Homeless invited to San Francisco Jewish community center to see Super Bowl
SAN FRANCISCO -- Most people settle in to watch the Super Bowl from the comfort of their own homes but, in San Francisco, the Jewish community reached out to the unhoused population with an offer to watch the game in the company of friends.
For those who call the streets home Super Bowl Sunday doesn't mean very much.
"No, it don't matter," said a woman named Sheila. "There's too many homeless people out here. They get in the way."
In 2017, Meir Kay, a Jewish street activist and YouTube influencer in Brooklyn, didn't see homeless people as "getting in the way." He decided to make a change.
"You going to watch the game tonight?" he asked a homeless man in one of his videos. "I wish I could have somewhere to watch the game! You know what? I've got a place to watch the game. I throw a party!"
What he created is the "Super Soul Party," a big-game watch party for people who don't have the comfort of a living room sofa. The concept caught on and is now celebrated across the country, including at the Chabad SF community center in San Francisco's SoMa District.
"To bring somebody that doesn't really have a community, doesn't really have a home -- bring them in to a safe space for them to engage with the community," said Rabbi Moshe Langer, the director of Chabad SF.
In addition to a wide-screen view of the game, the Super Soul Party also offered warm clothing and new socks, information about housing and city services and even free haircuts -- anything to keep the mind and soul together.
Then there's the food. Chef Bernard Birch was busy cooking up 20 pounds of wings, 20 pounds of hamburger and fries -- lots of fries. You might call Birch a "fresser," the Yiddish word for someone who loves to eat.
"In my opinion, you cannot get better than that!" he said. "A good hotdog, a good burger, a hot wing with some cole slaw with some salad -- you cannot get better than that!"
The idea was to bring a bit of normalcy to people who normally have to struggle just to exist. The founder of the Chabad, Rabbi Josef Langer, said it's what followers of Judaism are called to do.
"The message has to come from within," he said. "Every person, everything that comes in our path, we have a responsibility to engage. 'Good morning' goes a long way in life. So, it's not just the homeless but it's everyone."
At the party that camaraderie seemed to be appreciated.
"They're blessed," said guest Travae Billingsly. "That's the best Super Bowl party. Nobody gets that here."
"You and me, standing right here," said Rabbi Moshe. "Whatever we can do in our sphere of influence to help another person, whether it's give a smile to them, give a drink, make a Super Bowl party for them -- you never know the ripple effect that will have on an individual."
The Super Soul Party now takes place in eight major cities across the country. Sunday's was the second for San Francisco and, of course, the outcome of the game was irrelevant. The object wasn't to win a bet but to comfort the soul.
