Category: Taliana Katz

Taliana Final reflection

I think the two things that went well during our workshop were, 1.  the calaboration of the whole thing was really great and 2. that the kids took in the facts because they read them and then when we asked them some of the facts they knew after the workshop.

I thought that it was exciting to be a teacher for two hours.  I thought it was also challenging because some of the people wouldn’t listen and I learned a lot about being a leader and how you have to be strong but let the other people talk.

If I could do anything differently in my workshop I think I would have made a video because it seems like people absorb things better if they actually see it.

I think I taught that there is hunger everywhere even right by you.  also that you must treat everyone with respect no matter what social or economical status they are in.

I thought that all together it went well because we were constantly switching groups so everyone got to do everything.

I thought that the process working up to the teach-in was great because we got a lot of responsibility.  I really enjoyed the process, but I think that next year for the teach in the students should be able to have a little bit longer because the workshops were not very long.

All together I thought this was a great experience.


Taliana-3.28.10-Village Temple 3rd visit

Today we went to the Village Temple Soup Kitchen.  It started if off the same but than instead of unpacking the bread, we went to Knickerbockers to pick up cornbread.  We went back up to the soup kitchen and then started to unpack bread as always.  We then took baloney and salami (which are both not kosher) and started to make a task line to make sandwiches.  We then cut carrots while the other volunteers packed the sandwiches.  When we were done we cut up various other vegetables for the soup.  When we were done we prepared the soup.  Ruby and I then started to cut the cornbread.  This time we didn’t stay for very long (Only about 2 hours) so after we cut the cornbread we said goodbye and left.  I thought that it was much more friendly this time, because we all knew each other.  I look forward to going back to visit and help out.

Interview with Nicole Artz-Taliana 3.14.10

“I like interacting with them. I like that connection I have with them and I just feel like they are regular human beings . Just because they might not have a home doesn’t mean that they should be treated not like our equal…You form bonds with them. It’s great.  You get connections with them. It’s a nice feeling. I think I get a lot out of that. I mean, in a way it’s a little selfish because I get a lot out of it.”

How long have you been volunteering here?

“Over 10 years”

What made you decide to volunteer at HUC?

“Well when I first moved back to New York, I was living in Connecticut and that’s where I first discovered soup kitchens and I was helping down in Connecticut. I enjoyed it so much, when i moved back to the city, they mentioned there was a soup kitchen. (This was about 15 years ago)

Why is homelessness/hunger your main interest?

“I don’t know why I started in Connecticut at the soup kitchen. I think someone I worked with was part of a soup kitchen and I just like interacting with them so I like interacting with them. I like that connection I have with them and I just feel like they are regular human beings . Just because they might not have a home doesn’t mean that they should be treated not like our equal…You form bonds with them. It’s great.  You get connections with them. It’s a nice feeling. I think I get a lot out of that. I mean, in a way it’s a little selfish because I get a lot out of it.”

You’ve rarely missed a Monday?

“I mean when I do, you feel guilty. We just feel like it’s our job. It becomes our job… we enjoy it. And I know a lot of times when we’re not here they ask for us. They miss us when we’re not here and we miss them.”

Are there certain of them who have been coming for 10 years?

“On and off for probably as long as 10 years. A lot of them come because they enjoy it. They enjoy the food. They think the food service is higher quality then other soup kitchens. They come because they like seeing us, taking to us. They like the environment. So they come.”

Talianak-3.14.10-Huc 2nd visit

On 3.14.10 I went to HUC to help out at the weekly soup kitchen for the second time.  I walked in and placed my stuff on the table there were about 3 other groups of noisy teenagers and then me.  I went to the kitchen to ask what they needed me to do and just like last time they directed me to a big bowl of dressing.  There I started along with 5 other people to dress all the plates with salad.  We then sat down and waited for people to start coming in.  When the tables were mostly filled up we each took a salad plate, put pasta and veggies on it and then started to walk around and pass them out to people.  Once all of the people got a plate we each got assigned a task.  I had to pass out cookies, while other people  passed other goods such as coffee, milk, fruit and muffins.  We talked to the people we were serving which was very nice because it made it more personal.  It was also very funny because a lot of them made jokes and some were very bold.  It was altogether a very good experience because like I said before it was way more personal and friendly.

Talianak-3.7.10-Huc 1st visit

Today (2/8/10) I visited The Hebrew Union college.  I was actually surprised on the way that they did things.  It was much more relaxed but there were still many people and a lot was done. When we walked in we sat down for about 10 minutes and then julian went up to ask the women in the kitchen if they needed help they said yes.  The women took us into a big room where there was a big bucket of salad and there were a few really loud high schoolers who kept quoting wendy williams taking the salad and dropping it into each individual plate.  Then we joined in and dropped salad dressing on all the plates.

We then waited at the table until people started to come in and sit in a big room.  Then we lined up each with a salad plate and started to take a bit over veggies a bit and pasta and then went around and served it around.  After everyone had there plate of food each person was assigned a task such as passing out coffee or milk or muffins.  I was assigned to pass out cookies after all 5 packets of chips ahoys were finished we said our goodbyes and left. Even though this soup kitchen was different from the other one I enjoyed it all the same.  I really like this one because you got to pass it the food out and see the reactions of the people.  Also some of the people that we were passing them out to were really funny.

Taliana Katz-2/6/10-Village Temple-2nd.visit

Ruby and I arrived at the village Temple Soup Kitchen at 9 am and Immediately started to stack pieces of bread on to a big tray.  After all the bread was stacked we started to make turkey and mustard sandwiches.  To make the sandwiches it reminded me of what we have been studying in core about how a lot of  the fast food places would have people do one thing repeatedly.  for example one person would take bread and put mustard on it another would put turkey on and then pass it to another person who put the last piece of bread and then turned it to the last person that would bag it.

Before we knew we had already made over 150 sandwiches.  I then moved on to peeling and chopping carrots I did that with josh and a few other people that had started to come in. I thought it was great that josh came especially since it wasn’t even his social justice project.

After Josh and I had finished peeling and chopping all the carrots we said our goodbyes and left the food pantry. I liked being at the food pantry this time better because there were not as many people so it was less crowded.

All together I found this experience extremely rewarding.

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Taliana Katz-1/23/10-1st visit @ Village Temple

We went to visit the village temple soup kitchen at 9 am on saturday.  At this soup kitchen every saturday they work on feeding people that are hungry in New York.

At first when we went we waited in the lobby for a few minutes and then someone came down to bring us upstairs.

When I looked around I noticed a table in the back covered with bread.  other then that the room was quite empty.

we were the first people there other then the people who were in charge of the soup kitchen.

At first we opened up all the packets of bread and piled it on trays while doing this a few other groups came.

After that more and more groups started coming which in a way was good because of all the help but it got overcrowded.

After we piled the bread me and Ruby (g) opened up the tuna cans and put them in a big bowl so it could be prepared with  mayo and chopped up celery that we prepared before.

After the Tuna fish and the bread were both finished being prepared most of us started to make the sandwiches while others cut corn bread.

When all the  sandwiches were made people started to bag them while others prepared the desert and fruit.

After that they thanked us and said that we could leave.

I really enjoyed this experience because we had the chance to help people and it was fun at the same time.

I think that next time we could stay a little longer so that we can see the food being handed out.

Also it would have been a better experience if there were less people but we cant really change that.

I cant wait till next saturday where we can help again.

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