Wendy Linderman
An organization with as many moving parts as the Hebrew Free Burial Association depends on dedicated volunteers working quietly behind the scenes. The Chesed newsletter sat down with HFBA’s longest-serving volunteer, Wendy Linderman, to learn more about her commitment and the role she plays in this sacred work.
Thank you so much for all that you do for HFBA! When did you first start volunteering?
I started in 2016 – it’s been about nine and a half years.
How did you first hear about HFBA?
Amy spoke at a meeting of the Senior Volunteer Corps at the JCC that I belonged to. The rabbi who ran the program invited organizations that needed volunteers to come and speak. Amy stood up and explained what HFBA does and the kind of help they were looking for. I told her I was interested, she told me to call her — and the rest is history.
What made you decide to dedicate so much of your time to HFBA?
When I finished working, I knew I wanted to do volunteer work; I felt I needed to give back. I was very clear with myself that when I stopped working that I had the responsibility to do something meaningful. So I was looking for an organization that was doing mitzvot, and this was a perfect match.
What do you do when you volunteer?
I go into the office once a week and do whatever needs to be done. I open and sort the mail, process donation checks, stuff envelopes, and help with special projects. I’m there to support whoever needs assistance.
One project that was mine from the beginning was genealogy. People write in asking questions like, “I think you buried my grandfather in a certain year, can you tell me where he’s buried?” There were several old spreadsheets and databases from around the late 1800s, or early 1900s, that I was able to use to update the genealogy service.
What’s the best part about volunteering for HFBA?
I know they do mitzvot, unbelievable mitzvot. So the time that I put in I believe that I’m doing a mitzvah. And the staff are wonderful, from the top to the bottom. It’s a great organization and they do wonderful things. And when people are looking for someone and you’re able to let them know where they’re buried, it helps them and it makes you feel good.
What’s the most memorable story you’ve come across?
I remember there was a woman who’d been told she had a sister who was in a particular hospital in Queens, and she died there as a child. No one ever told her when her sister died. It turns out we buried her as a young child.
I was able to give her the information she didn’t have.
People can have no resources or nobody in their life, and they’ll still have a dignified Jewish burial. It’s phenomenal. HFBA does a real mitzvah and not a lot of people know about it. Inspired by Wendy’s example? HFBA offers many meaningful opportunities to get involved — in the office, at the cemetery, and within the community. To learn more or to volunteer, please visit: https://bit.ly/hfba-volunteer