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Building Jewish Community through Kosher Food

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Dear Friends,

As a lifelong Virginia Jew, I have never asked anyone to participate in a Go Fund Me campaign, but please consider this request. Meredith Mills (that's her in the photo) is a dynamo. She moved to Hampton Roads from Boston a few years ago following the passing of her husband. She came with a heavy heart but a head of steam, to bring her decades of experience as a kosher chef and caterer to a region badly in need of her talents, knowledge and energy.

She now runs a lunch café in Dominion Tower in Norfolk, the only Glatt kosher restaurant in our area. But a bigger opportunity has just landed in her lap that could revolutionize food offerings at America’s second oldest college, William & Mary, bring more Jewish students to that school and provide everyone from Richmond to Virginia Beach with a fresh kosher catering option.

In the spirit of “diversity,” Aramark, which now has the food service contract at W&M, wants Meredith to “kasher” the kitchen at the highly regarded Mason Business School, meaning every business (and MBA) student who dines there will eat kosher. Other students can too, as well as visitors to Williamsburg. This is unprecedented. Plus Meredith can use the kitchen (overseen by the Vaad HaKashrus of Tidewater) as a base to prepare other kosher meals for those (like us) who might want her services. She also plans to put her kosher hot dog/hamburger cart out on the campus at times to sell quality fast food.

As a PR guy, this is an amazing story, but more to the point, helping Meredith demonstrates our devotion to Jewish values, customs and traditions, even if we personally do not practice kashrut religiously.

My friend Jeff Breit, who is an adjunct professor at the W&M law school, and I urge you to visit this link and donate what you can to help Meredith reach a modest goal of $18,000 (Chai x 1,000) so she can jumpstart this nutrition and education enterprise, which will build on her success as the kosher caterer the past four years at Hillel at W&M, where she is dramatically raising awareness of Yiddish-kite among previously lightly interested Jewish teens.

Do so NOW because classes are about to begin.

This Wahoo did not attend William & Mary, nor did Jeff, who has also been a Virginia Jew his entire life. But we recognize what this means for Jews and higher education in Virginia. Indeed you can email [email redacted] to learn more about her plans to not only serve kosher meals but also teach the subject and bring more knowledge of kashrut to our entire state. She will be glad to speak with you.

Jeff ([email redacted]) and I are proud to be Meredith’s charter donors. Because her effort is a business, not a non-profit, this is not a tax-deductible contribution or even a purchase of stock or shares. It’s an investment in a woman who cares deeply about her faith and sees kosher food as a vehicle to educate more people about who we are and what we value.

Thank you.

Joel Rubin
Past President: Temple Israel, Norfolk
Graduate: University of Virginia, 1975
President: Rubin Communications Group
Native of Richmond (and Newport News), Resident of Virginia Beach

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Donations 

  • Steve Shapiro
    • $50
    • 1 yr
  • Lawrence Steingold
    • $500
    • 1 yr
  • Daniel Rubin
    • $54
    • 1 yr
  • Wendy Brodsky
    • $100
    • 1 yr
  • Lawrence Siegel
    • $100
    • 2 yrs
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Organizer

Joel Rubin
Organizer
Virginia Beach, VA

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