Posted on 04/02/21
As we mark one year since the pandemic changed our lives, we asked you to introduce us to your COVID heroes
MY COVID HERO
During the first of all exiles — the slave regime in Egypt — the defining quality of our nation’s true heroes became apparent. Driven beyond the limits of human endurance, the shotrim — the Jewish supervisors of the slave-labor quota — preferred to absorb murderous lashes rather than watch their brothers suffer. Through their spiritual heroism, these shotrim facilitated the redemption of the entire people.
Just over a year ago, COVID wreaked havoc on our world, inflicting immeasurable loss and suffering. But as the suffering intensified, hidden heroes rose to the occasion.
As we mark one year since the pandemic changed our lives, we asked you to introduce us to your COVID hero, one of those quiet individuals who moved heaven and earth to lighten your load during this very trying time. Your responses were inspiring and moving beyond measure. More than anything, they were a tribute to the individuals whose humanity shone brightly when the world went dark.
After a late Motzaei Shabbos call to well-known Baltimore community activist, we found Brett (Alexander) Weil, Commercial Relationship Officer at PeoplesBank.
JOB SECURITY
By Dr. Avrom Pollak | President, STAR-K Certification, Inc.
As the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world, we at the STAR-K kashrus certification agency were very concerned by the economic ramifications for our employees. Dozens of our staff members were no longer able to work at their jobs because the sites they supervised were closed.
Our only hope seemed to be a PPP loan from the Paycheck Protection Program — a business-relief measure that helps employers keep employees on salary during times of economic uncertainty. Without that we would need to start laying off people. And these are people we see as part of our family.
We made every effort to complete a PPP application with two banks, to no avail — our application was complex and these banks simply did not have the bandwidth to work with us. Things did not look good.
Then at the 11th hour, after a late Motzaei Shabbos call to well-known Baltimore community activist Mr. Yehuda Neuberger, we found Brett (Alexander) Weil, Commercial Relationship Officer at PeoplesBank. Brett is not only a talented loan officer, he is highly visible in our community at Congregation Shearith Israel led by Rav Yaakov Hopfer, shlita, as a fixture in the beis medrash at Rav Yosef Berger’s Kehillas Kol Torah, and as a JCC Board member and sports coach. He has helped numerous other yeshivos and other mosdos get critical loans — and just as we were about to despair, he was able to help us too.
Working with our team literally around the clock with dedication, professionalism, and a can-do attitude, Brett had our application fully processed by Monday morning in time to be submitted. He spared dozens of STAR-K employees from losing their jobs, and saved our organization from crippling concerns about our financial health. Angels come in many shapes and sizes, and ours came holding a sheaf of completed PPP forms.