Showing up for community, healing divisiveness

To the editor,

My daily news feed never fails to remind me of our divided nation, neighbor fighting against neighbor, constant skirmishes and depressing vitriol. However, despite what I read on my phone, my in-real-life, day-to-day reality is often quite different. There are so many wonderful examples of neighbors helping neighbors in the Bronx. My favorite, and one in which I have recently gotten involved, is the nine-year partnership built between Creston Avenue Baptist Church and the Conservative Synagogue Adath Israel of Riverdale, or CSAIR, which now includes Chef Rose’s Restaurant and the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, or ECFS.

The partnership between CSAIR and Creston has included learning about each other’s faith, visits to each other’s houses of worship, a shared model Passover Seder and discussions of racism and antisemitism. But the partnership truly flourishes this time of year for the annual Thanksgiving Drive.

Hosted at the church, the drive feeds over 700 people on Thanksgiving Day, according to CSAIR, and is a true community event. The church provides all of the side dishes like delicious mac and cheese and collard greens and many members of its congregation show up to volunteer.

CSAIR donates all of the cooked turkeys from Chef Rose’s Restaurant, bringing them to the church while also supplying more helping hands. Many neighbors make cookies to donate. Both ECFS and CSAIR have coat and sweater drives beginning early in November and their volunteers bring the gently used clothing to the church on Thanksgiving. The youngest volunteers even make posters to decorate.

When we show up for our local community, we provide a balm, healing divisiveness and enmity. Helping each other is necessary not only for people in need, but for humanity as a whole, and it is the only way we will be able to unify our country and our world. Anyone can help spread the love and if you are so moved to help or donate, please email bronxthanksgiving@gmail.com.

JENNIFER UNTER

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