Ending Hunger is a Cross-cultural Affair
Posted on October 9th, 2009 by admin
Last night at a community-wide event in downtown Los Angeles, I sat down with an unlikely cast of dining partners including students of Para Los Niños Charter School and their families, colleagues from the Jewish Federation, members of the Chrysalis program, and other guests. We shared in the pure magic of an evening where Angelenos of all races, languages, and religions came together to celebrate Sukkot.
The event was the brainchild of Andrew Cushnir, Associate Executive Vice President of The Jewish Federation, in partnership with Gisselle Acevedo, President/CEO of Para Los Niños. The program included many distinguished guest speakers, but the highlight of the evening occurred when the 3rd and 4th graders from Para Los Ninos and Heschel Day School took the stage together and sang songs in English, Spanish, and Hebrew. Led by song leader Cindy Paley, the children were the expression of unity, hope and peace in our community. They sang from their hearts with their faces aglow.
I was surprised at how many emotions the event evoked in me. As part of the Fed Up With Hunger initiative, I felt joy and frustration, gratitude and guilt as I ate a healthy portion of fajitas, salad, and churros. While many of us eat what we want, whenever we want, with whomever we want, I was reminded yesterday of the harsh realities of hunger and poverty here in Los Angeles. 1 in 8 people, over 1 million Angelenos, face hunger every day!
But, I was also reminded of so many heroes in our community that fight this fight every day. And at the end of the evening, I felt hopeful.
Congratulations to the teachers of Para Los Niños and teachers everywhere, who continue to educate our children, nurture their souls, and feed their stomachs. Please think about volunteering and/or donating. Trust me when I tell you how worthwhile the experience of getting involved is. Last night, those kids gave my life meaning!
