A large swath of the United States ground to a halt at the start of the week as a historic winter storm blanketed more than 40 states with snow, ice, and subfreezing temperatures.

The storm triggered widespread power outages affecting hundreds of thousands, prompting states of emergency to be declared in 24 states, and leading to nearly 20,000 flight cancellations. Countless individuals found themselves stranded, either unable to return home or stuck inside without adequate heat, food, or shelter.

Across the country, Chabad-Lubavitch rabbis and rebbetzins sprang into action, setting aside their regular schedules or their own snow shovels to assist those in need.

In Minnesota, no stranger to heavy snow and punishing winter weather, Rabbi Mendel Feller, director of the Upper Midwest Merkos–Lubavitch House, received word that a Delta flight from Tel Aviv to New York’s JFK Airport had been diverted to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. More than 300 passengers would now be stranded far from home, in unfamiliar surroundings, and without knowing how to access kosher food.

Sunday was already a full day for Rabbi Feller and his wife, Nechama Dina, who co-directs Lubavitch House with him. A sheva brachot celebration for some 30 guests was scheduled to take place in their home that evening, and Mrs. Feller was set to travel out of town the next day. Still, Rabbi Feller immediately began arranging a hot meal and even snacks for the travelers.

“Around 1:30 p.m., I got a call from my father telling me about the diverted flight,” said Rabbi Tzemach Feller, who directs Chabad of Macalester-Groveland in St. Paul together with his wife, Mushky. “He said there were 300 Jewish passengers who were going to need food and asked if I could come to Lubavitch House to help. Of course, I said yes.”

In the Lubavitch House commercial kitchen, he was joined by Anshel Introlegator, a chef who regularly volunteers there. Anshel, along with his wife, Yetta, and their daughter, had also been contacted by Rabbi Mendel Feller and together they got to work.

“Cooking is something I love, and helping another Jew is always a privilege,” Anshel said. “I came right over.”

They emptied the community center’s freezer, preparing chicken, pasta and rice for all 300 travelers. At the same time, they coordinated with Kosher Spot, the local kosher supermarket, to arrange a special delivery of cold cuts, bread, bagels, instant soups, and packaged pastries to distribute.

While his son and the Introlegators cooked up a storm, Rabbi Feller sent a message to popular travel forums so that even before the Delta flight landed, the stranded passengers would have peace of mind. He shared that Chabad would be providing a hot supper and additional food provisions, along with addresses and information for kosher stores and local synagogues for evening prayers.

The volunteers spent about six hours at Chabad preparing the food, finishing up around 8 p.m., exhausted but grateful for the opportunity to help others.

When the travelers arrived, the Fellers were joined by more volunteers who delivered the food to the six hotels where the stranded passengers had been placed by the airline.

“Thank you for arranging dinner last night,” one traveler wrote to the Fellers the next morning as the group finally continued on to New York. “After such a long day of travel, having warm, home-cooked food meant everything. We felt overwhelmed and stranded in an unfamiliar place without easy access to food or transportation, and your welcome was truly heartwarming.”

“The Rebbe taught us that our mission is to care for our fellow—materially as well as spiritually,” said Rabbi Tzemach Feller. “It was beautiful to see how the community came together to be there for perfect strangers; volunteers spending their day off cooking and delivering meals.”

In Nashville Blackout, Community Rises

A few hundred miles to the south, in Nashville, Tenn., the storm caused disruptions not only for travelers but also for locals. Ice weighing down trees and power lines left nearly 300,000 people without electricity and was linked to at least five weather-related fatalities. As of Wednesday, more than 100,000 Tennesseans remained without power.

Rabbi Yitzchok and Esther Tiechtel, who co-direct Chabad of Nashville, immediately began checking in on community members. With a backup generator keeping the Chabad House warm, they opened their doors, offering hot meals, shelter, and a place to sleep to anyone in need.

One of those residents was Eileen Korby, who found herself sitting in a dark, unheated home as the storm wore on.

“I got a call from Rabbi Tiechtel asking if I needed food or a hot meal,” she said. “Most stoves in Nashville are electric, so without power there’s no way to cook. I couldn’t make it to Chabad in those conditions, but he told me someone could bring it to my house.”

Although she initially declined what she described as their “considerate and thoughtful” offer, the next day, once she was able to use her car, she drove to the Chabad center and received a generous supply of food.

“I’m still eating what he gave me on Wednesday,” she said with a smile. “I must note that I only moved here at the end of December. I’m not a longtime member. But Rabbi Tiechtel remembered me and made sure I had what I needed.”

There was also Peter Allingham and his wife, an elderly couple, who were stuck in their home for three days without heat or electricity; Chabad provided them with meals and reassurance. Raff Hezami, a father of four with two young children, also endured days without heat. He brought his family to Chabad of Nashville, where they were welcomed with hot food, and a safe place to rest. Dozens of others received similar assistance.

“In moments like these, leadership means showing up with heart and soul,” said Rabbi Tiechtel. “Every person is created with purpose and worth. Our responsibility is to care for each individual with love and warmth, especially when people feel afraid or forgotten. No one should ever feel alone.”

While storm relief may not be part of their regular programming, the rabbis see their efforts as something that goes straight to the heart of their mission.

As Rabbi Mendel Feller explained: “In the first Chassidic discourse the Rebbe delivered on 10 Shevat 1951, he recounted how the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of the Chabad movement, interrupted his Yom Kippur prayers to visit a woman who had just given birth and was in dire straits. On the holiest day of the year, he lit a fire and prepared food for her, saving her life. As we approach the 75th anniversary of that historic discourse, which is being marked this week, it felt fitting to pause our own activities and provide food to fellow Jews in their time of need.

“This story captures the essence of the Rebbe’s leadership,” he continued. “No matter how lofty one’s spiritual aspirations may be—and, as the Rebbe remarked on another occasion, none of us can begin to compare our aspirations to the sanctity of the Alter Rebbe’s Yom Kippur prayers—we are reminded that the wellbeing of our brothers and sisters must always remain at the forefront.”