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Over 700 Turn Out in Support of CSSY!

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] — What can we expect from an organization that its name is long and not very comprehendible (Chevra Simchas Shabos VeYomtov), that is making a dinner for the first time in its history, its benefactors are not known or registered, and whos founder chanted “…people people, open your wallets, take out a dollar and give me the rest!”.

Turns out quite a bit!

More pictures and a video clip in the Extended Article!

Nearly 80 needy families in Crown Heights enjoy the benefit of coupons in which they can purchase food for Shabbos and Yom Tov.

“We are an organization that cannot satisfy what we do” admits R. Benjy Stock, who runs CSSY along with his sister, and is the son of R. Shimshon and Martha Stock OBM. “We cannot ask for help from the needy – also for the reason that we do not know their names. There are hundreds of stories of help that we know, by hundreds more that we don’t”.

To their name and credit the couple with the heart of gold are smiles, shiduchim, family, homes and even cars. “My father didn’t always tell me in advance to who hes giving and going to give to”, tells Benjy at the first dinner/Melava Malka that took place last night, Motzai Shabbos, in the Rosa Hall in Beis Rivkah, Campus Chomesh.

“Once someone told Shimson about a single parent with two children who needed a car. He said that we mostly give out food, and it would be better off if we stuck to that and not giving out cars. A day later Shimshon was seen parking a car outside the home and giving the mother the keys”.

Weird Event

“This event is indeed a weird event” said Rabbi Abba Perlmutter, Shliach in Long Beach, California. “if Shimshon was here today, he would have said in his unique way ‘cut the … out’ he hated speeches and being spoken about”.

Over 700 men and woman filled the hall. The donation cards at every seat by the tables filled with a dairy Melava Malka meal.

Guests were greeted by a recording of Shimshon next to his famous box saying “we need money, we need your help”, reminding people of Shimshons presence outside 770 and the ohel where he would sit for hours and collect money for the cause.

An Even Weirder Check

One of those who benefited from the help of Shimshon who wasn’t embarrassed to tell his story, and by nature isn’t shy of the microphone, was the Lubavitch comic, Rabbi Mendy Pellin, who’s father passed away at the young age of 49 following a stroke when Mendy was just 10.

“I remember him bringing us food at home, visiting in the hospital, and later took care of all the details and expenses of the Levaya. But the help didn’t end there, he kept in touch with my mother and took care of my older brothers Bar Mitzvah, my own, and my other brothers”.

“For me, Shimshon was my grandfather. Later I learned that he would at least once a week speak with my grandmother in Queens to check in on her wellbeing and to talk about our education. Take my story and multiply it by the hundreds. I proposed that we call Crown Heights, Shimshon Heights”.

And in Mendy’s comedic style he said “I looked in the entire box of checks at the entrance, and I decided to give the biggest check of all”. He then pulled out a very large check printed on cardboard, the actual sum, $18 eliciting rolling laughter from the crowd, while adding “I think this is the first check I wrote who printing has actually cost more than the checks value itself”.

To support CSSY please visit: CSSY.org

(translated from an article by Yehuda Ceitlin)

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10 Comments

  • Mendy

    Nice to see the coordinators of Crownheights shomrim the pics, may Hashem give you guys the strength to continue to do the amazing work you do on behalf of crownheights!.

  • davening for a better situation

    i admire everything this organization has done and is doing. the Stocks were an indescribable couple, sorely missed. my next question is, how do you contact the organization? i have left three phone messages and an email. we are in desperate need of assistance. i’m in tears. please post how to contact someone.

  • new jersey

    Hashem should give Benji the koach to continue in the footsteps of his illustrious parents ob”m who founded and nurtured this organization for so many years. Everybody sorely misses Shimshon and Martha. They were truly one of a kind.

  • a fan

    Very nice event!

    Mendy Pelin, you were great! The Check idea was funny & Briliant!

  • SH

    Sorry I missed the Melava Malka.The stocks deserve everyones help for this most noble cause.

    We really miss the Stocks.

    Benjy you do your parents proud.