Jews, Christians, and Mormons Unite for 4th Annual Pack-A-Thon

Manhattan, NY—This Thanksgiving, November 22, marks the fourth annual interfaith Thanksgiving Pack-A-Thon, a poverty-fighting initiative in which scores of volunteers pack thousands of packages of meals and winter apparel for distribution to New Yorkers in need. Congregation Shearith Israel hosts the event, with participants and donations coming from their local faith partners: The Jewish Center, West End Collegiate Church, the Church of the Latter-Day Saints, and, for the first time, Drisha Institute. Metropolitan Council on Poverty distributes the packaged meals, with the UJA-Federation of New York providing logistical support.

A key component of the Pack-A-Thon, in addition to the packages, is a fundraising target of $18,000 to alleviate poverty—irrespective of religious background—in New York City. All volunteers donate, and all donations are tripled, courtesy of an anonymous matching grant of up to $10,000. Last year’s Pack-A-Thon raised over $18,000, and the community hopes to exceed that amount this year.

As the oldest Jewish congregation in America—founded in 1654— and having celebrated the Thanksgiving Day with a special service since the holiday was proclaimed in 1789, Shearith Israel feels uniquely connected to Thanksgiving and is acutely aware of its responsibility toward its neighbors, regardless of religious affiliation. In addition, 2019 marks Shearith Israel’s 365th anniversary, its Year of Years, and the congregation is eager to enter this milestone year in the caring manner of its congregational forebears, founders, and activists in local causes, such as the Settlement House movement and Mt. Sinai Hospital.

In the words of Louis Solomon, Parnas (President) of Shearith Israel, “We feel blessed to join with this wonderful community of faith-based congregations, continuing the age-old tradition of helping others.”