December 13, 2025 ·

Congregation Emanu-El B'ne Jeshurun

Salinsky Program

About the CEEBJ Salinsky Program to Feed the Hungry

Louise Decasseres Mayer Salinsky, a longtime member of our congregation, provided a generous gift from her estate for the creation of an ongoing program to feed the hungry in our community. I am honored to lead this effort and encourage all congregants to get involved. There will be opportunities at every level for you to make a positive difference – to do mitzvahs in the community. Through the kindness and foresight of Mrs. Salinsky, we are in a position to make an incredible positive impact on the lives of thousands of people. Please join us.

Mission Statement

Feeding the Hungry in a Jewish context by joining the larger Milwaukee community to advocate and educate about food needs and encouraging volunteer activities.

How You Can Help

For more information about how you can learn more and get involved, please visit this website page often for updates. Read your Shabbat Bulletin and Emanu-Email as well. Please feel free to contact Reenie Kavalar at (414) 659-9662 or email
.

Salinsky Garden

The Salinsky Garden grows and donates fresh vegetable every growing season to Jewish Community Food Pantry and Tikkun Ha-Ir  Chop Shop.

We usually grow lettuce, peppers, green beans, cucumbers, carrots,
tomatoes, collard greens and zucchini. This is an easy family activity to help with in the summer and we are always looking for people to help water, lightly weed and plant with us!

If you would like to help, please contact Reenie Kavalar at (414) 659-9662 or email .

Volunteer Opportunities

  • Monthly Sandwich Making – prepared at synagogue and delivered to the Guest House, Meta House and Street Angels
  • Group meals – Full dinner meals are made throughout the year, prepared at synagogue and delivered to Repairers of the Breach, Sojourner Family Peace Center and Meta House – watch for the next date on the synagogue calendar
  • Annual Mitzvah Day- funds provide supplies to prepare snack packs, birthday bags which are prepared by Hebrew School students and congregants – in 2024: 1,564 snack packs were delivered to Hunger Task Force, 50 birthday bags were delivered to Jewish Community Pantry, 135 winter gear kits for Street Angels, and 100 hygiene kits to Repairers of the Breach.
  • Jewish Food Pantry- Tuesday and Thursday mornings all year and activities available for parents and kids 8+ years. www.jccmilwaukee.org
  • Feeding America Food Sort– fun, busy 4 hour time slot to sort food in warehouse– parent with teens 12+ years old. feedingamericawi.org
  • Hunger Task Force food sort – fun, busy 4 hour time slot to sort food in warehouse– parent with teens 12+ years old. https://www.hungertaskforce.org/volunteer/
  • Tikkun Ha-Ir- donate fresh produce and/or join the chop shop volunteers during the summer to chop up fresh produce that is donated to local meal programs THI Veggie Chop Shop – Tikkun Ha-Ir – תיקון העיר (thi-milwaukee.org)
  • Salinsky garden- spring to fall: help plant, weed, water and harvest the garden at synagogue – contact Reenie Kavalar

Food Donation Opportunites

  • Meta house – is a residential substance abuse treatment facility for women. Bagged lunches are needed to feed families visiting the center. Homemade meals and playtime with kids are needed on Wednesday evenings.
    Volunteer — Meta House
  • Grand Avenue Club – is a community in Milwaukee for adults who have experienced mental illness. They are open 365 days per year. The Club accepts food and clothing donations. 210 E. Michigan St.
    Contact Us – Grand Avenue Club
  • Cathedral Center – provides meals every evening to homeless people and families along with providing shelter for families. is an emergency housing shelter for women and families. Donations of breakfast and lunch food are always needed. 845 N. Van Buren St. Volunteers over 18 years old are needed to serve dinner every night. Volunteer | The Cathedral Center
  • Freidens Food Pantries – could use fresh fruit and vegetables, in addition to other food donations and volunteers – parent with 13+ years old – Volunteer – Friedens Food Pantries (friedenspantry.org)
  • Jewish Food Pantry is open every Tuesday afternoon and Thursday morning. Kosher foods and vegetables are in need and can be dropped off during pantry hours. Activities available for parents and kids 8+ years. 2930 N. Center Street, Milwaukee. www.jccmilwaukee.org
  • Repairers of the Breach is a daytime shelter for homeless men and women. Our goal is to help provide healthier meals for the members of Repairers of the Breach. Drops offs welcome Mondays-Saturdays from 7am – 4pm. 1335 W. Vliet St.
  • Sojourner Family Peace Center dinners and meals are appreciated – Volunteer — Sojourner Peace Center
  • Guest House homeless shelter feeds 100 people a day. Salads are always welcome with ranch dressing! Don’t have enough for 100?? Drop off fresh veggies to supplement a meal! Heavy duty paper plates, napkins and hot/cold drink cups also needed. 1216 N. 13th Street.
    Volunteer | Guest House of Milwaukee
  • Street Angels – outreach group that provides food to the homeless in Milwaukee County StreetAngelsMKE
  • Bimah basket donation – Donate $50 to our Bimah Basket Fund.  Your donation will be acknowledged with a sign next to the Bimah Basket at the entrance to the sanctuary, in the service bulletin for Shabbat, and in Ha Kol. The money will be directed to the Jewish Community Food Pantry.
    Click here to donate now.

Grantees (By Year)

Total Funds Donated to community organizations 2011- 2024 = $272,894

  • Sandwich Day – every second Tuesday of the month, congregants make sandwiches which are donated to the Guest House of Milwaukee Shelter, Meta House and Street Angels
  • Full dinner meals are prepared at synagogue throughout the year and delivered to Repairers of the Breach,  Sojourner Family Peace Center or Meta House
  • Annual Mitzvah Day: funds provide supplies to prepare snack packs, birthday bags which are prepared by religious school students and congregants – in 2024: 1564 snack packs were delivered to Hunger Task Force, 50 birthday bags were delivered to Jewish Community Pantry, 135 winter gear kits for Street Angels,  and 100 hygiene kits to Repairers of the Breach.
  • Jewish Family Services Housing meal program – $2,000
  • Hunger Task Force snack packs: $2,731
  • JCC Garden refurbish: $1744
  • Hunger Task Force Snack Packs – $2,166
  • Jewish Community Pantry – $1,600 – Purchase of Christmas hams for shoppers
  • Fencing for the CEEBJ garden – $3,000
  • Rainbow Day Camp – $60,000 – purchase of a year round greenhouse to support the Bonim program
  • Passover Food Drive – donated funds for 450 families with food basics- $5,000
  • Guest House Christmas Dinner – $650 due to Covid
  • Passover Food Drive – $5,000 -purchase of Kosher chickens
  • Repairers of the Breach -$254- food for winter sheltering guests
  • Guest House Christmas Dinner – $460 due to Covid
  • Meta House Mother’s Day Dinner – $326
  • Passover Food Drive – $5,000 -purchase of Kosher Chickens
  • Congregation Beth Jehudah Passover food – $1222
  • Jewish Family Services -$4,000 – Support funding of residential meal program at Deerwood Crossing.
  • Hunger Task Force – $1,000 – in lieu of Snack Pack (Mitzvah Day was not held due to Covid restrictions)
  • Repairers of the Breach -$208 -take out boxes for meals due to Covid
  • Catered meals for Guest House and Meta House – $770 due to Covid
  • Guest House – $330 for turkeys
  • Jewish Community Pantry – $2,000 -Kosher Food purchases
  • Jewish Family Services – $4000- Support funding of residential meal program at Deerwood Crossing.
  • JCC Canstruction – $500 – providing cans of food for Jewish Community Pantry
  • Hunger Task Force – Summer Meals Program – $3450 -Snack Pack supplies assembled at Mitzvah Day
  • Jewish Community Pantry – $2,000 – Kosher meat purchases and a specific JCP fund at Feeding America so that JCP can purchase food at Feeding America at a significant discount
  • Jewish Family Services – $2,000 – To support funding of residential meal program at Deerwood Crossing
  • Jewish Community Center – $400 -To provide sandwich making supplies for the Mitzvah Project at the Community Wide Chanukah Program
  • Jewish Community Pantry – Passover Food Drive – $5000 to purchase Kosher chickens and purchase food at a discount at Feeding America
  • Hunger Task Force – Summer Meals Program – $2609 -Snack Pack supplies assembled at Mitzvah Day
  • Ma’ot Chitim – $4,000 – Passover chickens
  • Jewish Community Pantry – $2,000 – Kosher food purchases
  • Tikkun Ha-Ir – $2,000 – support the Chop Shop
  • Moas Chitim – $4,000 – Passover Chickens
  • Jewish Family Services – $2000 – Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry
  • Jewish Community Pantry – $2000 – Kosher food purchases
  • Tikkun Ha-Ir – $2,000 – support Surplus Harvest Program
  • Hunger Task Force Summer Meals Program – $1,900 – Snack Pack supplies assembled on Mitzvah Day
  • COA Youth and Family Centers – $500 – Kitchen renovation
  • Moas Chitim – $6,000 – Passover chickens
  • Jewish Family Services – $4,000- Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry
  • Jewish Community Pantry – $ 5,000 – Kosher Food purchases
  • Tikkun Ha-Ir – $8,000 – support Surplus Harvest Program
  • Maccabi Games – $2,000 – Support  JCC Cares snack pack
  • Hunger Task Force – $1,766 – Mitzvah Day project –snack packs for summer meal program
  • Moas Chitim – $5,000 – funds for Passover chickens
  • Meta House – $3,250 – received a new refrigerator
  • Bethesda Church – $720 – new shelving for their food pantry and 2 raised garden beds to supplement their meal program and food pantry
  • Jewish Community Pantry – $5,000 received emergency funds for break-in and freezer repairs
  • Jewish Family Services – $4,000 – support the Feeding America Mobile Food Pantry at Deerwood Crossing
  • Tikkun Ha-Ir – $12,000 – support the Surplus Garden Harvest Program
  • Jewish Community Pantry – $4,000 -for equipment and Kosherfood
  • Silver Spring Neighborhood Center – $5,000 – freezer for food pantry, fresh fruit for Early Care and Education Center
  • Guest House – $4,472 – purchase a convection oven for kitchen
  • Tikkun Ha-Ir – $6,000 – support Surplus Garden Harvest
  • Jewish Community Pantry – $8,000 – purchase freezer and Kosher food
  • THI – $300 – support Surplus Garden Harvest presentation at 2012 Hazon Conference
  • Growing Power – $2,000 – sponsorship of Urban and Small Farm Conference
  • Repairers of the Breach – $10,000 Create the Breach Kitchen
  • Tikkun Ha-Ir – $7,000 – support for part time Surplus Garden Harvest staff
  • Hunger Task Force- $10,000 – Summer meal program for children
  • Victory Garden Initiative- $3,000 – support Concordia Garden
  • Feeding America – $10,000 – food fund for those unable to pay