US Chesed News

We in US Chesed constantly try both to support our own members who are living in difficult circumstances but also to encourage US members to support the wider community in which we live. So we are delighted to see 3 of our Rabbis setting us such a good example by engaging in Tzedek’s “Living Below the Line” project which focuses on extreme poverty. 

Three United Synagogue rabbis lived on just £1 a day for food and drink for five days to raise awareness of the plight of those in abject poverty across the world.

Taking part in the challenge for Tzedek were rabbis David Mason of Muswell Hill US, Sholom Odze of South Hampstead US and Ari Shainfield of St John’s Wood US.

Rabbi Odze on his’ Live Below the Line’ blog commented: “Today’s lesson is a very unexpected one. Many people, like myself, will be familiar with the expression "waste not want not"…When you on a strict budget and therefore limit on your food what I found myself doing is making sure I used up every last drop, crumb or piece of vegetable. You dare not waste!”

While Rabbi Mason also learned greatly from the experience saying: “The challenge is one that can bring awareness of global poverty challenges - but it can be helpful to us all on so many perspectives.”

Jude Williams, CEO of Tzedek said: “The rabbis made a tremendous effort and focused, just for a few days, many people’s minds on the limitations that poverty puts on people’s lives. I can’t thank them enough for supporting us and raising awareness so brilliantly.”