Anyone who saves a single life, it is as if he saved the entire world.

(Mishneh Sanhedrin 4:5)

 

 

Our Torah commands us 4 times:

וְאָֽהַבְתָּ֥ לְרֵעֲךָ֖ כָּמ֑וֹךָ אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃

Love your neighbor as yourself.

It instructs us 36 times in one form or another:

וַאֲהַבְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־הַגֵּ֑ר כִּֽי־גֵרִ֥ים הֱיִיתֶ֖ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

Be kind to the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

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And our prophets continually speak of our obligation to the:

גר יתום ואלמנה

.The stranger, the orphan and the widow

This three part list of the stranger, orphan and widow is meant to be a paradigm for all who need our help - the marginalized, the powerless, the voiceless.  It is our religious duty to care for those less fortunate.  There is no Hebrew word for "charity."  The word we most often use is צדקה/Tzedakah, which simply means "correct"...doing what is right. 

 

We are proud partners with United Ministries and happily host homeless families in our building as part of their Interfaith Hospitality Network.  

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We regularly hold what we call "Dignity Drives" to collect much needed items for those less fortunate.  As we collect these items, we use them to decorate our sanctuary, encouraging people to bring more and more.  The idea is that while flowers are pretty, deeds of loving-kindness are truly beautiful...not just in our eyes, but in the eyes of the Holy One. 

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Past drives include toiletries and other items of personal hygiene for Harvest Hope Food Bank, and clothing and back to school items for A Child's Haven.  

 

Every bar or bat mitzvah child is required to engage in a תיקון עולם/Tikkun Olam/heal the world social action project.

 

Please contact the office to get in touch with people engaged in our various social action projects.  

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