Far more than the Meals-on-Wheels man: An hour with Neal Drobnis

“I can’t tell you why they hired me but they did, and it’s changed my life.” That’s what Neal Drobnis says about joining Jewish Family Service of Rhode Island in 2009. Drobnis runs the Kosher Senior Cafes at both the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island and Temple Am David with the dedication and support of countless volunteers and irreplaceable fellow team members, Elaine Shapiro, meal site assistant at the Alliance and Temple Am David Site Manager, Steven Tragar.

The meal sites are open to seniors and disabled adults from all walks of life and all faiths, though over 90 percent of participants are Jewish, says Drobnis. They fill a void for the community’s Jewish seniors who keep kosher and would not otherwise be able to participate in a traditional senior center or Meals-on-Wheels program.

Jewish seniors and disabled adults are less likely to be affiliated with a synagogue than younger families with children who are often enrolled in Hebrew school. The opportunity to share in communal Jewish activities at a meal site is a huge benefit to this population and encourages participation in the program.

According to recent JFS reporting, social isolation can decrease the appetite and contributes to poor nutrition in this vulnerable population. The opportunity to take part in communal Jewish activities while also enjoying lunch feeds the soul far more than any hot meal can, and while a suggested donation of $3 covers just the meal itself, not the additional expense of serving kosher food, the time Drobnis spends with the seniors is priceless.

“Our seniors are such an inspiration.They give our lives meaning. They’ve lived full lives, and they want to share what they’ve experienced. And they say what’s on their mind. It’s a wonderful thing,” he shares.

Meals-on-Wheels of Rhode Island and Blackstone Health, JFS partner agencies, cannot absorb the full costs associated with kosher catering. The Jewish Alliance funds a large portion of this program to offset the expense of the kosher food, as well as other critical programs offered to seniors communitywide.

The Kosher Senior Cafes are lifelines for so many. A variety of social programming is offered weekly, including educational activities, lectures, exercise and entertainment. The seniors make fast friends, swap stories with one another of days past, and look forward to tomorrow – together.

“Retired doctors and once self-employed individuals with great entrepreneurial spirit are part of our bunch. I believe in them. We all have to. There is a true sense of community and belonging here,” Drobnis says.

A native of Newton, Massachusetts, Drobnis is also a world-renowned master artist of glass and is qualified as a lead inspector and energy auditor, though he admits he is truly motivated by his direct service with seniors. “I’ve learned the importance of working hard from them. It promotes creative energy, and as an artist, I am grateful for that. I am grateful for them.”

JENNIFER ZWIRN is in grants and planning for the Jewish Alliance.