With increased unemployment, newfound financial hardships and economic uncertainty at an all-time high, shining a spotlight on Yad Ezra, one of the community’s most essential sources of help and hope, was an obvious choice for FedRadioDetroit this month. Yad Ezra is Metro Detroit’s kosher food pantry, serving the community for over 30 years.
“We can’t assume that everyone has food, or enough food, or access to healthy food just because they live in the United States,” said Yad Ezra Executive Director Lea Luger.
FedRadioDetroit co-host Sam Dubin visited the Yad Ezra warehouse to talk to Lea Luger as well as Warehouse Manager David Jaffee and other staff and volunteers to hear first-hand how this critical community resource has improvised and adapted to continue to serve their clients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Food is a basic need. This is life sustaining stuff that we’re doing. And we need to make sure we continue to do it, while exceeding [our clients] expectations,” said David Jaffee.
Back in the virtual studio (everyone recorded remotely due to COVID-19), Sam and co-host Beverly Liss welcomed Yad Ezra co-founder Mickey Eizelman, who explained the birth and growth of the organization — expanding from a small basement office in 1990 serving 160 families to now serving 1300 families out of a warehouse complete with a pick-up window for client privacy and a produce-yielding greenhouse.
FedRadio Detroit is Federation’s podcast series hosted by Sam Dubin and Beverly Liss and featuring big personalities from Jewish Detroit’s diverse cast of characters. Explore previous episodes and stay tuned for a new episode next month here.
