Social Action

As a community, Congregation Beth Sholom is dedicated to the mitzvah of Tikkun Olam (literally “repairing the world”) and love for our fellow men and women. Throughout the year, the Social Action/Tikkun Olam Committee strives to help repair our world through local projects and broader communal, national and international programs. By involving our children in volunteer and intergenerational activities, our Tikkun4Kids group models the idea of giving while helping others for our children.

The Tikkun Olam Committee and members of the synagogue regularly:

• The social action committee is privileged to cook, purchase and serve dinner to over 100 adult men and women 4 or 5 times a year. Our group of volunteers arranges to cook and prepare food, purchase chickens, desserts and whatever else is needed. We usually serve well over 100 people and can be up to 150.
• Collect food, clothing, toys, and other items for special drives throughout the year, supporting food pantries, women’s shelters, local hospitals, Hanukkah and holiday drives
• Serve as a donation site for the UJA-Federation Mitzvah Day collections   
• Host activities around Jewish holidays so that those who are less fortunate can still celebrate with dignity and respect

Here are some current projects we hope you'll participate in:

Brief Bank Collection: We will be collecting Adult Briefs and absorbent products for distribution to those in need this month for the Brief Bank. They will be distributed to clients of Meals on Wheels, Visiting Homemaker Home Health Aide Service of Bergen County, the Center for Food Action of Bergen County, and more. Please drop off your donations in the shul bins. „

Coupons for Cancer: Please save the coupons (uncut) from the Sunday Papers from Bed Bath and Beyond and Buy Buy Baby for American Cancer—Relay for Life. „

MAZON Kiddush Donations—Through the Social Action Committee we are asking Kiddush sponsors to make a modest donation to MAZON, a Jewish organization dedicated to preventing and alleviating hunger. We suggest adding a donation of about 10% of the Kiddush cost, though any amount would be appreciated. On Shabbat, cards would be placed on the tables indicating that the sponsors have made a donation to MAZON.

We were especially proud to have supported  MAZON's interactive “This is Hunger” Truck in Teaneck, developing outreach materials and organizing volunteers during open hours.