Helping homeless a sticky business for Jewish groups
By Karen Duryea
Daily Bruin Staff
Covered with peanut butter and smelling of baby wipes, three
student groups teamed up Wednesday to meet a goal of making 1,000
peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches for the homeless.
Students from Hillel, the Jewish Student Union and Caring Hands
spent a month planning the charitable event.
"There’s always people talking about problems with the homeless,
but no one does anything about it," said Foujan Neman, a third-year
communication studies student and member of Caring Hands, the new
Iranian/Jewish community service club."The great thing about being
on Bruin Walk is that students can participate … it’s
accessible."
Instead of handing out flyers that students often toss aside,
the sandwich project, which they called "PB Jam," was a hands-on
activity which provided immediate satisfaction from its
participants.
"People like it … they leave with a smile on their face,"
Neman said.
Local supermarkets donated the bread for the student-run
project, which was scheduled between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. By noon,
the group had made about 850 sandwiches, but regretted to admit
that they had run out of peanut butter.
Nikki Sieger, the Jewish Campus Service Core Outreach
Coordinator, had to take another trip to stock up on peanut butter
and jelly. Sieger explained that the "PB Jam" helps to celebrate
the current Jewish holiday of Purim, in which it is customary to
provide gifts for the needy.
The activity was not limited to Jewish students, however. "It
has mass appeal," Sieger said. "You don’t have to be Jewish to do
it."
Adding to the holiday celebration, Rabbi Mandel Cunin of UCLA’s
Chabad House was present, bearing candles and helping with prayers
to show the unity of the Jewish students in in light of the recent
bombings in Israel.
"Jewish people derive strength from unity," Cunin said. "Our
connection is very spiritual; we should be strong and not give
in."
Cunin added that the Jewish Student Union’s role in aiding the
homeless reflects their spiritual survival in time of need.
Religion aside, the important point was that they were making
food for the needy, participants said.
"We felt like we were going to be here all day. In two hours we
accomplished what we had thought would take all day," Neman
said.
The food was donated to 10 local shelters and food banks
yesterday afternoon, including the Veteran Food Bank, Sieger
said.
Students said their motivation to participate despite their busy
schedules was to achieve the altruistic feeling associated with
charitable acts.
"I figured I’m done with my classes and I’ve never heard of
anything like it," said Jennifer Serrano, a first-year
physiological science student who took an hour to make sandwiches.
"It kind of makes me feel like I’ve done my good deed for the
day."
Sherry Khadavi, a first-year anthropology student and
coordinator of Caring Hands, handed a baby wipe to Serrano, who had
peanut butter covered hands. Serrano said she made about 75
sandwiches in an hour.
"The idea sounded appealing," Khadavi said, explaining why she
got involved. "I thought it would be fun."
Group organizers said they plan to hold similar events next
quarter.
FRED HE/Daily Bruin
Sonia Nayak, a first-year earth science student (left), prepares
peanut butter sandwiches while Sherry Khadavi (right), a first-year
history student, looks on.
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