His kindness and his faithfulness

What is considered a normal shabbat meal? A family, a few friends maybe, nice food, relaxed, songs, etc.
Now, imagine that, in a city walking distance from the Kotel (Western Wall), with a large family, serving a meal to 150+ people, starting at 10 PM, in a small living room. It may not sound so pleasant being in a small environment with so many people, but truly once you feel the spirit and the energy in the air, the room just magically expands.

http://www.machlis.org/index.php-The Chesed L'orchim organization, is run by the Machlis family. 2 amazing people Mordechi and Henny Machlis, had 14 children; some are married, the youngest one just had his bar mitzvah this year. Together as a family, they eat their meals on shabbat and then start a mini factory with challah, salads, soups, meats, and other stuff flying everywhere. Jews from all over gather here, to either celebrate their first shabbat or join in for a shabbat experience. You sit at a small table and a bunch of people try to squish until you cant even move your elbows.

You'd think that it would be hard to make good food for 200 people on a tight budget every week, but the food is actually exceptionally good! Theres a variety of salads, an amazing matza ball/chicken soup, and then theres two kinds of kugels, chicken, rice, vegetables, and probably 4 kinds of deserts. The environment is also amazing with songs between each courses, along with d'var Torahs from the rabbi and rebbetzin themselves and anyone else who wants to get up and speak words of wisdom.

Really, if you know of any really rich Jew (or person) that wants to do some chesed, but the only way is with their money, or a girl/boy that want to send their bat/bar mitzvah money too-send them to this website. People get the experience of a lifetime here and really see the true colors of a Jewish family that just wants to open up their arms to Jews of the world and inspire them.

I was there Friday night (I've been there before) with 5 of my friends from my program that haven't left for American yet. Well, before that we went to the Kotel, and let me just say that even though I've been there so many times this year, the inspiration and emotion that I get from being there hasn't diminished. I was uncontrollably tearing at one point during kabbalat shabbat because I was remembering on the first day I went to the kotel with our program about 10 months ago. I was equally as happy to be there..the striving Jew inside of me was just itching to release.

I love Israel, I really do...and I really aspire one day to make aliyah and raise a family here. There's something about this place that makes your soul come out and come alive in the best way possible. I'm quoting Ben Packer here (he is in charge of mens heritage house http://www.heritage.org.il/ also an amazing organization that allows Jews to stay over in the hostel for either free or the slightest price-another good place to send some money if you're looking into chesed, or just because) but reagrdless, Ben said this shabbat that there are places all over the world that you can be an amazing Jew-but there will always be limits if you're not in Israel. I know that's true. I've seen it, experienced it, and felt it.

We ended off shabbat by singing and dancing to our favorite classic songs: Tov L'hodos, Esa Einai, Acheinu, Shema Koleinu, etc. in the living room of the mens heritage house. The meanings of these songs, to be etched in my memory forever include:

It is good to give thanks to God, and to sing to his name on high - to tell in the morning of His kindness,​ and in the evening of His faithfuln​ess. - Tov L'hodos

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. From where does my help come? 
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. - Ese Einai

Our brothers the whole house of Israel, who are in distress and captivity​, who wander over sea and over land -- may God have mercy on them, and bring them from distress to comfort, from darkness to light, from slavery to redemptio​n, now, swiftly, and soon. And let us say: Amen. - Acheinu