Community Magazine February 2021

24 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE When I first heard of a hesed enterprise called “Ladies Who Hesed,” I was a bit confused. One of the cofounders explained that the name is a take-off from “Ladies Who Lunch.” Now I understood – these ladies do hesed . And how. Preparing this article granted me the wonderful opportunity to meet two very special women who are busy raising their own young families, and yet find the time to help so many others, too. One of them, Marilyn Levy, also works as an interior designer, and the other, Margo Braha, is also involved in several other hesed organizations. As the interview unfolded, I felt that I was in the presence of greatness. Here is the next generation doing hesed . No fanfare. Just hesed of the highest order. Ladies Who Hesed was born in the tightknit community of Deal, NJ, where everyone knows everyone else, and people love to help each other. Our two protagonists began their enterprise by creating “meal trains,” or charts, supplying hot, fresh meals for new mothers. Through word of mouth, or via one of the popular chat groups, Margo and Marilyn arranged schedules to ensure that new mothers would be given meals for their families. Then, Marilyn and Margo were alerted that there was a new member of the community who experienced a loss, among other difficulties, and needed help. The ladies arranged meals for this family, too. At one point, before one of the holidays, the cooks were busy cooking for their own families, and it seemed there would be a problem providing meals for everyone who needed. Marilyn suggested that the time had come to fundraise and buy readymade meals from reliable restaurants and caterers. This had the added benefit of helping to support merchants suffering from the loss of business due to the coronavirus crisis. These same merchants, many of them food vendors, showed their gratitude by later sponsoring food shipments to families in need. Among these vendors are Nicole’s Kitchen, Nahum Bakery, Freddie’s Grill, Gluten Free SY, Sarah’s Tent, Ouri’s, SY Cuisine, Bloombar Flower Market, and Boutique Butcher. Marilyn and Margo found themselves being the spokes in a wheel of hesed activities. They continued further, sharpening their antennae to sense needs which they could help fill without having to first be approached. Margo was waiting for dismissal at her child’s preschool when she saw someone whose children were all grown. She approached her and asked, in a friendly manner, what she was doing there. “A family member had surgery and the mom couldn’t come to pick up her daughter,” the woman explained. Margo immediately set out to help the family. PNINA SOUID