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HUC Community Kitchen
Every Monday for over 30 years, the HUC-JIR Soup Kitchen has served warm nutritious meals to our homeless and hungry neighbors in the Washington Square area. The student-run Soup Kitchen exemplifies the central role that social justice plays in the life of the College-Institute. It is a tangible way that we fulfill Isaiah’s prophetic call to share our bread with the hungry and bring the homeless into our house. The Soup Kitchen works hard to sustain the whole guest. Monday night service includes live music from world-renowned jazz musicians, creating a festive atmosphere and elevating the experience that guests have while they enjoy their meals. Guests also have the opportunity to select items from our growing clothing and toiletries closet and to meet with NYU law students, who offer free legal aid.
The Soup Kitchen brings middle school, high school, and college students from congregations, schools, and companies throughout the tri-state area to the College Institute to explore Jewish values of social justice and gain an understanding of the endemic problem of hunger through hands-on service, study, and reflection.
Our volunteer program is broken into two blocks. From 3 pm to 4:45 pm, prep work takes place. A volunteer might help set up our dining room, cook a delicious meal, prepare to-go bags with sandwiches and fruit, or sort through our Community Closet and set up the items available for the day. 4:45 pm - 6:30 pm is when we engage in direct service. A volunteer may be a server, bringing food or drinks to one of our guests. They may stand at the door greeting our neighbors as they enter our space, or help pass out clothing and toiletries to those who visit. At the end of service, everyone pitches in to help clean up our space.
| Time | Work |
| 3:15 pm | Begin hot meal and salad preparation. Set up the dining area and Clothing Closet. |
| 4:15 | Visiting volunteer groups arrive for education and orientation sessions. |
| 5:00 | Guests arrive – greeted with smiles, and offered food, clothing, toiletries, and more. |
| 6:00 | Guests leave. Volunteers clean up the dining room, kitchen, and bathrooms. |
| 6:30 | Recap – reflective learning (often with pizza, as provided by visiting volunteer groups). |
*In the summer, we begin food preparation at 3:30 pm. We serve from 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm and clean up from 5:30 pm – 6:00 pm.
Students under the age of thirteen must have a parent accompany them to the HUC Community Kitchen for at least their first visit.
For more information, please contact us at hucsoupkitchen@gmail.com.