INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Members of an Indianapolis synagogue on Monday said helping those in need on Christmas Day is as much an act of faith as an act of service.

Cathedral Kitchen at Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral serves free meals to those in need six days a week. For roughly 20 years, members of Congregation Beth-El Zedeck have volunteered to run the kitchen on Christmas Day so the regular staff can spend the holiday with their families.

Jeff Greenberg, a longtime member of the congregation who has volunteered on Christmas Day for the past 18 years, said being able to help out through serving meals or any other form of volunteerism is a tremendously uplifting experience.

“The benefit that you get from doing humanitarian volunteer things for other people is just indescribable,” said Greenberg.

Volunteer coordinator Jennifer Hodes said she expected to serve about 200 people on Monday. Volunteers filled take-home trays with turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, and rolls. Diners could also pick from apples, oranges, fruit salad, cake, pie, or cookies.

Hodes said filling in at Cathedral Kitchen has become a family tradition for congregation members, with some bringing their children and even grandchildren to take part. She said dozens of people sign up to help out in the weeks before and many more simply show up to help.

“I like being with people who are happy to do this,” Hodes said. “It’s a very fulfilling kind of day. I have a purpose in life. This is just another way to help that.”

Greenberg and Hodes said serving meals at Cathedral Kitchen goes beyond simply helping those in need. They said it also follows several core Jewish tenets such as tzedakah, or righteous behavior and charity, and tikkun olam, or repairing the world. Besides doing good, they said the work is spiritually fulfilling.

“This is a huge element that fits right into our giving back to individuals and the community,” said Greenberg.

Hodes said if you’re interested in volunteering, either on Christmas Day or any other time, ask your local food pantry or organizations, such as Cathedral Kitchen, where they need help.