In 2014, Detroit was hit with major floods. A group of young men launched the Detroit Chessed Project. They managed to obtain new furniture and mattresses and recruit volunteers to clean out the flooded basements. On Chol Hamoed Succos, the group met for a small simchas beis hashoevah, and each member shared a brief account of what he had accomplished.
The revelations were astounding. One committee had recruited sponsors for a huge quantity of clothing donations. Another member had arranged for a large retail chain store to donate a truckload of bedding, lamps, and accessories each month. A caterer revealed the number of food packages he distributed each week. Suddenly, one after another, the attendees began volunteering to sponsor the food packages. Thousands of dollars were pledged in a few minutes. Once the impromptu fundraising had ended, the singing began again. The festivities continued until late at night.
At the end, as the musicians packed up, the host approached the non-Jewish saxophone player to thank him. “How much do we owe you for tonight?” The musician said, “Please, take the money and put it toward your wonderful program. I have never seen a display of such generosity and joyful giving in my life. You are the most incredible group of people I have ever seen.”
Reproduced from A Life Worth Living by Rabbi Shraga Freedman with permission of the copyright holders, ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications, Ltd.
