EP 86: Sarah Yaffe Alevsky talks Tzedakah, the Upcoming Jewish Holidays, and Giving Back.

Tzedakah is the Jewish word for charity and justice, a cornerstone of the work at the Cleveland Kosher Food Pantry. Behind this South Euclid-based nonprofit is a family origin story resulting in three generations of helping others. Sarah Yaffe Alevsky recently succeeded her mother-in-law, who had taken over the Kosher Food Pantry from her own parents, Rabbi Zalman Kazen and Shula Kazen, who started the organization in the 70s. Sarah heard the call and, with her husband, moved the family from New York to Cleveland to assume leadership of the food pantry which serves around 6,000 people each month. Their work is not limited to the Jewish community. We talk about her family tradition of serving others, the upcoming Jewish holidays, and the evolution of the pantry as the need in the community continues to grow. This episode is presented with support from Chef Douglas Katz and the Ashtabula County Convention and Visitors Bureau.