteers dedicated to help does not go unappreciated.
Rosh Hashanah is a time of introspection; to look at our year and decide if we are living up to our full potential. Each person has something they could work on, no matter how big or small. We all have the potential to make our lives and this world full of joy, love, and Mitzvot. With Maot Chitim, we are ensuring that those in need are able to start the Jewish New Year with delicious food.
Some of our many wonderful volunteers who came to help pack boxes of food for Rosh Hashanah 2016.
May you all be written and sealed in the book of life for this year and all your years to come.
Chag Sameyach and L’shana Tova to all!
Rabbinical tradition tells us that one way we can help ensure that our names are inscribed in the book of life is to give to others in our communities. Giving is particularly important during the Days of Awe, which are the ten days which lie between the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
According to the Talmud, God opens three books of destiny on Rosh Hashanah. If our deeds are good, he writes our names in the Book of Life. If our deeds are wicked, he writes our names in the Book of Death – but if our deeds fall somewhere in between, they are written in a third book. God suspends judgment on those whose names he writes in this book. If our names are written in it, we have ten days more to change our hearts and lives – but on Yom Kippur our fates are sealed.
Evidence of the existence of these books of destiny can be found in Exodus, in which Moses – confessing to God that the Israelites have worshiped the golden calf, pleads for God’s forgiveness. He asks God to blot out his name from the book God has written if God will not forgive his people. This book is mentioned again in Psalms 69, in which the psalmist asks God to let the names of his adversaries be “blotted out of the book of the living.”
Having our names blotted out from the book of the living it a daunting prospect – especially during certain Jewish holidays. But we can do three things to help make sure God writes ours names in the book of life. First, we can repent of the evil deeds we have done in the past. Second, we can engage in meaningful prayer. Third, we can charitable giving. Giving to the poor is particularly important to God, who holds them in high regard.
God’s particular affection for the poor can be seen in 1 Samuel 2:8, in which the psalmist declares that he “lifts the poor from the dust” and “treats them as princes sitting in the seats of honor.”
God also makes it clear that he wants us to help the poor. Indeed, he commands us to do so, saying, “If, however, there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsmen in any of your settlements in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman.”
One meaningful way to aid the poor is to contribute to Maot Chim, which has been bringing meals and holiday food packages to the needy in Greater Chicagoland for more than 100 years. These packages are particularly important during Jewish holidays, because they enable those who would otherwise not be able to observe these special days to do so. If you are interested in contributing to this effort, please click here or call (847) 674-3224.
Choosing a Mitzvah is a highly personal decision in a young man or woman’s life, and should be unique to your passions while also serving the Jewish community at large. When it came to picking my own Mitzvah project when I was twelve years old, I took some time to think about what was most important to me. Some of my fondest childhood memories were of the high holidays spent with my family, celebrating and eating together. Food, family and Emuna (faith) are been deeply connected in my mind, so working with Maot Chitim, providing food to needy Jewish families in Chicago, was an easy pick for my Mitzvah.
Tzedukah, or “Charity”, is a large part of the Jewish faith and practice, a cornerstone of your life as a part of the Jewish tradition. Although I could have done a more private Mitzvah like reflecting deeply on a favorite prayer or designing Shabbat candles, at that age I felt that charity work most inspired me, and was important to my journey into adulthood.
For charity work I could have done many things, from collecting and donating toys to fundraising for groups or becoming directly involved in one of many local charities in Chicago. I wanted to pick an organization to work with that was important to what I love about being Jewish, while also helping those in need in Chicago. I knew that when I presented my Mitzvah during my Bat Mitzvah to friends and family as something personally meaningful I would inspire them to think deeply upon their own Mitzvah, either as projects for their upcoming Bar or Bat Mitzvahs or as a member of the Jewish community.
I quickly decided on Maot Chitim, a group focused on delivering food to those in need. I believed strongly in helping the needy, and to provide support to those in our community. Maot Chitim’s food delivery during high holidays provides sustenance and ensures that no one is left hungry. Food support through the year also provides a way through which the needy can adhere to the daily traditions of our faith with dignity and pride.
Maot Chitim provides meals to the Jewish community in Chicago, both for high holidays and for the food insecure year-round. Not only do they bring individual baskets around the city, they also send bulk shipments to other organizations focused on the same mission. Their charity spoke to me as a member of the Jewish faith and as a member of the greater Chicago community.
Volunteers and donors are the backbone of Maot Chitim’s charitable practice. From those who work in the warehouses organizing and coordinating food donations, to the assistants who hand-deliver baskets and meals to individuals each holiday. I was happy to help in the warehouse, and was also lucky enough to also meet some of the recipients of the food packages. Their gratitude strengthened my dedication to working with Maot Chitim.
During each holiday approximately 4,500 individual boxes are given along with bulk shipments to up to 25 larger organizations. In total, each holiday comfort, food, and tradition is brought close to 12,000 people who would otherwise go hungry or have no way to celebrate the warmth of holidays.
My time with Moat Chitim was unforgettable, and I have loved working with them well beyond my Bat Mitzvah.
One of the many Jewish organizations dedicated to helping the Jewish community of Chicago is Maot Chitim. Out organization is based the ancient traditional religious obligation which requires everyone who subscribes to the Jewish religion to help the poor. This often happens prior to Rosh Hashanah and Passover. The sole purpose of Maot Chitim is to cater for the holiday expenses of the less privileged members of the society.
Rosh Hashanah is celebrated to impart everyone with a sense of royalty. However, we cannot have a sense of royalty if the less privileged members of our community lack basic necessities such as food. The essence of the festivities is to ensure that everyone shares in our joy. Efforts by Jewish organizations in Chicago, Illinois to provide food to the needy during this holiday makes this a possibility.
A Historical Recap of Maot Chitim
The exact translation of Maot Chitim is “Wheat Money”. This is an ancient religious obligation. Its traditional form was a response to the insufficiency of kosher, which was used for baking Matzah. During that time, poor families had to rationalize the amount of Matzah eaten, or survive without it altogether. Raising money for the less privileged families thus became an obligation, which has stood the test of time.
In contemporary times, donating flour used in the preparation of Matzah became the norm rather than donating ready made Matzah to the poor families. Scholars argue that this was a way of ensuring that everyone took part in the preparation of the delicacy. In our current age, Maot Chitim has been greatly diversified. In most communities, food and other supplies are often distributed to the poor for free or at highly subsidized prices. Others opt to make direct contributions to Maot Chitim of Greater Chicago.
How Chicago’s Maot Chitim Fund Works
Devarim 15:7-8 states, “If, however, there is a needy person among you…do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman. Rather you must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs.”
Maot Chitim of Chicago is among the many Jewish organizations that are helping needy families to experience Rosh Hashanah and Passover just like anyone else. Instead of simply distributing the funds collected among the poor, we buy food on a wholesale basis for distribution. Our system is more effective since more families can be served. The food is often packaged in food boxes and distributed to households. The size of each food box depends on the size of a household.
Owing to the tough economic times and a sharp increase in the number of families in need, we usually call upon volunteers to help us distribute the food boxes. Three weeks before Rosh Hashanah and Passover, we normally ask volunteers to come forth and help us assemble and distribute the food boxes. Those who volunteer ought to be at least twelve years old. They must similarly wear closed shoes for health and safety purposes.
The time has come for us to repent ahead of Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah. To lend your support to this noble cause, please call this number: 847-674-3224.
Some of our wonderful volunteers who dedicated their time to volunteer for our Jewish Organization.
Click on the picture below to watch a video highlighting activity from one of our Passover food distribution centers:
April 3rd –10:00-2:00 Come Build boxes with Maot Chitim of Chicago!!
We hope to see you there.
1808 Holste Road, Northbrook, IL. 60062
Join us for Passover Packing and Deliver at 1808 Holste Road in Northbrook!!
Sunday, April 3rd – Box Making: 10:00 AM-12:00 PM Everyone is invited to help us assemble over 4000 boxes for Delivery!!
Sunday, April 10th – Non Perishable Packing. Hourly shifts run from 9:30 AM and end at 2:00 PM. (Must be 12 years or older to work on assembly line)
Sunday April 17th – Starting at 6:00 AM we will be putting perishable items in the boxes to prepare them for delivery. Please come join us!
Help Deliver Boxes from 9:00 AM-11:00 AM -THE ENTIRE FAMILY (ALL AGES) IS ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS MITZVAH
Directions from the Edens North bound:
From 94 Edens expressway exit on Willow Rd West
Go 3.6 miles to Shermer Rd., Turn left and go 0.3 miles to Holste Rd. then turn left
Directions from the Edens South bound:
Exit Tower Road; turn left on Frontage Rd,
Continue 1 mile, turn right on Willow Road,
Go 3.1 miles to Shermer Rd., Turn left and go 0.3 miles to Holste Rd. then turn left
Directions from the West:
From 294 Tri state tollway exit Willow Rd East
Go 1.9 Miles to Shermer Rd., Turn Right and go 0.3 miles to Holste Rd. then turn left
Passover 2016
1st Seder Friday evening, April 22nd
Super Sunday- Sunday, April 10
Delivery Day- Sunday, April 17
Rosh Hashanah 2016
Erev Rosh Hashanah- Sunday, October 2
Super Sunday- Sunday, September 18
Delivery Day – Sunday, September 25
Passover 2017
1st Seder – Monday, April 10
Delivery Day- Sunday, April 2
Super Sunday, Sunday, March 26
Rosh Hashanah 2017
Erev Rosh Hashanah –Wednesday, September 20
Delivery Day- Sunday, September 17
Super Sunday, Sunday September 10
Are you looking for a B’nei Mitzvah Project? Are you looking to get more involved in helping othersPlease stop by and visit us at the Ort Party Planning Showcase at the Marriott Lincolnshire. Learn about ways you can give back to the Community. We will be there from 10:30-3:30. We hope to see you there!! If you can’t make the showcase or want more information on the upcoming holidays.. please call us at 847 674 3224, or email us at info@maotchitim.org
