Giving Back to Our Community Amidst COVID-19
Seeking ways to and support our community of Holocaust survivors in these troubling times, Jordana felt the need to take action. Last week, she took inspiration and made a positive impact on our community.
On Friday, May 8th, Jordana had the brilliant idea to visit some local holocaust survivors (from a safe distance, of course). A few members of the ShadowLight team volunteered their time to visit 25 survivors across the city, bringing them flowers and home-made challahs. During this time of isolation and uncertainty it is very easy for us to get caught up feeling sorry for ourselves but, as our volunteers can confirm, there’s nothing like acts of kindness to bring us back down to earth. The survivors were nothing but grateful and overjoyed to see youthful faces at their doors and to have felt cared for and the volunteers were uplifted. Their continued strength reminds us all of the power we have to support each other, now during these especially tough times, and always.
Here is what Jordana and some of our volunteers took from the experience:
I watched a webinar the other day for leaders of non-profit organizations which said: “You are the light at the end of the tunnel. You are doing good work now and will continue doing good work once we have made it through this. You lift people up, you show them light when there is so much darkness. You are the medium through which people contribute and support others in this time when we all crave connection. Your work doesn’t stop with corona-virus. Be that light.”
These words inspired me more than I can express. The volunteers of ShadowLight have the opportunity to comfort, support and brighten the lives of those so dear to us – our Holocaust survivors.
Five of us spent an entire day delivering flowers and homemade challahs to local Holocaust survivors throughout the city (while practicing social distancing, of course), to brighten their day with youthful faces and show them that we are thinking about them, caring about them and that they continue to touch our hearts in these dire circumstances. It occurred to me that we will not have these beautiful souls a few doors down for much longer. We are losing precious time while waiting for this pandemic to pass, when we can find ways to safely engage with them now! Whether it’s over the phone or at a safe distance, we can learn from them better than anyone how to keep our heads high, push through our current circumstances, and continue helping others.
At the end of the day, it impacted the five of us potentially more than it did the survivors. Showing us that we have the power to make choices in our lives that influence others deeply and give back to those who have given us the world.
Our goal is to help young people connect to Holocaust education on a personal level and there is no better way to adapt our mission in these times than sending out passionate young volunteers to surprise, check-in on, support and connect with Holocaust survivors.
Here is what our volunteers had to say:
Danielle Lebowitz (20): These past couple of months have been very tough on all of humanity, including myself. Delivering flowers to our cherished holocaust survivors did not only bring warmth to their day but to mine as well. Acts of kindness and compassion will allow us to stay positive and productive during these unprecedented times. Caring for others should never stop no matter if we are living COVID-19 or not. On Friday my eyes were opened to how much good each of us can do even in a time of quarantine.
Lauren Marcus (24): During these troubling times, finding ways to cultivate kindness is paramount. It was truly humbling to be able to participate in a small act of kindness for these Holocaust survivors, who have been through so many struggles and hardships - ones that we must remember are vastly more life-altering than even the current times we are living in. Their long-standing resilience and optimism give me so much hope that we will all emerge from this crisis as more mindful and caring global citizens than ever before.
Noa Elfassy (19): Being stuck at home made me feel a little down in the dumps but I was so inspired by Jordana’s idea you do something for others. I brought it up to my family and it really brought everyone out of their funk, my little sister even made some homemade challah for the survivors. Seeing the joy and gratitude on the survivors faces reminded me to be resilient in these trying times.
Camilla Markman (20): During these unprecedented times it becomes vital to help support our fellow community members and do our part in Tikkun Olam. This past Shabbat, I had the honour and privilege of delivering gifts to holocaust survivors around Toronto. This experience was a fulfilling moment, as in this time of uncertainty, I could provide happiness and support to the most beloved members of our community. Most importantly, I wanted the survivors to know that regardless of the circumstances we stand behind them and will provide them with unwavering love and support! I am so grateful to Shadowlight for providing me with this incredible opportunity!