Oceanside residents lend a hand to families for Passover

Oceanside Chamber member Mark Greenberg and his son, Maxwell, volunteered for the Nassau County Shomrim Society and Hatzilu Rescue Organization’s annual Passover food drive on April 14.

The Nassau County Shomrim Society and Hatzilu Rescue Organization team up for their annual Passover food drive, which delivers meals to over 70 families in need.

Volunteers gathered at a food warehouse in Holtsville to personalize food boxes for each family, drawing from Hatzilu’s client list to extend support beyond the Jewish holiday. The Shomrim Society also supplies families with a gift certificate to the supermarket.

The Nassau County Shomrim Society is a Jewish volunteer organization that promotes the religious spirit of Police Officers of the Jewish faith and their families as well as promotes well-being and develops goodwill within communities. “Shomrim” translates to “guards” or “watchers” in Hebrew, and these societies typically serve as community patrol groups, assisting law enforcement and aiding in various community-related activities focusing on disaster preparedness, public safety, and relief.

The Hatzilu Rescue Organization is a public charity in Plainview that provides food, financial aid, social work, and emotional support to Jews in need on Long Island.

The partnership highlights ongoing efforts to assist diverse families year-round, emphasizing community collaboration and dedication to helping those in need. Hatzilu offers such help year-round across Nassau County regardless of religion or ethnicity.

The Greenbergs, long-time residents of Oceanside, joined other volunteers in packing and delivering food boxes to families in need. Mark has been involved for nearly a decade as a member of both Hatzilu and Shomrim Society and alongside his son, Maxwell, delivered food to a family in Valley Stream.

Greenberg has been a member of the Shomrim Society since 2009 when he started as an auxiliary policeman and went to the Nassau County Auxiliary Police Academy. He became involved with Hatzilu Rescue after learning about their work and has been assisting in delivering food to families in need, both during Passover and throughout the year.

Mark emphasized the importance of ongoing support for families, highlighting their dedication to helping their community. Their participation underscored the local impact of the collaborative effort to support needy families during the holiday season.

“It was gratifying especially in these hard times of being Jewish,” Greenberg said. “It’s hard but I’m proud at the same time,to help other Jews that need food.”