[COMMUNICATED] By: L. Halevi Do you know who sits next to you in Shul?

It sounds like a simple, even silly, question. Of course you know who sits on your table and on the tables near you; you see them every day or every Shabbos.

But do you really know who they are?

“Zev” sits next to you every Shabbos with his 2 sons, and you even schmooze with him a little about this and that and smile at him every time he passes you by. But do you know the real story of what is going on in his life?

“Peretz” goes to the same shiur as you each Shabbos. He sits on the table in front of you and he looks no different than many of the other attendees at the Shiur. He has a family, a job, a car and a house. But is he really just like everyone else?

You may not realize this – and it is that way by design – but many of the people that daven in your shul, sit near you, attend the same shiurim, send their kids to the same schools as yours, live in similar homes, drive similar vehicles, wear similar clothing, are in fact recipients of Tomchei Shabbos assistance. You would never know it, as Tomchei Shabbos goes to great lengths to ensure that you never know. You would never guess it, because people go to great lengths to retain their dignity. You would never guess that your support of Tomchei Shabbos is helping someone close to you. Very close. Like, next door neighbor close. Like next table in Shul close. Like attend the same shiur close.

Yes, Tomchei Shabbos, with an annual budget of over $4 Million, is helping people near you, no matter which neighborhood you live in, no matter what shul you daven in, no matter which table in Shul you sit at. From the Mizrach Vant to the ezras Nashim, from the large beautiful shuls to the small basement minyanim, wherever there is a minyan, you can be sure Tomchei Shabbos is there!

Keep this in mind and make sure that when Tomchei Shabbos’ annual dinner takes place, you are there! Your presence at the dinner – and your support year-round – is not just helping thousands of unknown families in Lakewood and surrounding towns, it is helping people very close to you!