The Shelter is a Respite: Volunteering for People without Homes

by Jeff Kurzon, candidate for Congress in New York’s 7th District

Last night I slept in the basement of The Brooklyn Heights Synagogue on a cot. I did the same last week. And I look forward to doing it again. Besides functioning as a place of worship, the Synagogue partners with Cambato provide beds and a hot meal made by volunteers to people without homes.  If you are interested in learning more, or volunteering at the shelter yourself, more information can be found here. I highly recommend it.

Here is what I got out of the experience:

• My thinking has changed after meeting the men at the “shelter.” “Homeless” is a strange word to describe someone. I prefer people without homes. In French it is “sans domicile fixe” or “sdf” (literally: without a fixed domicile). Would you describe someone as homeful just because they had a nice apartment?
• A shelter is where beds are assigned a number – technically the shelter is a “respite,” and I think it is a nice term since it provides a break from the unpleasantness of not having a home for the men who need it, but also for the volunteers since they eat with the men. (The volunteers and the men sleep in different rooms adjacent to each other).  The night of the bad storm, the buses from Camba were not running to the shelter, so the men had to sleep in chairs.
• The guests at the shelter are kind, generous and thoughtful.  So many New Yorkers are one rent check away from being in the same position. Many of the men have jobs or businesses, but for some unfortunate circumstance ended up without a home (a death of a spouse, a DUI and loss of a job, etc.). The men who had been there before helped with the tasks of volunteering.
• The volunteers and staff at the Synagogue are also kind, generous and thoughtful. Spending time with two other volunteers – one a teacher and one a retired attorney – was also a highlight.
• You do not need to be Jewish to volunteer.
• The first night the “cook” donated Chinese food and last night we had baked ziti and brownies made by a generous family.
• Learned from a Rabbi who came last night: most shelters and food banks do fine around holidays – it is the periods in between that need the most help and support.
• Learned from the teacher who has been volunteering once a year for the last twenty years: When homelessness in New York City was out of hand in the 1980s – the City asked religious institutions to help. BHS started their great program 30 years ago. Lucky for me my first time volunteering was right before the 30 year anniversary dinner. See the Brooklyn Paper photo and coverage here.
• Learned from the attorney: hiking and water aerobics keeps you young, but also that the constitutional amendment I proposed to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation should probably be combined with the Equal Rights Amendment that organizers of her generation had fought for. (Who knew that volunteering at a synagogue would help me get in touch with my feminist side?)
• By giving you receive – I felt as though I got more out of volunteering – learning, food, meeting interesting people – than I gave to the men I was there to help, so I am indebted to them and also the Synagogue and I applaud them on their mission. Hard to believe that a couple of the men I met even offered to help me on election day!

Our economy needs to improve and this includes working on ensuring that everyone has a safe and decent place to live. This has always been a priority for me. Of course, your input and feedback is always appreciated.