Urgent Call to Restock Shaitel Gemach
With the High Holidays quickly approaching and too many people feeling the pinch of the economic downturn, more women than ever have been calling the Pesha Leah Shaitel Gemach, desperate for what is likely to be the only new item they’ll acquire for Yomtov.
“Our supply of shaitels has quickly depleted, dashing the hopes of countless women who’ve turned to us as their only resort,” a volunteer for the Gemach told CrownHeights.info.
“If you have a shaitel that simply doesn’t work for you anymore, you can easily clear your closet and provide the joy of Yomtov to a sister in need.
Yes, it’s Erev Yomtov and you’re busy, but the few moments it will take to find that shaitel and send it to the gemach will revive a fellow Jewess. And just think of the zechuyos born every moment from your great mitzvah of enabling a Jewish woman to cover her hair the way the Rebbe so strongly encouraged,” she said.
To donate a shaitel, there are two convenient drop-off locations: 667 Crown St. [between Troy and Schenectady Aves.], and 1244 Union St. [Between New York and Nostrand Aves.] Apt. #2. Please label the bag “shaitel gemach.”
For more information, call 718-778-8541 or 718-493-2623.
With blessings for a happy healthy and sweet new year!
The Pesha Leah Shaitel Gemach is in memory of Pesha Leah a”h bas Chaim Leibel.
I have an idea
Stop going on welfare and work. I’m so tired of people in crown heights thinking they can complain about not having money when we pay your welfare food stamps with OUR taxes!
Touche
You’re right. Come to think of it, why isn’t there a $100 bill gemach in CH?
Bad Idea
Who are you to judge. If you don’t want to give money or a shaitel to help then keep quiet, because no one wants to know your idea.
Ari
Those are personal choices they make. It is what it is.
To #4
Yours is precisely the attitude that allows this kind of welfare mentality to exist unquestioned… “It is what it is.” What moronic thing to say.
sam
cool
Just curious
Why do destitute women need to “acquire” an expensive shaitel for Yom Tov? It’s great if you’re able to afford a new shaitel for Yom Tov but why can’t a less wealthy person buy a new shirt or any other article that would cost far less than a shaitel. BUT NO, these entitled welfare queens are demanding shaitels for Yom Tov, and invoking the Rebbe no less to gain sympathy for their cause.
Here’s a more practical solution: Since all these mooches truly care about is covering their holy heads, let’s start a tichel gemach. If you’re really so poor that you can’t afford a tichel, I’ll personally buy you any one of your choosing provided it costs $25 or less and doesn’t say “yechi” all over it. For the more traditional mooch, we will have a snood gemach under the same rules.
Don't forget...
There’s also been an urgent call to restock the iPhone gemach, minivan gemach (models 2010 and later, please) and the sushi gemach.
t
Malki eckhaus has a sheitle Gemach and was very gracious to me last spring. Tizka l’mitzvos!
do you accept synthetic sheitels
please inform
only new item...
If someone really needs a new sheitel, then by all means please help them get one if they can not at this time, but it’s got nothing to do with the fact that otherwise they will not get anything new for Yom Tov. Please don’t choose THE MOST EXPENSIVE necessary item possible and say that it is urgent that they get THIS item as it may be the only new item they get for Yom Tov.
May no Yid be needy for anything.
Moshiach NOW
some horrible comments here
a woman is allowed and supposed to look her best
there are women who really can’t afford a new sheitel
In addition they also can’t afford many other things
I know many people who can’t afford basic food and clothing.
A sheitel is in a category all by itself. You can’t wear onions, potatoes, skirt, on your head. They are not asking for the most expensive one, just one that will make them look beautiful and presentable for their husbands, family, for Yom tov and for themselves.
Most people don’t go to a gmach by first choice. Usually if they are going, it’s because they need it.
May all the negative comments never know what it means to not have.
May Hashem bentch every Yiddishe family to have all they need for a beautiful Yom Tov.
Moshiach NOW
You missed the point
You missed the entire point which is that they don’t NEED a shaitel, new or otherwise! There is no mitzvah imperative to acquire one for yuntif. The Rebbe never told people to do it and these guys are beyond chutzpadik for using the Rebbe to get people to donate. This whole thing is one big support group excuse to get people who “have” to feel bad about having so they’ll give their “unwanted” shaitels to the gemach. We’re not talking a food or clothing gemach but rather one for an item that normally runs $500 on the low end! This is insane. If you can’t afford to buy one then find another way to honor the chag. Don’t come whining to the rest of the community that “its not something I can afford so give it to me.” Acquiring a shaitel IS NOT necessary for yuntif.
OUCH
Totally agree with #11
some really nasty comments
noone is asking for you to buy them a brand new sheitel, they are asking for your leftover “garbage” that sits in your closet and gathers dust.
Is that such a huge ask? To help someone who has less than you by recycling what you no longer need?
I think you need to take a moment to put things in perspective and hold your tongue with the nasty spiteful comments. May you never need to be on the receiving end…. it is not pleasant for those who are, even though you seem to be sure that there are no legitimate, sincerely needy people in our community. Halevay, but you are living in a bubble!
before rosh hashana
Makes me sad to read this. There are some really needy people out there who can use the help. I’m all against the moochers who “milk ” this and all other systems, but not all fall into this category. There are many hard working people, who pay taxes, etc, but simply can’t make ends meet and for whom this or other assistance is a big help. I know because I belong to this group, that’s why it is very hurtful to read how some think.
just saying...
….a Paula Young sheital can look fabulous, and they cost about $25-150. True, the long falls dont look as nice as very expensive customs do, but does a married woman have to wear long falls? A shorter sheital is really more modest… and PY has many styles. I personally feel there’s something seriously wrong with spending $$KKK on something that’s suppose to symbolize a married woman’s modesty.
Rishe Deitsch
First of all, nobody who comes to the Pesha Leah Roetter Sheitel Gmach is out to milk anyone or anything, or is in any way doing anything wrong. The finest, most aidel and undemanding women come to the gmach for a sheitel, because they can’t afford it and still want to do as the Rebbe requested, and in a decent, beautiful way. They have normal pride B”H and don’t want to walk around looking like shmattes. The women who come deserve our help, and our respect and admiration, nothing else.
Second of all, I am writing to thank crownheights.info and whoever wrote this article, because ever since it was posted the bags are arriving at my door every day, and it’s so wonderful to be able to give women good sheitels. Special thanks to sheitelmachers Raizy Schwartz, Sara Chana Altman, and Chava Schechter, and to our founder, Faygie Borchardt.
In the zchus of all that crownheights.info has done, and its readers, and the sheitelmachers, and anyone who has donated sheitels — Hashem will surely give you a year of good health, nachas, parnassah, and Moshiach NOW.
Tangential
B”H
RE: The complaints about SOME gemach recipients PERHAPS having questionable values systems that caused them to turn to the gemach in the first place
This is not the forum for debate on this tangential topic.
I absolutely do not begrudge the truly “legitimately” poor their sheitel gemachs, please know this. Hashem should bless the sheitelmachers who do this for the truly needy in this community.
BUT the tangential issue IS an important topic and I’d like to see our community address it on a broader scale.
For example, there are the people who get big scholarships for their kids at the local schools because much of their income is “not on the books.” And we poor shnuks who report all of our income — government employees, for example, and honest taxpayers of all kinds — pay full tuition while we watch others drive new cars, own nice houses, and have food stamps and scholarships for their kids. It’s demoralizing and a chillul Hashem! But at least I sleep well at night, B”H — so tired from all the job-related work!!!!
Rivka
the annoyed and judging comments here are why i do without basic necessities so often, because there are always others who will be annoyed if you accept or ask for anything. I’m a long term cancer patient and my daughter and I struggle, sometimes very heavily, but to ask and be a source of annoyance to others? I can not bring myself to do this. I’ll do without heat and groceries for a few weeks, and be grateful that we live away from others, so nobody needs to know and feel bad or judge me, except for this post.