Even the coronavirus can’t stop Passover in Brooklyn.
Uber and the nonprofit Met Council are joining forces to deliver 500 Passover meals to homebound Holocaust survivors who will be isolated at home during the upcoming Jewish holiday, the groups told The Post on Sunday.
“It’s a tragedy that these elderly survivors will be all alone for Passover,” David Greenfield of Met Council said in a statement. “That’s why Met Council is working around the clock to try and get to everyone who desperately needs meals.”
The Seder boxes will include all the fixings, from matzah balls, gefilte fish and borscht chicken to sweet potatoes, apples and eggs.
To get the meals to the Holocaust survivors, Met Council, a Jewish nonprofit that operates food pantries and soup kitchens throughout the five boroughs, is teaming up with the ride-hailing app, the statement said.
“Passover seder is a celebration of perseverance and resilience, and that message feels more important now than ever,” said Uber public-affairs manager Hayley Prim. “There’s a lot more that needs to be done for the Met Council and all New Yorkers in need, but we’re proud to play a small role ensuring transportation is not a barrier for Passover seder.”
The move was a welcome gift for local Jewish leaders.
“I think it’s amazing what Met Council is doing,” Alex Budnitskiy, CEO of Marks Jewish Community House of Bensonhurst, told The Post. “I think the fact that they were able to mobilize the community in order to deliver the boxes speaks to how efficient they are and how much they care about the community that they serve.”
According to a 2013 report by Selfhelp Community Services commissioned by Congress, Brooklyn had more than 42,000 of the New York metropolitan area’s Holocaust survivors in 2011, by far the largest concentration of survivors in the region.
The report predicted the number would dwindle to 23,424 in the region by 2025.
The Met Council and Uber effort is just one endeavor to get meals to homebound Jews by the holiday Wednesday.
New York City rabbis are helping thousands prepare for their Seder, using Zoom video calls to reach them.