TIKKUN OLAM

Temple Israel juggles a variety of tikkun olam projects, helping both our own congregants and the community around us. Among our projects:

• Mitzvah of the month: The congregation contributes to a different charity each month. Causes have included coats and school supplies for needy children, and canned food and Chanukah gifts for low-income Jewish families.
  
  
• The daily minyan also collects tzedakah, which it allots on a monthly basis. The minyan annually raises $5,000 to $6,000. Its donations have gone to such causes as college Hillels, The Dwelling Place, Beth Sholom Village and the American Jewish World Service’s Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund.
  
  
• Temple Israel’s Caring Committee visits and keeps in touch with congregants who are elderly, ill or otherwise cannot attend services.
  
  
• The synagogue collects donations for Mazon, a national organization that helps hungry families, during the Double-P (Purim and Passover) food drive.
  
  
• The synagogue collects nearly 40 pints a blood a year during a fall and spring blood drive.
  
  
• Temple Israel serves as host for the Simon J for one week of the NEST program, providing shelter for homeless people during the winter. It also pairs with Second Presbyterian Church for one morning and evening of NEST.
  
  
• Temple Israel gathers hotel toiletries for the Hospitality for the Homeless program.
  
  
• Tikkun Olam Partners is a bi-weekly program for post bar and bat mitzvah students to combine study with Tikkun Olam projects. It is led by Rabbi Panitz.