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By Yosef Mendel Heintz, LMSW

As Pesach is coming up, I keep on seeing two things:

1. I see that Crown Heights has a lot of people who need to cover basic Yom Tov Necessities.
2. A lot of Fundraisers.

The problem, you ask, is that if there are people in need and people are fundraising, everyone should be fine. Well, the fundraisers are 9/10 fundraising for people who don’t live in Crown Heights. “I have a Seder somewhere across the Ocean. Can you please help me reach my goal of $25,000?” “I am giving out matzah To People who otherwise wouldn’t get Shmura Matzah. Do you Know anyone?” Here I say my next-door neighbor doesn’t have any matzah. Can you help them? “No, sorry, we only give to people that otherwise would eat machine matzah if they are going to starve fine with me. I hope you find someone else who can maybe help them,” they say.

I am not here to criticize the many organizations that do a lot of good in our beloved community, such as Chamah, F.R.E.E., CSSY, and Aliya Inreach. However, we must acknowledge that we are falling behind other communities of similar size. This is because many locals are donating more to causes outside of our community than within it. This contradicts the Halacha’s directive that ‘the poor of your city come first ‘, a principle that should guide our actions and decisions.

The problem is not only visible in poverty issues but also in issues of education and other community functions. Ask an average Crown Heights yungerman to spend a few hours a week going on Mivtzoyim with you; you will get an immediate yes. Ask them to take a local teen out for one hour a week, and suddenly, you hear I don’t know if I am the right person. It’s not really my style, etc. Another example is an educator who educates non-religious kids outside of town who will stand tall and proud and tell you that they are a Shliach. On the other hand, the local educator will stand bent down and tell you, “Yeah, I know I am ALSO a Shliach.”

Looking ahead, I urge our community to shift our focus toward our own. While it’s important to extend our support beyond our borders, it should not overshadow our local initiatives. By doing so, we can strengthen our community and ensure we are not turning a blind eye to the struggles of our neighbors. Together, we can make a significant difference.

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Yosef Mendel Heintz is a Licensed Social Worker in NY and NJ. He graduated from Wurzweiler School of Social Work in August 2023. He works at Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services on the Mobile Outreach Team, providing short-term crisis intervention and referrals for individuals and families of all ages with mental health issues. He can be reached at [email protected].

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