Synagogue youth groups reach out to homeless
Teen says she is inspired to make changes after seeing problem firsthand
BY KATHY BARATTA Staff Writer
At a time when many people bemoan the apathy that permeates today's throw-away culture - a culture seemingly defined by the disconnect of human interaction- along comes a young woman like Stephanie Greene and her peers from Temple Shaari Emeth, Manalapan, and the Monmouth Reform Temple, Tinton Falls.

Stephanie Greene

Greene, 15, of Marlboro, is a sophomore at Colts Neck High School and the Senior Youth Group president at Temple Shaari Emeth. She and other youths from Shaari Emeth and the Monmouth Reform Temple recently got together to prepare meals that included a sandwich, fruit and a drink and then boarded a bus and headed into New York City to bring that food to people in need.

In addition to the food, the young people also brought clothing that was made available to people in need of such items.

According to Jayne Lieberman, one of the youth group leaders who made the midnight run into the city, the young people's commitment to the endeavor is what makes it life-affirming not just for the people who would immediately benefit from the food and the warmth of the winter clothing being offered to them, but also the warmth provided through the caring that went into preparing and delivering the items and the interactions that resulted from it.

Perhaps it is because she lives in one town, attends school in another community and belongs to a temple in a third municipality that Greene makes an effort to be a concerned, open-minded and eagerto experience-life individual.

One conversation with Greene is all it takes to understand how committed she and her fellow youth group members were to make their midnight run into NewYork City on Jan. 19 to feed the homeless. It was an experience that would profoundly affect the young woman who said she knew she wanted to pursue a degree in psychology even before making the trip to New York that benefited not only those who would be fed and clothed, but also the youths who so idealistically reached out to help.

Greene said this year's trip to New York was preceded by a similar effort last year in Philadelphia. She said that outing brought home to her the plight of people who end up homeless and proved that homelessness was not an abstract concept.

According to Lieberman, to help foster unity and understanding, last year's outing to Philadelphia was a collective effort that involved representatives of two temples, a mosque and a Christian church.

Greene said while it is obvious that many of the people who respond to the youths' offer of food and clothing are mentally ill, "too many of them are just like you and me."

She said that in talking to the people as individuals she learned that for many individuals an alcove under a window or a dry spot under an awning had become their home because their fortunes had turned; a job was lost or an illness had tapped all their resources, leaving them with nothing and nowhere to turn but homeless shelters and the street.

Greene said she did not know what to expect at first and was shocked at what she saw at some homeless shelters - indifference by shelter volunteers who turned people away, appearing, she said, to be almost offended to be expected to provide for their needs.

"Dignity is important to everyone no matter what their circumstances and everyone deserves to be treated with respect," she said.

Greene said she believes American society is becoming overwhelmed yet indifferent to the increasing number of homeless people who are showing up more and more on the streets of major cities like New York and Philadelphia, two scenes of increased homelessness that Greene has personally seen for herself and that profoundly affects how she looks at the world; not only her place in it, but the role everyone plays and how people can affect the quality of each other's existence if they only care to.

"At the midnight run my eyes were really opened up to the poverty in the tri-state area. However, it also opened upmy eyes to the fact that the homeless are not just a school subject to be talked about, but real living, breathing people.

"Being outside and interacting with the different people was an experience that my peers and Iwill not soon forget.When thinking about this experience the phrase 'It takes a village to raise a child' came tomind. It takes a whole structure of people to raise one person and keep themon their feet," she said. Greene said she believes, "Our culture is a big influence on us as people," and she fears the result of materialism is that "we are essentially selfish people." She said this was made apparent to her at the homeless shelter when she noticed staff members starting to turn people away for the night.

The teenager said she hopes that she and the other young people she knows and believes in can and will help to make a difference. Greene said the trips have helped make her grateful for what she has.

"The entire experience reminds you that you have a nice place to come home to. I think that since my generation has completely different views on society, we can help to change situations such as this one, which are getting worse all the time. However, peoplewho are not frommy generation can also help out. They can be less selfish. They can hire the underdog for that job, despite their race, ethnicity, hair color, etc. There are so many prejudices and hate groups in our little state that it is truly alarming. Any way a person tries to take a stand or change things for the better will make life better for other people in the long run," the young woman added.