The Masbia Relief Annex on the Upper West Side operates at Congregation Shearith Israel, in the Paved Paradise section of the complex. This food pantry functions in the spirit of the historical Jewish concept of a hekdesh, a designated space within a synagogue devoted to serving the poor and vulnerable.
The pantry has direct street access at sidewalk level. Hours of operation and appointment slots for the “digital breadline” will be available through the Plentiful app. The app operates in ten languages and even includes a text-message bot for clients who do not have a smartphone.
Volunteers at the pantry will also make use of Masbia’s ongoing partnership with DoorDash, which delivers food directly to clients’ homes, reminiscent of the biblical manna that arrived at each family’s doorstep at their tents in the desert. DoorDash delivery slots are currently offered by invitation only and are steadily expanding to accommodate more households.
To volunteer at the Masbia Relief Annex, please reach out through our main volunteer portal at Masbia.org/volunteer. To make a tax-deductible donation in support of the Masbia Relief Annex, please click here. For any inquires related to the Annex, you can email CSIAnnex@masbiarelief.org
The announcement of the Masbia Relief Annex was covered by the JTA. To read more about it, click here. A glimpse of the announcement poster made it onto CNN.
Background on Congregation Shearith Israel (CSI)
Congregation Shearith Israel, known as the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, is the oldest Jewish congregation in North America, established in 1654 by Sephardic Jews who arrived in what was then New Amsterdam. The congregation has remained active continuously for nearly 370 years.
CSI has played a central role in American Jewish history, its early members were involved in the Revolutionary era, in the development of the Jewish community in New York, and in shaping religious life in the United States. The congregation is known for its deep commitment to tradition, historic liturgy, and communal responsibility.
The current synagogue building on West 70th Street, dedicated in 1897, is a landmark of both architectural and cultural significance. In recent years, CSI has strengthened its public-service mission by organizing community initiatives, together with other faith-based-organizations, including its annual Thanksgiving Packathon, where volunteers pack food for families in need while the Thanksgiving Day Parade passes outside.
Background on Masbia Soup Kitchen Network
Masbia Soup Kitchen Network is a nonprofit hunger-relief organization that provides hot, dignified, restaurant-style meals to anyone in need. Founded in 2005, Masbia has grown into one of the largest and most recognized kosher soup kitchen and food pantry networks in the United States.
Operating multiple locations across New York City, Masbia serves hundreds of thousands of meals and distributes millions of pounds of groceries each year. The organization relies heavily on a combination of grassroots crowdfunding, individual donors, and partnerships with major food vendors, farms, and wholesalers.
Masbia is known for its innovative approaches to combating food insecurity, including the digital breadline via the Plentiful app, DoorDash home delivery for vulnerable clients, and volunteer-driven events such as packathons and emergency relief mobilizations. The Upper West Side Relief Annex marks Masbia’s first Manhattan location and its fourth site overall.
To donate to the Masbia Relief Annex, please click here.