At Knit & Nosh, young Jewish adults meet at local coffee shops, breweries and community spaces to knit scarves and hats for neighbors experiencing housing insecurity — and to simply hang out with each other.
Knit & Nosh is a “VolunTeam” program, a group of volunteers with a common life stage or interest who volunteer together regularly. It’s one of several VolunTeams run by the Macks Jewish Connection Network, an agency of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore.
“It’s really hard to make friends as a young adult without having an established friend group or doing things that either don’t align with your preferences or cost a lot of money,” says Elana Molotsky, who leads the VolunTeam with co-leader Sammi Darmon.
Thanks to support from the organization Repair the World, all materials for Knit & Nosh are provided. Participants just need to show up.
The group meets one evening each month at locations across the Baltimore metropolitan. About half the participants arrive without any knitting or crocheting experience. Sammi herself is learning alongside newcomers, and experienced members eagerly teach beginners one-on-one.
For those who’d rather not knit at all, there are no-sew blanket projects that simply require tying knots.
“Even if you don’t really want to learn how to knit or crochet, you just want to come hang out, we have an activity for you,” Elana says.
The gatherings include complimentary kosher snacks and drinks, and participants often stick around to chat after the official event ends.
What makes Knit & Nosh special is the community it builds.
“We have a large group from very non-observant to Orthodox,” Elana says. “At one of our last events, someone was like, ‘I haven’t been to a service in a really long time, I don’t speak Hebrew, I would be so nervous to go even to a Shabbat dinner.’ And one of our other members offered to make copies of a prayer book with English and transliteration. That’s what we’re trying to do here, making it easier for people who maybe have struggled with their Jewish identity, giving them a place to do that where there’s no pressure, it’s just accessible.”
The hands-on service resonates particularly well right now. “As young adults, we feel a little lost about how to impact the world around us with everything that’s going on,” Elana says. “Making something with your own two hands that is then going to be personally delivered to someone in need really speaks to Jewish values.”
The finished items are donated to individuals experiencing housing insecurity or transitioning out of homelessness. It’s a concrete way to give back while enjoying doing something that many people haven’t done since childhood: arts and crafts.
Young adults looking for other service opportunities can also join Snack-tivists, another “VolunTeam” program which addresses food insecurity through hands-on food service, farming and drives.
Elana’s advice for anyone curious about Knit & Nosh? “Even if you just stop by for half an hour and grab a snack, we’re happy to have you. There’s no risk. All reward.”
Ready to find your team? Visit TheJewishNetwork.org or email Alli Berger at aberger@thejewishnetwork.org.
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