Williamsburg – The annual pre-Passover food distribution by the United
Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn (UJO) in partnership
with the Met Council - that took place today (Sunday) in the Brooklyn Navy Yard
– will help feed many thousands during the upcoming Passover holiday.
The UJO’s annual distribution is conducted in a drive thru system, with two
rows of open-trunked cars passing pallets of the distributed items, and crews unloading
cases of food products into their cars. It was amazing to watch, during the
span of many hours, as an endless row of cars kept moving, and each of them
emerged from the drive-thru line with a car load of Passover staples.
This distribution is very important in advance of the Passover holiday,
when families face a limited and expansive Kosher for Passover food selection,
and Hasidic families only eat what they prepare themselves in their own
kitchens. It requires purchasing large quantities of the Passover staples,
something that many families, unfortunately, cannot afford. The annual
distribution assists many of these families to enjoy a happy Passover, and
assure that they aren’t going hungry for the eight-day holiday.
The distribution was joined by NYC Public Advocate Letitia James, Brooklyn
Borough President Eric Adams, Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson,
Assemblymen Joe Lentol and Dov Hikind, Councilmembers Steve Levin, Laurie Cumbo
and Rafael Espinal, Mr. Pinny Ringel of Mayor de Blasio’s Community Assistance
unit, Mr. Pinny Hikind of Comptroller Scott Stringer’s office, District Leader
Nick Rizzo, and many others who came to show support for this mega charitable
endeavor.
“This distribution only took place thanks to Met Council. Many thousands of
families – in Williamsburg an throughout the City and beyond - will happily
celebrate the Passover, and have happier and easier lives year-round, thanks to
this important organization,” said Rabbi David Niederman, Executive Director of
the UJO. “I want to express our appreciation to Agger Fish Corp. and its
president Mr. Marc Agger for providing the warehouse for this year’s
distribution. It is a major contribution to the neighborhood. I also want to
thank the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the NYPD’s 88th Precinct as well as the
volunteers from the Williamsburg Safety Patrol (WSPU), for their assistance
with making today’s distribution a success.”
“The Passover Haggadah teaches us to ‘let all who are hungry come to our
table,”’ said Met Council CEO and Executive Director David M. Frankel. “With
one in four Jewish New Yorkers struggling to feed their families kosher and
nutritious foods, Met Council’s extraordinary staff works every day with our
Jewish Community Council network — located on the front lines in all five
boroughs — and City and State agency partners to provide dignified solutions to
hunger. The 2.2 million pounds of food and $430,000 in food cards we distribute
prior to Pesach will enable our clients to observe the holiday with a
traditional and nutritious meal that otherwise would have been price
prohibitive.”
“We thank Rabbi Niederman and the UJO of Williamsburg for their tireless efforts to provide for New Yorkers in need, and for all they did to make today's food distribution such a great success," Mr. Frankel concluded.
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| Cars Driving Thru and Emerging the Line Filled Up |
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| With Assemblymen Lentol and Hikind, and Mr. Eric Munson of Met Council |
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Products Lined out in the Warehouse
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| Borough President Eric Adams Unloads Products into a Car |
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| Councilman Rafael Espinal Unloads Products into a Car |
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| Councilman Steve Levin Borough Unloads Products into a Car |
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| Public Advocate Tish James Unloads Products into a Car |
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| Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo Unloads Product to a Minivan |
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Volunteers for Shomrim and others assisting for the distribution, with Boro President Eric Adams, Councilman Steve Levin, Captain Peter Fiorillo of the 88th precinct, Rabbi Niederman Pinny Ringel, senior member of the Mayor’s Community Assistance unit, District Leader Nick Rizzo, and others
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Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson unloads distributed products, with Councilmember Laurie Cumbo applauding
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With Assemblyman Joe Lentol, District Attorney Ken Thompson, and Assemblyman Dov Hikind
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Public Advocate Tish James and District Attorney Ken Thompson with Mark Agger, of Agger Fish, who made available his warehouse to serve as the distribution hub
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