Beth El Cares
May 2, 2009 by Ariela
Filed under Social Justice
Beth El Cares is our pro-active mitzvah outreach organization helping those in need in a number of ways. Examples of our past outreach projects have included:
- American Red Cross Blood Drive
- Serving Christmas Eve dinner at local shelters
- Collecting food and toiletries for local shelters
- Americares
- High Holiday Food Drive
- Locks of Love
One of the most touching services offered by Beth El Cares is an “inreach” program known as Project Ezra. When a member of Temple Beth El loses an immediate family member, a pre-shiva meal is delivered to the family by a volunteer to help them at their most difficult time.
2009-2010 Mitzvah Projects
October 15, 2009 by Ariela
Filed under Social Justice
Sarah Lederman – “Cookies for Cows”
A series of bake sales to raise money and awareness for Heifer International, an organization dedicated to combating world hunger by providing a sustainable source of food and income to those in need in a “pay-it-forward” manner. Heifer’s clients receive a breeding pair of stock animal such as cows, goats, sheep, chickens, rabbits, even bees. They receive training on how to care for the animals. They benefit from the animals’ direct product, i.e., milk or eggs, to supplement their family’s food, and then sell the remainder for sustainable income. When the animals breed, they are pledged to pass on offspring to others in need, training them in turn, thus providing an on-going chain of bootstrap support.
Heifer International also provides micro-loans for small businesses, teaches agro-ecology, provides HIV/AIDS education and supports gender equity. Heifer projects are world-wide. Here in the US, Heifer supports urban agriculture projects, which provides sustainable food and essential job skills for clients. See www.heifer.org.
Sarah will hold a series of bake sales and also offer her home-baked cookies through e-mail orders, which may be placed at office@tbe.org. A complete order form will be available at Temple Beth El, at the bake sales and by e-mailing office@tbe.org. Sarah will also be explaining what Heifer International does and providing literature to raise awareness for this superb organization.
Andrew Schwartz – The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity
Bar Mitzvah literally means son of the commandment. To me, becoming a Bar Mitzvah means becoming responsible as a Jewish adult including performing mitzvah and carrying on Jewish traditions and values. As my first responsible act as a Jewish adult I have decided to raise money for The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. Elie Wiesel is one of the greatest activists for human rights. A survivor of the Holocaust, Elie Wiesel has dedicated his life to making certain that that no one ever forgets the tragic events of the Holocaust and the senseless loss of over six million Jews. The entire world had to have known what was happening to the Jews during the holocaust and did nothing to stop it. Thus, it has been his determination to never be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. Mr. Wiesel has maintained that “to remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all.” Despite the graphic evidence of the injustices caused to the Jewish people and others by the Nazis, there are still some people today that refuse to accept that the Holocaust ever happened. In addition, there are tyrants today that impose ethnic cleansing and genocide. Thus, it is Wiesel’s mission to educate the world and promote awareness about the Holocaust so that it will never happen to another group of people again. In furtherance of this purpose, in 1987, The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity was established. The mission of the Foundation, which is rooted in the memory of the Holocaust, is to combat indifference, intolerance and injustice through international dialogue and youth focused programs that promote acceptance, understanding and equality. Tragically, this past year the Foundation suffered a devastating loss. Substantially all of the Foundation’s assets ($15.2 million) were under the management of Bernard Madoff Investment Securities and the Foundation became one of the many victims to the Madoff investment fraud losing these assets.
Because of my deep admiration for Elie Wiesel and my strong belief in the importance of promoting awareness about the Holocaust and given the fact that human rights are still violated today, it is each of our responsibility to respond to such injustice (we cannot remain silent as was done during the Holocaust), I have chosen as part of my mitzvah project to raise money for The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. I am making a personal donation from a portion of my Bar Mitzvah gifts to the Foundation. In addition, I am sending personal letters to my family and friends, informing them of the significant and meaningful work of the Foundation. Please consider making a donation to this very important Foundation. Donations can be made by check payable to The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity and delivered to Andrew Schwartz c/o Temple Beth El, 350 Roxbury Road, Stamford, Connecticut 06902 (I will deliver the checks to The Foundation along with my donation). Donations may also be made by credit card by visiting the Foundation’s website at: www.eliewieselfoundation.org . Donations in any amount will be greatly appreciated and put to excellent use.
“Adopt a Holocaust Survivor”
In addition to raising money for The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity, I have decided to play a part in promoting awareness of the tragic events of the Holocaust by documenting the actual experiences of a Holocaust survivor. With the assistance of Al Treidel, Education Director, along with my older sister Danielle, I will be participating in the “Adopt a Holocaust Survivor” program. We will be interviewing an individual survivor and recording this person’s stories and experiences by video as well as preparing a written account. Upon completion, this chronicle of their life will be presented on the Temple Beth El website and will be preserved indefinitely. In addition, Danielle and I are making a commitment to present this Holocaust survivor’s story in Washington, DC in 2043, the 100th anniversary of the Holocaust. While there are several Holocaust survivors already participating in the program, I am seeking a Holocaust Survivor from the Greater Stamford area to adopt. Anyone interested in participating in the “Adopt a Holocaust Survivor” program (survivor or an interviewer) should contact Mr. Al Treidel, Director of Jewish Life Education, at eddir@tbe.org or by calling 203-322-6901 x305.
Jordan Ganz – Food Drive for the Food Bank & Serving Meals at Person to Person.
I am Jordan Ganz, an eighth grader at Rippowam Middle School. For my Mitzvah project, I am conducting a food drive for The Food Bank, at 461 Glenbrook Road in Stamford to help hungry people in our area. I am sure you want to know about some of the people, who gain from these food drives and who I’ll be serving meals to. One is a single mom, who wants to work two jobs just to pay the rent. Our community has newly arrived immigrants who are struggling to start their American dream. To learn more about The Food Bank, go to www.foodbanklfc.org. Their Food Wish List is:
- Beans
- Bread, Cake, Muffin, Pancake Mixes, Dry Cereals
- Canned Fish & Meat
- Canned Sauces, Pasta Sauce
- Canned Soups
- Crackers, Granola Bars, Peanut Butter
- Flour, Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Salad Dressing
- Fruit Juices
- Honey, Jelly/Jam, Syrup
- Instant Potatoes, Rice
- Macaroni & Cheese, Pasta & Noodles
Please bring these items to the Temple (box for donated foods) or leave a message for me with TBE’s main office and I will pick them up from your house from October 11th – October 25th!
Thank-you!
Jordan Ganz
Jenna Plotzky – Kids in Crisis
My name is Jenna Plotzky and I am a 7th grader at Cloonan Middle School. As part of my process of becoming bat mitzvah, I am selling PartyLite tea lights to raise money for the “Kids in Crisis” organization which assists children who are going through difficult times. My goal is to raise at least $1,500. Please join me in my efforts.
You may purchase these tea lights and candles for $1 for two candles or $5 for a dozen on Tuesdays or Sundays or you may make a donation by making a check out to “Kids in Crisis” and give it to me or put it in an envelope addressed to me and give it to the Hebrew school office. Below is some information on this amazing organization which empowers children, teens and adults who are going through difficult times.
The programs and services developed by Kids in Crisis include two emergency shelters, each staffed round-the-clock with professional counselors, a complete on-site medical clinic, a 24-hour Helpline and Outreach counseling and many community- and school-based programs.
They rely on private funding to ensure children receive the high quality care they need and deserve. More than 84 cents of every dollar raised by Kids in Crisis goes directly to the programs and services for the children. Every cent helps these children, teens, and parents.
Here’s what your donation means to the children served by Kids in Crisis:
- $40 – One week’s worth of formula and diaper for a baby in our care
- $80 – Round-the-clock Helpline counseling for a worried parent
- $150 – A workshop in your school to teach kids about physical and verbal abuse
- $300 – Food, clothing and counseling for an abused teenager
- $500 – A complete medical exam and psychiatric evaluation for a traumatized child at our on-site TLC Health Center.
- $750 – Will buy winter jackets, hats and gloves for the children staying in the Crisis Nursery.
- $1500 – Will feed 20 children and teens in our shelter for one week.
The Mitzvah Initiative
September 23, 2009 by Ariela
Filed under Featured, Social Justice
A List of the 613 Mitzvot (According to Maimonides) | Class Schedule & Information | Student Reader
I had the privilege of joining with three of our congregants and representatives of dozens of Conservative congregations atthe Jewish Theological Seminary for a two-day seminar in mid-June. It was all about the implementation of Chancellor Arnold Eisen’s Mitzvah Initiative, a major new concept that promises to revitalize our Movement, and energize our congregation. We are one of forty congregations that will be launching this major initiative this fall.
The Mitzvah Initiative begins with a set of fourteen discussions which will consider the following questions:
- What are the relationships and responsibilities that give my life meaning and purpose
- How can I express these thoughts in an authentically Jewish way?
- What sources of Jewish wisdom can expand my thinking?
- What might I learn about the source of my feelings for Judaism and Jewish life?
- What would it be like to share these conversations with other Jews in my synagogue community?
During these fourteen sessions of reflection and dialogue, which I will be leading, participants in the Mitzvah Initiative will be able to better understand how the concept of mitzvah works to bring order and meaning to a Jewish life. It will also be a chance to consider ways to bring creativity to your own life by focusing on one mitzvah of personal significance. Individuals within the group, joined by other members of the community, will talk about “their” mitzvah, and provide any support needed for ongoing practice.
So these sessions will be both fascinating academic surveys as well as opportunities for personal exploration and growth. As we explore the concept of mitzvah from a variety of angles, we’ll come to understand that it means much, much more than “good deed.” We’ll come to realize the many mitzvot we’ve been performing without even realizing it, and we’ll also look at ways we can grow even more from authentic Jewish experiences. Of course, these discussions will be conducted in an atmosphere of openness, honesty and in a non-judgmental manner. This is about all of us traveling on a path together, each of us helping the others.
We’ll discuss topics such as: How can we moderns reconcile personal autonomy with the notion of being “commanded?” How do I visit someone who is sick and turn it into a Jewish experience? How do I “honor” my parents in action? Why is it inspiring to hear someone talk about their passion for the environment, or tzedakah, or tikun olam? Where do Shabbat and tefillah fit into these new ideas about mitzvah? What makes these experiences spiritual?
The Mitzvah Initiative is about energizing Jewishpractice as individuals, as families, and as a total community. Through our personal and communal efforts, we will be part of a national effort and will communicate with people in other congregations sharing the same exciting initiative, exploring the same questions and bringing new perspectives on how to live an engaged Conservative Jewish life today. The people who designed this curriculum also designed the highly successful Melton curriculum, and in many ways, this could be seen as the next step for those who have taken those classes (although Melton is by no means a prerequisite – and Mitzvah Initiative will also cost a lot less).
As you can tell, I’m very exciting about what the Mitzvah Initiative can bring to our congregation. Since we’ll want to keep the class size manageable, we may offer more than one time option. I anticipate the session(s) filling up very quickly.
If you want to hear more, feel free to contact me, or speak with Don Adelman and Suzanne and Norman Stone, who joined me at the conference.
Stay tuned for more information!
Rabbi Joshua Hammerman
The Mitzvah Initiative
With Rabbi Joshua Hammerman
With multiple possible meanings for mitzvah, Jews today can locate where they stand with respect to Jewish tradition in all its complexities. They can also find new entryways to living a more engaged Jewish life. Along the way, the creation of new definitions leads to more of the shared language and shared vision to build a community.
Join with Rabbi Hammerman to explore the real meaning of mitzvot and how they can impact you to enjoy a more meaningful life, Find out about the Conservative Movement’s Mitzvah Initiative and what you can do to become involved in this exciting program. This program will consist of a series of fourteen interactive workshops exploring the deeper meaning of the concept of mitzvah, along with some of the most critical elements of Jewish life including: prayer, tzedakkah, visiting the sick and honoring parents.
The lessons will be a blend of personal reflection (journaling), group discussion, text study, presentations by community members, and actual mitzvah experiences.
This groundbreaking series, taught by Rabbi Hammerman, will be held twice: on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am (child care will be offered upon request) and on Thursday evenings at 7:00 pm. Temple Beth El is one of forty Conservative congregations participating in the Mitzvah Initiative, which is a project of Chancellor Arnold Eisen of the Jewish Theological Seminary.
The program will consist of 14 one hour sessions. Both the Sunday and Thursday classes will have the same curriculum, but participants will be asked to pick one section and stick with it, since an important aspect of these classes will be the comfort level and fellowship that is built up among participants. If a session or two is missed, of course it will be fine to attend the other section for that particular session.
The cost of the class is $ 36.00 for Temple members ($ 50.00 for non-members), plus the willingness to explore and grow together.
Register by emailing eddir@tbe.org or call (203) 322-6901 ext. 308.
SIGNATURE MITZVOT OF THE TBE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
SEPTEMBER 2009
When you are asked in the world to come, “What was your work?” and you answer, “I fed the hungry,” you will be told, “This is the gate of the Lord, enter into it, you who have fed the hungry…The same goes for those who raised orphans, performed acts of tzedakah, clothed the naked and embraced acts of loving-kindness (Midrash Psalms 118:17).
What is your “work?” What is your signature mitzvah? What do you want to be the first thing mentioned in your eulogy (aside from “loving parent, spouse, friend, etc.”)?
I have spent more than 40 years committed to involvement in Jewish and Secular community service. My parents and grandparents were my role models.
A decent human being who really cared for his fellow man through acts of kindness.
Opening the Temple and facilitating morning minyan so people can say Kaddish. Overseeing Beth El Cemetery.
Pillar of personal support for anybody needing an ear, a shoulder, encouragement, focus and/or ideas about a better way and a better life.
That I was a good person. That I was a good mother. That I loved my friends and family above all else.
A wonder and supportive friend and confidant.
Help when help is needed.
My wife and I have a pool party each year inviting widows who do not get out much. In addition we invite them for breakfast. You cannot believe the wonderful feeling these people have being included and not forgotten.
VP membership for Stamford Chapter Hadassah. Greeter for High Holy Days. JFS Ambassador from Temple Beth El. JFS yearly dinner committee and auction. Hadassah calendar committee. Hostess 2nd Passover seder for everyone. Shalom Stamford Beth El representative.
My signature mitzvah was tutoring a young, physically and mentally challenged woman to become a Bat Mitzvah at Temple Beth El. Thank you, Rabbi Hammerman, for giving me this opportunity.
I have volunteered in my community within my children’s schools and Temple Beth El, all the way to international work for Israel and Hadassah Hospital outreach programs. What I have found as my greatest reward is seeing all ages, each generation, finding a way to come along and help.
Volunteer reading tutor for first graders in the Stamford public schools.
Temple Beth El is a vibrant, warm and inclusive community committed to enhancing Jewish life. We are an egalitarian synagogue with members from all generations. We welcome everyone and would love it if you joined us. 
