Original article published in the Jerusalem Post

“The shluchim in the Ukraine act as our social workers. They call and say they need help and we help,” Chabad Rabbi Traxler said.

Thanks to Chabad Rabbi Menachem Traxler and Chabad emissaries of the Ukraine now living in Israel, nearly 1,000 newly arrived olim, representing 180 Ukrainian families, will consume over 20,000 kosher Passover meals, among members of their former communities and their rabbis.

Former citizens of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odesa, Donetsk, Mariupol, Herson, and Zhitomir will share the entire Pessah festival with one another in places like Ma’aleh Adumim, Netanya, Beit Hannah, Beit Rivka and Vered Jericho.

Traxler is the founder and director of Pantry Packers, the food distribution arm of Colel Chabad, the oldest continuously operating network of social services in Israel. He greeted many of the new immigrants at Ben-Gurion Airport and began considering ways to help them.

Traxler and other Chabad emissaries devised a plan to bring the traumatized Ukrainian families together community by community at yeshivot around the country.

Rebbetzin Miriam Moskowitz and her husband, Rabbi Moshe Moskovitz, emissaries in Kharkiv since1990, built a thriving Jewish community there, where over 400 children of all ages attended weekly programs.

After the Russian invasion, which hit Kharkiv especially hard, the Moskowitzes arrived in Israel to organize a Purim celebration for 300 newly arrived refugees.

The couple continues to minister to their dispersed community, both in Israel and Ukraine. “The community is currently in four places—Kharkiv, elsewhere in western Ukraine, eastern Europe and in Israel.”  

She describes her former synagogue, in the firing zone, where 100 people are living in the basement with boarded up windows. She notes, “There are 10,000 left in Kharkiv.”

A team of Chabad emissaries remain in Kharkiv and provide 150-200 hot meals a day, and are organizing Passover Seders. Rabbi Moskowitz still hoped to return to Kharkiv to conduct the communal seder. “We want to go back,” though his wife acknowledges, “It will be a different Kharkiv when we get back.”

The Moskowitzes are keenly aware of the importance of Passover for the community. “It is the only festival the Jews of the Soviet Union know about,” nowadays, she says. “I hope in this festival of freedom, people will have good thoughts… everyone is lost and overwhelmed,” and most families will spend Passover without their menfolk between 18-60 who are not permitted to leave Ukraine. She is happy to be joined by 31 families from Kharkiv in what she describes as “Pessah Camp.”

Rabbi Shlomo Wilhelm, the chief rabbi of Western Ukraine, arrived there in 1994 and helped nearly 3,500 of Zhitomir’s estimated 5,000 Jews to enter Moldova and Poland by bus, or immigrate to Israel.

 Wilhelm arrived here last month with 100 students from the local Jewish day school. One emissary remains in Zhitomir to tend to the remaining Jewish community.

Rabbi Pinchas Vishetsky of Donetsk is no stranger to abruptly picking up and resettling his community. During the 2014 rebel uprising in Donetsk he brought many members of his community to Kyiv. “We left everything behind,” Rabbi Vishetsky recalls. Some later returned to Donetsk.

Vishetsky, who keeps in touch with his congregants via WhatsApp, is preparing for Passover in Nir Etzion with approximately 75 families. “Psychologists will be here to help.”   Traxler is proud of his fellow emissaries. “The emissaries in the Ukraine act as our social workers… When refugees come, we are their first call.”

Original article published in the JNS

Families typically receive 500 shekels ($155) of food per month, consisting of fruit and vegetables, dry goods and money on a debit card that can be used in supermarkets for perishables, adhering to the specific religious and dietary needs of diverse communities.

(April 13, 2022 / JNS) If Rabbi Menachem Traxler and Pantry Packers only took care of Israel’s poor and hungry in regular times, dayenu—it would be enough. If Pantry Packers only went the extra mile to care for Israel’s needy during the coronavirus pandemic, dayenu. And if they only worked just a bit harder before Pesach—and Ramadan—to help Israel’s needy Jewish, Muslim and Christian residents, dayenu. But when Jews from Ukraine began coming to Israel, Pantry Packers and dozens of volunteers mobilized yet again to help others.

The Austin, Texas-born and Houston-educated Traxler playfully notes: “I came to Israel in 2001, liked the food and stayed.”

Little did he know at the time that he would devote his life to feeding others.

Traxler spent a decade as a Chabad-Lubavitch emissary in Tzfat. He then learned that Colel Chabad was looking for volunteer opportunities in the area of tzedakah.

“I suggested Pantry Packers, now 10 years strong,” reports the rabbi, founder of the nonprofit charity that receives half of its funding from the government of Israel and director of the Jerusalem-based program that provides nutritional support to Israel’s neediest families. He also serves as director of volunteering for Colel Chabad.

Pantry Packers is well-known throughout Israel. The organization, established in 1788, is the food-distribution arm of Colel Chabad, Israel’s longest-running network of social services, established in 1788.

The extensive Pantry Packers network provides a range of assistance, including monthly delivery of non-perishable household food items to 10,346 families in 48 cities in need of nutrition security. Each month, it supports 1,750 seniors and 24,500 children. Families are screened and selected on a non-discriminatory basis by the social-services departments of local municipalities without regard to gender, ethnic background or degree of religious observance.

Families typically receive 500 shekels ($155) of food per month, consisting of fruit and vegetables, dry goods and money on a debit card that can be used in supermarkets for perishables.

The organization shows great sensitivity to the specific religious and dietary needs of the diverse communities it serves. “It is super-important when we give tzedakah that we give a person what he needs,” says Traxler. “When we give Muslim families food during Ramadan, for example, we add dates; it is an important pre-fast staple.”

Traxler explains that they learned from social workers serving the Ethiopian Jewish community that the rice, beans and pasta Pantry Packers were providing was not meeting the needs of the community. “We started providing teff flour [the main ingredient in the staple food injera, a sourdough flatbread] and green coffee.” The foods they provide to Israel’s haredi community cater to their dietary needs as well.

‘They call and say what they need‘

Thousands of school groups, camp groups and families from Israel and abroad volunteer each year at the Pantry Packers packing plant in Jerusalem.

Michelle Kofman of New York City reports: “We had a wonderful experience at Pantry Packers as part of the celebration of our son’s bar mitzvah. Our group, ranging from ages 7 to 77, worked together and had a lot of fun. While we had services, meals and tours, this activity uniquely integrated actively doing a mitzvah.”

She says that the “explanation and video at the beginning helped us to understand the problem of food insecurity in Israel, and we could see the direct impact of our packaging and contribution. Knowing that the food we bagged and packed was going directly to hungry families helped us appreciate all that we have and our ability to do for others. It was a very special part of our trip to welcome our son into Jewish adulthood, along with the values of chesed and tzedakah.”

In addition to providing food to Israel’s food insecure, Colel Chabad operates a chain of nonprofit supermarkets in key markets to serve households struggling with the cost of food; delivers 845 daily meals on wheels meals; and serves free meals at a network of 22 restaurants.

The recent coronavirus pandemic provided singular challenges and opportunities for Pantry Packers. “COVID—we were off the books!” reports Traxler. “There was an explosion. We were serving the elderly, and the government was issuing food cards and using our platform to reach people in need.”

In addition, Traxler notes that they were delivering groceries anytime a person in Jerusalem tested positive for the virus.

In recent weeks, Colel Chabad and Pantry Packers have expanded their efforts to serve Ukrainian Jews both before they arrive in Israel and after they land. “The Chabad shluchim in Ukraine are our social workers. They call and say what they need. We have given more than 1,000 families debit cards for housewares, food, linens and clothes,” says Traxler, who has personally greeted new arrivals at Ben-Gurion International Airport on several occasions. “I give out toys to the kids, and roses and cosmetics to the women.”

Now, Traxler and Chabad emissaries are planning a meaningful Passover experience for Ukrainian refugees. They will be reuniting entire communities at various boarding schools that are closed during the holiday, which is celebrated for seven days in Israel as opposed to the eight days in the Diaspora. The cost of providing an all-inclusive Passover experience doesn’t even factor into the conversation, notably with the belief that God will provide.

“Big communal public seders were very important, especially in Ukraine,” says Traxler. “If we can offer them here, I am sure Hashem will send us partners.”

Original article published in the JNS

The 21-year-old Israeli has the distinction of being one of only five NBA players to play in all 82 regular season games.

(April 11, 2022 / JNS) Deni Avdija’s second NBA season with the Washington Wizards, which concluded on Sunday with a 124-108 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, ended much better than his rookie NBA season when the Israeli forward sustained a right fibular hairline fracture in April and missed the remainder of playing time.

This year, Avdija has the distinction of being one of only five NBA players to see court-time in all 82 regular season games. Despite praise from coaches and basketball insiders, the 21-year-old feels that he has room for improvement.

Avdija is proud of his consecutive game streak during the season, though he says there were times when he felt a little sick and almost couldn’t play.

The April 8 night game—the Wizards lost to the New York Knicks 114-92—was an example of him playing despite not feeling 100 perfect. “Even today, I was a little congested and sick. I wasn’t feeling very good in the morning. But to be able to overcome it and mentally be ready for the game, it’s a privilege. I felt like me missing a game is me leaving my teammates behind or my coaches behind. They need me, so I’m going to be there for them. Even if I’m not 100 percent, I’m still locked in.”

“That’s part of being a professional,” notes Avdija, who played 26 minutes and scored 11 points in Friday’s game.

Avdija saw increased playing time as the season progressed, playing a team high of 34 minutes off the bench on April 6; the Wizards lost 118-103 to the Atlanta Hawks. His nine points fell one short of scoring in double figures for an eighth time over the last nine games. He had six assists.

In his last nine appearances, Avdija averaged 13.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 29.6 minutes per game.

He started the final two games of the season in place of injured teammate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. And in his final game of the season, Avdija played 31 minutes with 12 points, four assists and five rebounds.

‘Stay humble and keep going’

Longtime NBA journalist Marc Stein, who publishes the reader-supported newsletter “The Stein Line” on Substack, wrote that “Deni was one of the more consistent players on a very up-and-down team. It was a promising second season for him amid a lot of chaos—Bradley Beal’s injury, Washington’s struggles after a great start, and a major trade shakeup when the Wizards acquired 26-year-old Kristaps Porzingis.

“He has shown more offensive versatility as he gains experience, which was expected, and he has also developed into a very competent defender, which is a nice surprise,” notes Stein. “Deni’s ceiling as a player will remain dependent on his shooting, just as many draft evaluators believed before his arrival in the NBA, but he’s playing with noticeably more confidence.”

Head Coach of the Wizards Wes Unseld Jr. is pleased with Avdija’s growth, saying “we have seen quite a bit of development. He has expanded his game with more ball-handling. Defensively, he has had great moments this year.”

Avdija says he is happy with his growth this season but notes that “it has been challenging.” (In fact, he took it a step further, saying “it has been an emotional roller-coaster.”)

Still, he reports, “I think I made a big step. I’ve learned. I’ve matured. I got better every day; that was my goal.”

And he acknowledges that he still has areas to work on: “I’ve got a lot of stuff to improve. And that’s what I like. The next stage is to go from OK to good to better to excellent. I just need to stay humble and keep going.”

This season, Avdija has also worked hard to represent Israel and the Jewish people. During Hanukkah, for example, he participated in a community-wide candle-lighting ceremony.

But especially now, after a wave of multiple terror attacks in Israel over the past few weeks, the sabra proudly wore basketball shoes with the words: “Am Yisrael Chai—the People of Israel live!”

Original article published in the JNS

Alone on a snowy Friday night, the sophomore made dinner for 15 of her teammates—“all the classics … cholent, deli rolls, schnitzel, challah. It was really special how interested they were.”

(April 1, 2022 / JNS) For Mia Raskin, basketball and Judaism are essential parts of life. Her deep and simultaneous commitment to her favorite sport and religion never came into conflict; at least, until Raskin began considering her college options.

For Raskin, observance of Shabbat and kashrut were non-negotiable, so playing college basketball seemed out of the question. That all changed when an unusual opportunity presented itself during her sophomore year at Binghamton University in New York. With creative thinking and fancy moves that would make an NBA or WNBA star proud, Raskin joined the Binghamton women’s basketball team in late December, traveled to 16 road games and continued to be a proudly observant Jew.

Mia Raskin grew up in Dallas and moved with her family in 2002 to Potomac, Md., when her father, Adam Raskin became the rabbi of Congregation Har Shalom. Raskin played basketball at every opportunity growing up. “I prioritized basketball almost over everything else,” she says. She played basketball year-round: at the (Orthodox) Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy in Rockville, Md., in an AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) league and at various summer programs.

“My parents bent over backwards. If my AAU game over Shabbat was even four miles away, we stayed in a hotel and walked,” she relates.

Raskin praises her parents for their support and understanding of both her commitment to basketball and her religious practice. “My father is a Conservative rabbi, and is so supportive of me staying observant. My mother, too—she raised us so that we never felt forced or coerced to be observant; it made me strong.”

By 10th grade, Raskin began to realize that playing basketball in college was unlikely. “I thought about playing, but also thought it was not possible because of being Shomer Shabbat. Ultimately, there were no college basketball programs flexible enough to accommodate my Shabbat observance, kashrut requirements and Jewish communal needs, so I decided collegiate basketball would not be in the cards for me.”

She would soon have an unusual opportunity to take on an even greater role with the team.

‘In the gym a big chunk of the day’

During the fall semester, Raskin noticed that a number of players were unable to play due to injuries or coronavirus precautions. At times, there were not enough players available for a 5-on-5 scrimmage. And so, Raskin mentioned her basketball playing background to head women’s basketball coach Bethann Shapiro Ord, who appreciated her offer to help but was not initially able to take her up on it.

While home on break, on Friday afternoon, Dec. 31, Ord called to offer Raskin an opportunity to join the team.

“You can only imagine my initial reaction to that phone call; I was ecstatic! I finally felt like I would be able to live out my basketball dreams,” says Raskin. Still, she knew that her religious observance would pose issues and require certain accommodations.

Raskin’s parents encouraged her to keep the explanations simple—note that kosher food wouldn’t be so difficult, and telling the coach and teammates that she is unable to use her phone or ride on the Sabbath would be sufficient initially. Raskin drove to Binghamton in the snow to join her teammates—admittedly a bit nervous about how she and her religious issues would be received.

“My mom was going to come up to visit me,” reports Raskin, noting that her apartment mates and most students were off-campus enjoying their semester break. “But a snowstorm hit, and she couldn’t come. I was pretty alone.”

As Raskin got to talking with her teammates in the locker room, the topic of Shabbat and kashrut came up, as did the fact that Raskin had “no one to do Shabbat with.” The teammates immediately replied, “We will come.”

Raskin invited her entire team to her apartment for a Shabbat dinner. “I made all of the food—dinner for 15—all of the classics … cholent, deli rolls, schnitzel, challah. It was really special how interested they were so early on.” She explains that she even prepared a Shabbat dinner “cheat sheet,” explaining Kiddush, hand-washing and hamotzi to her guests.

Their interest in and support for Raskin continued to grow. “Everyone asked questions daily to try to understand. It was cool,” says Raskin.

But she found ways to make it work, including walking home from the field house, often accompanied by teammates, on Shabbat. In all, she was able to join the team for 16 of 20 road games. “That’s 80%! The other four,” she says, “would have required riding on Shabbat.”

Raskin acknowledges underestimating how hard it would be finding nutritious kosher food on the road. “At first, I had lots of protein bars and fruit. Binghamton Chabad was very supportive. They reached out to other Chabads on the road. When Chabad centers at the University of Vermont, University of Albany and University of Hartford found out my story, they came to my support.”

And she discovered how time-consuming college sports can be. “We are in the gym a big chunk of the day—three to five hours.” She does feel that it has taken away from some of the Jewish activities she cherishes, such as daily prayer and study. But she notes, “I have a Gemara [Talmud] in my locker in case I have time to learn.”

‘Respected that I had to make compromises’

Raskin’s parents, her coach and the Binghamton Chabad community say they are proud of how Mia has been making it all work, in addition to her telling everyone right up front what her needs entailed.

“From the first conversation with the coach, she made it clear that Shabbat and kashrut were non-negotiable. But she was also willing to explore how she could make it work within these religious parameters,” say her parents, Rabbi Adam and Sari Raskin. “Along the way, she educated a lot of people—teammates, coaches, fans—about Judaism.”

Ord adds that “Mia was greatly appreciated by cutting her winter break short to come back to campus to help us out. I was so proud of how our team embraced her. It was a total learning experience for all. She gained an understanding of being a Division I athlete, and we gained knowledge of her Jewish observance. Mia came in every day with a great energy and attitude, and it was greatly appreciated.”

Rivkah Slonim, associate director at the Chabad Center for Jewish Student Life at Binghamton University, reports: “Mia is an inspiration—navigating her sports life while remaining steadfast in her commitment to Judaism. Mia has demonstrated the ability to live by principles. She works hard, plays hard and remembers, above all, who she is.”

Her being on the team has also helped drive attendance at Binghamton Bearcats women’s basketball games, which is admittedly small from the campus community. “There is a huge fan base, but it is more from the local community than from the school,” notes Raskin, who is quick to add, “the people who showed up from school were from the Jewish community—about 15 or 20 per game.”

In the end, Raskin did not see any playing time. But she’s not upset and has an amazingly positive attitude. “I go to live the dream—to work out with the team, to do free throws and lay ups, and come out when the team warm ups.”

She adds that the team “respected that I had to make compromises. There was mutual respect. I loved my time with the girls. They welcomed me with open arms.”

The season is now over, and Raskin will consider her options for next season. “I have no expectations of whether they want me to come back.”

She smiles, “I did get really cool sweatshirts. At the end of the day, it was worth it.”

For now, Raskin is enjoying watching the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, cheering for her favorite player (and non-Binghamton team). “I’m a big fan of Dawn Staley! South Carolina all the way!”