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#16 - Nourishing Communities: The Transformative Journey of Our Big Kitchen (OBK) with Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin

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Rabbi Dr. Dovid Slavin and his wife, Laya, transformed a simple idea into a heartwarming reality that feeds thousands. From Leah's journey from hairdresser to a beacon of hope for women undergoing chemotherapy to the establishment of Our Big Kitchen (OBK) in Bondi, Sydney, this episode captures their incredible story.

Discover how OBK evolved into a non-denominational industrial kitchen, making over 250,000 meals yearly to combat food waste and hunger in Australia. This isn't just about meals; it's about connecting people and creating a community where no one feels alone, especially during festive seasons.

In a conversation with Rabbi Slavin from OBK, we explore the future ambitions for this impactful initiative and discuss ways listeners can be part of this mission across Australia. Kindness is a language everyone understands, and by building a model of community support, we can counter negative narratives and foster meaningful connections. Whether using your unique talents or taking small steps in your community, your actions can make a significant difference.

Stay tuned for a sneak peek into our upcoming chat with Astrid Hocking from Hearts and Hands, who dedicates her life to supporting vulnerable children and communities.

OBK Website: https://www.obk.org.au/

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Leon Goltsman:

Good morning, good afternoon or good evening, wherever you are, and welcome back to Engaging Conversations. I'm your host, leon Goltsman, and I'm thrilled to kick off a brand new year with all of you and before we begin, I want to give a quick shout-out to one of our amazing sponsors, Niaz Cannoth. As Principal and Lending Specialist and Founder of Invest Intelligence, Niaz empowers investors with socially responsible strategies, particularly in disability accommodation. As we step into 2025, I want to take a moment to thank you for your ongoing support and engagement. It's a privilege to share these powerful stories and conversations with such an incredible community of listeners. Thank you, Niaz, for supporting engaging conversations and helping us make an impact. Now on to today's guest, a leader whose work is changing lives and building connections.

Leon Goltsman:

I'm honoured to introduce Rabbi Dr Dovid Slovin, co-founder and CEO of Our Big Kitchen, or simply OBK. Founded in Bondi, Sydney, obk is a community-run, non-denominational industrial kitchen that prepares over 250,000 meals annually for those in need. But OBK is far more than a place where food is made. It's a space where lives are changed. Founded in 2005 by Rabbi Slavin and his wife Laya, obk began with a simple act of kindness that sparked a movement. Today, it supports over 33 charities and provides a place where people from all walks of life business leaders, politicians, community members and even tourists come together to connect, give back and make a difference.

Leon Goltsman:

Obk's mission goes beyond just feeding people. It's about breaking barriers, building connections and creating hope in a world that often feels divided. In today's conversation, we'll delve into the extraordinary journey of OBK, explore how food serves as a universal language of love and compassion, and discover the impact of giving back one meal at a time. So, without further ado, let's jump into this inspiring discussion with Rabbi David Slavin. This is a story you won't want to miss with Rabbi David Slavin.

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

This is a story you won't want to miss. A bit about myself. My name is Rabbi Dr David Slavin, born in Brooklyn, new York, was introduced to a very fine young woman back in New York. I didn't realize that falling in love with her would also mean falling in love with the whole country, and Sydney eastern suburbs has been home to us since 1991. I've often been asked how the kitchen came about, and I tend to ask people it's more the why than the how. You know, why did we do it? What possessed us to build this kitchen? And it's interesting. It's a story, really, of a husband trying to keep his wife happy.

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

My wife Laya, who's a beautiful individual, began her career as a hairdresser.

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

Hairdressing took her to wigs and while the clients loved what she was doing for them, she was not finding fulfillment in it.

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

She loved the creative part, but it wasn't talking to any purpose for her and she was going to look at something different, perhaps teaching or other areas that she had interest in. And then a woman who was going through chemotherapy was introduced to her, in need of a wig, and suddenly it was no longer something vain but something really life-changing, life-altering. She realized. While she cannot cure this woman she's not a doctor and while she doesn't have a crystal ball to tell her whether she will be there to see her children growing up, she's also not a financial institution who could help them with the resources and the money they needed to get through this particular difficulty. But she could give them a wig that would look as good or better than their own hair and, in this way, give them the confidence to stay in the fight. It's incredibly, incredibly important and very confronting, in fact, for a young woman going through chemo losing her hair. So Laya set aside all of her other clients and only focused solely on women going through chemo, and what a journey it's been.

Leon Goltsman:

Obk now prepares and distributes over 250,000 meals annually, supporting more than 33 charities and thousands of individuals. Wow, how did you coordinate such a large-scale operation and what challenges have you faced in ensuring these meals reach those in need?

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

So, from getting meals to people going through chemo, we realised that bringing people together to cook gives you huge quantities of meals and also connection and community. We set ourselves the building, the kitchen. Turning to the building industry, asking people to be so kind and to understand the need for people to help, to empower and to connect, and this is what we do with the kitchen. It has continued to grow and continues to grow as we speak. The nicest people, the builders who came to help and built with their hearts and their hands. Today we stand between food waste and hungry Australians. Australia throws out huge quantities of perfectly edible food. It's really inexcusable and at the same time, many are going hungry. And the third part of the puzzle is there are good people who want to make a difference. What we try to do is bring together those people using the excess food that would be going to waste and getting it to those who need it through the tens of charities that we support.

Leon Goltsman:

What special initiatives does ABK undertake to support and uplift the community?

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

A very, very important question to understand. What is that we do? Particularly during the festive season, there are people who are going hungry, but more so people are dying of disconnection. Nobody should miss out important events. Nobody should feel alone and detached. To this end, we cater many, many meals that go to the many charities that support those who otherwise would have been alone during this season.

Leon Goltsman:

Can you share a particular story or moment that encapsulates the impact OBK has had on an individual's life?

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

To try to encapsulate a particular moment is almost like asking a parent who's been blessed with many children which one they love most, because every single session and whether it's during bushfire season that we're cooking and feeding first responders or people who need to move, or we are giving people who have made bad choices a second chance in life, or we're helping people with special needs, or we're getting neighbours to talk to each other really, I think that's probably one of the most difficult questions to answer and I really I'm gonna have to pass on that and simply say spending a day in the kitchen. You will be in the same predicament. You will see so many different special moments of connection, breaking down barriers, empowering people, giving people opportunities. This is really the outcome, the language that we use as food, but the product is really community building, confidence building and second chances and acceptance to people in this wonderful country.

Leon Goltsman:

And I can vouch for that. It's not often that you have a prime minister, a premier, members of parliament and the governor general and his lovely wife all in the same kitchen, and I was privy to that. Too many cooks in the kitchen, but in this case it was perfect. Now we have seen that food is the universal language that transcends cultural and social barriers. How does OBK utilise communal cooking to build bridges between diverse communities, including those from different cultural, religious and socio-economic backgrounds, To try to understand how we connect not only help and empower, but also to connect is so, so important.

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

We have run events here that bring Christian, muslim and Jewish children together. So we'll take a group, say 20, 20, and 20. Each one is encouraged to come with two recipes that are important to their tradition and then the entire group gets together together and we mix them all up. They don't stay in separate groups, they're all mixed with each other and every group gets to teach and to learn. The message here is I can come with two. If I listen, I'll come away with six that participation and growth, cross-fertilization are so, so important at any stage, and if you're ever looking for something that brings all people together, it's food. Every single person I've ever met needs to eat, so there's a great way to connect.

Leon Goltsman:

I like what you said come in with two, leave with six. That's a good investment, isn't it?

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

six. That's a good investment, isn't it? Absolutely. It's metaphorically and absolutely so true. Australia is blessed to be a true multicultural country that has grown out of the experiences of all those who we've been blessed to have come to join our shores and to make this country what it is today.

Leon Goltsman:

So, rabbi, whilst OBK operates from its kitchen here in Bondi, its impact reaches far beyond Sydney. What strategies have you implemented to extend OBK services to rural and regional communities across New South Wales and Australia, so in?

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

terms of expanding our efforts beyond our limited area here. In the first case, many, many other charities have come and borrowed bits and pieces of what we do and taking it and made it theirs, which is very, very beautiful. We in fact have a sister organization in Los Angeles which is doing almost identical to what we're doing over here, and our reach goes very far by students and adults coming traveling. We have regular groups up here from Canberra and beyond. During any natural disaster we work with the state government. Wherever New South Wales as the state is going, our food will go with them. So the reach actually goes a lot further than just the local area. So the reach actually goes a lot further than just the local area.

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

The other impact that I hope we are having is by showcasing what Australia has to offer. Many people will think of Bandai because of the beautiful weather or the nice homes or the beaches. We have tour buses this is part of their tour of Sydney to understand the back end, the underbelly of what really happens here and the struggles that some people have to put up with and the way the community comes together to be able to support them. We have politicians from all walks of politics here in Australia state and federal who have come here and been very, very inspired and taken those ideas back to their homes. We've had consul generals from almost every country in the world have come back here and we've gotten feedback how they've come back to be able to share what we're doing over here. It makes us incredibly proud to be able to develop and showcase this side of the beautiful Australian society where people genuinely take the time to look after and care for each other.

Leon Goltsman:

And you mentioned. Obk offers various programs, including corporate team building events, school programs and private functions, all centered around cooking for a cause. What motivates individuals and groups from different sectors to participate in these programs and what feedback have you received from participants?

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

It's interesting to understand what motivates people to come to our corporate team buildings. It's interesting, you know, companies are seeing more and more the value of corporate team buildings. Now you can do things like whitewater rafting, rock climbing, paintball shooting, escape rooms, all wonderful, wonderful things, but they leave very little real impact on society. So we say to people once you've done all those things, or before you've done all those things, whatever it may be, come in. We gamify it. It's a MasterChef competition. We give you the raw ingredients that we've gotten donated and instead of it being solely our challenge to think how can we feed these families with what we've received, we make it your challenge and it becomes fun.

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

Companies compete for the best dish. Once they've done that, they'll present the dishes to the chef who tastes it. The winner gets a trophy. It really is a great leveler. It's a great equalizer. The CEO and the intern cook side by side and more often than not the intern cooks better than the CEO. So it gives people a chance to move into the forefront, to create, to have imagination, into the forefront, to create, to have imagination and to know, more important than anything else, that I, with my team, can make a huge difference. The companies that we're getting are companies like all the Australian big banks and the consultancy companies and the accounting firms, as well as many IT companies Atlassian, salesforce, google I'm sure you guys all heard of Google and companies this size. Those are the ones that come to us. So we're very, very blessed to have really tapped into the incredibly wonderful, incredible organizations who see the value in what we are able to offer.

Leon Goltsman:

And that's perhaps why they've made it so big, isn't it?

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

Yeah, it is you know people's strength. Any animal will outrun, outfly, out-survive a human. Our ability is to collaborate, and we can collaborate negatively and create horrible things, or collaborate positively. We want to collaborate in a positive and wonderful way and you certainly do that.

Leon Goltsman:

Now for individuals in rural areas, inspired by OBK's model, what advice would you offer them to establish similar community kitchens initiatives in their own towns?

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

We have had many, many organizations from across Australia and around the world in fact, who have come here observed what we do and taken of those lessons to incorporate into the way they're doing things, and it's really simply a lesson of caring for people and seeing the opportunities and seeing the talents that they could bring to the table.

Leon Goltsman:

So in today's world, where divisions can seem more prominent, obk stands as a testament to the power of community and kindness. What core values drives OBK's mission, and how can individuals embody these values in their daily lives to support for a more united society?

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

To better understand how we could be there for each other. It's very, very simple. You know the days in which we could count on our neighbors to hang out our washing when we were having a baby. Those days are gone. Very few people are hanging out washing. Even less people are having babies, and absolutely nobody knows who their neighbors are. Now there could be two reactions. One could be a very paralyzing question that goes something like why is this happening? Or what's the world getting up to? And then there's a very empowering question where we try to focus, and that's what can I do about it? And what I can do about it today is to join with other like-minded people and come in, be there with each other for each other and create meals for those who are less fortunate.

Leon Goltsman:

And looking ahead. What are your aspirations for OBK's future and how can listeners across Australia, regardless of their location, contribute to or support OBK's mission?

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

The way anybody can participate in this, firstly, is nobody has a monopoly on helping and introducing themselves to their neighbours and creating groups within the schools. You know, we all have food, we all can talk and interact with each other. In terms of what we're trying to do here is to build a model that really works and could be duplicated in other parts of Australia and around the world. So any talent that one has, by all means get in touch with us through our website, through our social media, whether it's IT, whether it's graphic design, whether it's marketing. These are all things that need to be told. You know it breaks my heart.

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

Young people today will read the news or they'll look at social media and they'll see stories of wars being fought here, there and everywhere and shootings happening in horrible ways across the states. And what have you? And a 15-year-old will say you know I'm 15. I'm going to be 16. I have you. And a 15 year old will say you know I'm 15. I'm going to be 16. I have not killed anybody yet. What's wrong with me? And that's tragic. It is tragic for young people to be so surrounded with such violence that they're reading and they're exposed to Good stories need to be told. Good stories need to be created. Good will always outlast evil. We can do better, we should do better, and together we can make a real difference.

Leon Goltsman:

And that's exactly my line at the end of every podcast. Is there one key takeaway message you'd like every listener to remember after hearing about OBK and its mission?

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

A key message that I would like people to walk away with is not to wait and not to turn to government and think what others are going to do for us. Ask ourselves an honest question what can I do today to help a neighbor, a friend, somebody who's doing it difficult, somebody who's recently had a baby, someone who's recently lost a loved one, somebody who's just moved into town? Ask yourselves that honest question what can I do today? And normally the answer will be bake a cake, create a biscuit, a meal, a treat, knock on a neighbor's door, reach out to a family member who you know would appreciate the recognition and the warmth and the beauty that a meal brings to them. It isn't only the recipient who gains In these things. 9 out of 10 is the giver, who comes away feeling so much better and valued.

Leon Goltsman:

And whilst we're talking here, I feel like a recipient, because I know that when I walk out of OBK, I always walk away with a full belly, and I'm feeling a lot better about that as well. So thank you very much for the opportunity, rabbi.

Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin:

Leon, thank you for the opportunity to share the message with your listeners, and may you continue to be an example and a shining light, not only through your speech but more so through the actions that you have done. We've known you for a very, very long time. We feel very, very privileged that we've watched you up close, always putting others ahead of yourself, giving, giving and giving, which is probably why you're a positive and happy person.

Leon Goltsman:

Thank you very much. Rabbi Means a lot to me. Thank you, well, that's a wrap. What an inspiring conversation we've just had with Rabbi Dr Dovitz-Lovin from Our Big Kitchen. His journey from a single act of kindness to leading an organization that unites communities and provides well over 250,000 meals annually is truly remarkable. If you'd like to learn more about Our Big Kitchen or find ways to get involved, please check out our show notes for links and resources. Sharing these stories and supporting such initiatives helps us all contribute to a more connected and caring society.

Leon Goltsman:

Now I'm excited to give you a glimpse into our next episode. We'll be joined by the extraordinary Astrid Hocking Chair of Hearts and Hands Community Development. We've over 24 years as a foster parent caring for around 90 children, and a professional background in education and support for foster carers. Astrid's dedication to child protection and community development is unparalleled. Hearts and Hands is a not-for-profit, volunteer-based charity offering disadvantaged communities a hand up, not a handout. Their programs focus on raising child protection awareness, supporting survivors of abuse and assisting impoverished communities towards self-sustainability. Astrid also partners with an orphanage in the Philippines, visiting twice yearly to support children rescued from trafficking or abandonment. Her unwavering commitment to vulnerable children and communities is truly inspiring and I can't wait to share our conversation with you. And, as always, if today's episode resonated with you, please share it with your friends and family. Your support really does help us continue to bring these impactful stories to light. I'm Leon Goltsman and I look forward to our next engaging conversation. Until then, stay safe, stay connected and let's keep making a difference together.

People on this episode

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Leon Goltsman

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Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin

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