2008 Woodie Awards
Junior Class Organizes Clothing Drive
Students Fill Bins With Spare Clothes
Ariel Schwartz
Issue date: 3/8/05 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
It was a bitterly cold February afternoon when a haggard man approached Aaron Steinberg, wondering if he knew anyone who had a spare coat. The wheels began to turn in the Yeshiva College Junior Class President's head, and two days later, on Thursday February 10, Steinberg arranged to have bins placed in the Morgenstern and Rubin Hall lobbies.
Earlier this winter, Junior Class Vice President Greg Eliason came up with the idea to run a clothing drive, but there was some trouble getting it off the ground. Nevertheless, the junior class student leaders made it a point to actualize the drive. "We like to do chesed," said Steinberg. "We don't want the students just to take from the university."
The students responded generously, and bins had to be added to accommodate the donated clothing.
Steinberg and Eliason decided to donate the clothing to POTS - Part of the Solution - a local shelter and soup kitchen. Unable to find a local Jewish organization, the juniors decided it was more important to donate the clothes to local non-Jews than non-local Jews.
"The needs of your community come before the needs of another community," said Steinberg, quoting the famous Talmud passage dealing with tzedaka (charity). While some may interpret the passage differently, Steinberg is stressing the importance of giving back to one's community.
When asked about the success of the drive, Steinberg commented, "We started with one bin in Rubin and one in Morg [Morgenstern Hall], and needed to add another bin to Rubin." Why was the drive so successful? "Two reasons," continued Steinberg, "Number one, YU guys have lots of clothes. Number two, it's a very giving community. When given the opportunity, people want to give."
While the drive was Steinberg's and Eliason's brainchild, the crew of facilities management Assistant Dean of Students Brad Karasik helped the project come into fruition.
The donations, it was stressed, had to be in perfect working order, and no underwear was accepted.
Earlier this winter, Junior Class Vice President Greg Eliason came up with the idea to run a clothing drive, but there was some trouble getting it off the ground. Nevertheless, the junior class student leaders made it a point to actualize the drive. "We like to do chesed," said Steinberg. "We don't want the students just to take from the university."
The students responded generously, and bins had to be added to accommodate the donated clothing.
Steinberg and Eliason decided to donate the clothing to POTS - Part of the Solution - a local shelter and soup kitchen. Unable to find a local Jewish organization, the juniors decided it was more important to donate the clothes to local non-Jews than non-local Jews.
"The needs of your community come before the needs of another community," said Steinberg, quoting the famous Talmud passage dealing with tzedaka (charity). While some may interpret the passage differently, Steinberg is stressing the importance of giving back to one's community.
When asked about the success of the drive, Steinberg commented, "We started with one bin in Rubin and one in Morg [Morgenstern Hall], and needed to add another bin to Rubin." Why was the drive so successful? "Two reasons," continued Steinberg, "Number one, YU guys have lots of clothes. Number two, it's a very giving community. When given the opportunity, people want to give."
While the drive was Steinberg's and Eliason's brainchild, the crew of facilities management Assistant Dean of Students Brad Karasik helped the project come into fruition.
The donations, it was stressed, had to be in perfect working order, and no underwear was accepted.