Kugel Kindness
By Debbie Locketz
During COVID I started to volunteer for an organization called Lasagna Love. Essentially, volunteers make and deliver lasagnas to others in their community who are struggling, particularly with food insecurity. After delivering several lasagnas all over the Twin Cities, David (Rabbi Locketz) and I started talking about how we could bring something like this program to Bet Shalom. We kept asking ourselves how we could create community and make connections one family at a time. From these conversations Kugel Kindness was born.
Renee Paulnock and I have been friends since our five kids all attended preschool at Bet Shalom Yeladim and grew up together (oldest is now 21 and youngest are 16). When our kids were in preschool, Renee and I started making latkes for Hanukkah for the preschool and then the congregational service. I remember she started laughing when we were at lunch one day last fall and I told her my idea for Kugel Kindness and asked if she wanted to partner with me on this new project. I seem to have a way of coming up with ideas and getting us both involved!! The Caring Community was also looking for a new chairperson, and Renee was the perfect fit for that role.
As the main initiative of the Caring Community, Kugel Kindness is a way for Bet Shalom members to be warm, welcoming and supportive to each other while creating community. We provide kugels to congregant families who are experiencing stressful events like births, deaths and illnesses.
Every month we make 20 kugels in the Bet Shalom Kitchen with approximately 8 volunteers. Some people are avid cooks and others have no experience at all. Last month I overheard someone say that they had never made a kugel before in their life. It is amazing what two hours together in the kitchen can do. We not only make 20 kugels in those two hours, but I have also watched amazing connections happen between people who just met and people who have known each other for years.
The Clergy team has been so supportive of this initiative by helping us identify who should be receiving kugel and by delivering some as well. Making a delivery has also provided an amazing way for members to connect with other members. Sometimes kugels are just left on a step with a brief conversation, while other times people are happy to chat, getting to know and catch up with other Bet Shalom members. One of our volunteers recently texted after dropping off a kugel and said “Thank you for providing me this wonderful opportunity, it felt so good to do something for someone else and was such an easy way to help others in our community. I definitely want to do another delivery soon.” It makes my day to be able to drop off a kugel at another congregant’s house and say hello. This small act of kindness really touches people in a way that a text or call to them can’t accomplish. Another volunteer texted after she made her delivery “I’m so proud of how Bet Shalom supports our members though our own traditions. #Food.”
Members of the Bet Shalom Board of Trustees have also volunteered to deliver kugel to our newest Bet Shalom families. Here is what Jake Friedman has to say about the experience: “There was a very happy reaction from all the recipients. They appreciated being greeted by someone from Bet Shalom and they all looked forward to eating the kugels.“ Althena Hays, another Board member, said, “I absolutely love this program and think it’s a great way to welcome people into the community!” after she got to deliver and meet new Bet Shalom families.
After a few long years of not being together due to COVID, Kugel Kindness is a way to give back to others and continue to build community. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered over the past few months to help us make and deliver over 50 kugels to Bet Shalom families. We are always looking for more volunteers to help make kugels and deliver them. If you are interested in delivering kugels, please fill out this form so that we can gather information.
