Tomche Shabbos of Rockland County assists community members who are struggling financially, by providing food packages, humanitarian grants and job training, as well as other support through various programs designed to offer emergency intervention and the hope for a better tomorrow.
Tomche Shabbos of Rockland County was founded in 1988 with the simple goal of delivering food packages to destitute families in the community. With time, we forged a deep connection with our recipients. As we heard their stories of heartbreak and hopelessness, we became better educated about their unique needs and struggles and sought to address them one by one. Thus, over the course of several decades, we have evolved from an organization that delivers weekly packages of free food to one that offers comprehensive emergency assistance to impoverished individuals and families in Rockland County.
Today, we still offer weekly food packages, which are delivered discreetly, under the cover of dark, to 550 families who would not be able to prepare for Shabbos without them. Twice each year, before Sukkos and Pesach, we expand this service to over 900 destitute families, who receive large deliveries of multiple boxes filled with food and Yom Tov necessities. Special items are included during other times of the year, such as age-appropriate toys for the children of the household before Chanukah.
However, with our multi-faceted approach, Tomche Shabbos offers much more than only food packages. Our humanitarian grants restore water and electricity to families whose utilities have been shut off or cover mounting medical debt for those crumbling under the financial burden of serious illness. For those facing the pain and humiliation of unemployment, our Partners in Parnosoh program offers adult education classes, which provide extensive training in business skills and various computer programs, as well as assistance with resumes and job placements.
When poverty is caused by a history of dysfunction or complex life situations, Tomche Shabbos seeks to break the cycle of dependence by offering counseling services by licensed social workers who can offer guidance in establishing a stable and productive family environment.
Tomche Shabbos takes our responsibility to the community seriously. We carefully screen applicants for eligibility with sensitivity and discretion. Additionally, we seek multiple bids for food items and other purchases to ensure that we provide maximum relief at the lowest cost.
Today, when families face eviction, food shortages, utility shut-offs, or medical crises, they reach out to Tomche Shabbos. When former employees suddenly find themselves without a job, they know they can count on Tomche Shabbos. When individuals learn of elderly or widowed neighbors who live in squalid apartments with empty refrigerators, they inform Tomche Shabbos.
When situations seem hopeless and all options have been explored, Tomche Shabbos of Rockland County shines a beacon of light and offers dignity, hope, and the promise of a better tomorrow.
Board Of Directors
Alan Rosenstock
Bernard Englard
Leibi Grohman
Hershe Greenzweig
Ari Halpert
Joseph Brachfeld
Shua Heber
Yudi Herzberg
Izzy Rosenberg
The life story, goals and accomplishments of Reb Chaim Munzer, a”h, personify what Tomche Shabbos is all about. Reb Munzer grew up in difficult economic circumstances in pre-war Galicia. He lost his entire family during the war and was on the run for six years in Russia, experiencing starvation and deprivation firsthand. Despite the many challenges, Reb Munzer never lost faith and was always medakdek b’mitzvos, even amidst the most difficult circumstances. With the help of his life partner Sara Munzer, shetichya, he rebuilt a life in New York and raised a family based on Torah and maasim tovim. He conducted his life in a quiet and unassuming manner, always cheerful and content with his lot, while never forgetting those in dire need. Reb Munzer leaves a legacy to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of ahavas Torah and ahavas Yisrael. He would be immensely proud to see how his offspring are engrossed in Torah and chesed.
The family takes great pride in the fact that Tomche Shabbos has been named in his memory. May his zechusim and masim tovim reverberate and multiply through the work of Tomche Shabbos and that of the doros that he nurtured and sustained.
Tomche Shabbos of Rockland County does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, or national origin in any of its activities or operations.
Tomche Shabbos is a 501c3 not for profit organization:
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69,492
bottles of grape juice
180,950
lbs of potatoes
97,150
dozen eggs
32,033
challos
12,000
lbs of matzah
41,016
rolls of gefilte fish
243,693
lbs of chicken
8,645
pieces of clothing
183
computer course attendees
274
job placements to date
