The Food Behind the Reservist Flight to Israel

What do you do when you need kosher meals for reservists headed to Israel on a Saturday morning flight?

If you are Michael Steuer, you call Yossi Segelman at Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles (OBKLA).

“I’d done a program [at OBKLA], and most people in the community know Yossi,” Steuer, who volunteers with an organization called Israel Friends, told the Journal. 

Israel Friends, which delivers critical and immediate aid to Israel, arranged the first charter flight, sending over gear and reservists on October 14. 

“We helped more than 100 reservists get back to their families and rejoin the fight,” he said.

As he was helping to coordinate arrangements on Friday, October 13, Steuer received a phone call from fellow volunteer Marc Kirshbaum, who told there were at least 50 people on the flight who would like to have kosher food. 

Steuer reached out to several local restaurants, as well as OBKLA. La Brea Bagel and Pizza Mark also donated food for the flight. 

“I asked for meals for 50 people, I got meals for 100 people,” he said. 

Founded by Yossi and Chaya Segelman, OBKLA is a community-focused organization that provides homemade meals to Angelenos in need. Every week, hundreds of volunteers help prepare anywhere from 2,500 and 3,000 kosher meals. People of all ages come through school, synagogue, corporate and community organizations, private celebrations or the open meal-prep sessions held every Sunday.

“We spread light and love one meal at a time,” Segelman told the Journal. “All we can do is bring people together in a safe way and prepare more meals for people that need it.” 

“We spread light and love one meal at a time,” Segelman told the Journal. “All we can do is bring people together in a safe way and prepare more meals for people that need it.” 

For OBKLA, how all the food came together for the flight was divine providence, Segelman said. They had extra dough from a Thursday night challah bake; volunteers braided and baked on Friday, and there were extra cookies and meals in the freezer. 

“We never have extra food,” he said. “All of that was meant to be when we got that call from Israel Friends.” 

The food package also included chicken fajita meals and freshly baked potato bourekas.

“Some of the food that was provided was prepared by students of Milken Community School who came with their school to volunteer on Friday,” Segelman said. “Shabbat Kits provided small bottles of grape juice and kiddush cups so the reservists could make kiddush.”

He added, “That was just a beautiful way of us here in LA at OBK, connecting and giving nourishment for their flight.”

Steuer got access to the kitchen from Segelman, picked up the food and drove it to the airport. The executive director of Temple Beth Am also picked up the donations from La Brea Bagel and Pizza Mark.

On Saturday, October 14, one week after the conflict in Israel began, passengers feasted on kosher meals. 

 “The flight took off this morning successfully with 13 tons of protective gear and 120 reservists returning home to join their units, and the fight,” Steuer texted Segelman. “They were really well fed, already on the airport due to a six-hour delay, and I’m sure on the plane as well, thanks to OBKLA, and they (and we) couldn’t be more grateful. You did an enormous mitzvah.” 

Steuer added, “They certainly felt the love from LA and understood that we are all behind them.”