Social Action

The Isaiah Food Project is Temple Beth Sholom’s ongoing initiative providing specifically identified grocery items to area food banks every month.  Since it started in September of this year, there have been multiple deliveries to both the Jewish Family Service and the Hamden Food Banks.  Approximately $250 was spent per delivery per food bank which meant that over 200 lbs of food was delivered to each agency each month.   The Hebrew School students have now joined the Isaiah Fund Project in providing these groceries, thereby increasing the items we can donate.  There will be a decorated container at the Temple with two specific requests needed for the month.  When you see the sign, please keep these items in mind as you shop and drop them off the next time you are at the synagogue. Targeted items for December are tuna fish and cans of soup. Also, please consider making…

May 2 is coming quickly.  So what's happening on May 2?  Actually this is going to be a Sunday full of activities, but if you're interested in an easy and fun social action project, please join the temple team in the Walk Against Hunger  to support the Connecticut Food Bank (CFB). The walk raises funds to benefit more than 650 food-assistance programs throughout Fairfield, Litchfield, New Haven, New London, Middlesex and Windham counties. You can find more information about the walk and can join the team at – http://tiny.cc/SocialAction. I have created a team under the name ‘Temple Beth Sholom Social Action’. Look for it in the pull down menu.

I have received a list of names of Jewish men and women serving in uniform, who would like to receive holiday packages this year.  I've started collecting DVDs (and have found many for less than $6.00 each at Stop and Shop and Target) and packing supplies, but we need your help to create many packages.  You can contribute oral and other hygiene supplies, such as sun screen, hand lotion, hand sanitizer, and lip balm.  We'll want to include some Hanuka gelt and maybe some potato pancake mix, as well as snacks such as granola bars, pretzels, peanuts, candy, raisins, drink mixes, cocoa, and tea. Leisure time activity items such as CDs or DVDs, puzzles, books, magazines, and small games are very much appreciated as are your personal cards.  We need to have everything ready on December 6, when we'll be assembling our packages around 11:00 AM (right after that morning's…

I was unable to organize a shipment of holiday gifts for our Jewish troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, so I am planning a different mailing this year, this one in time for Purim. It certainly would be appropriate to send Mishloach Manot in the form of hamentaschen and snacks. It would also be great to include leisure time activity items such as CDs  or DVDs, puzzle books, magazines, and small games, as well as health and hygiene items such as hand sanitizers, toothpaste and toothbrushes, etc.  If you and/or your children would like to write a letter or enclose a card that would also be very much appreciated. I have a list of about twenty-five names, and I would like to prepare these packages on a Sunday, February 22 at TBS after the Adult Education program (ca. 11:00 AM). If you can help, by donating items, contributing to underwrite…

The Chesed Project has been providing rides and other services for those with long term health care needs. Beginning on April 28, Diane Alderman will be coordinating our volunteers.  If you can give even two hours a month, please contact Diane at 281-3489 or at chesedtbs@gmail.com.We have many volunteers ready to make friendly phone calls or visits, do shopping, or run other errands for those in our community who may be in need of some assistance.  If you know someone who who could use a little help now and then, please contact the Rabbi or Diane.  We respect the confidentiality of all our requesters.Both giving and receiving  can be a mitzvah.

The Save Darfur Coalition is an alliance of over 180 faith-based, advocacy and human rights organizations whose mission is to raise public awareness about the ongoing genocide in Darfur and to mobilize a unified response to the atrocities that threaten the lives of more than two million people in the Darfur region. To learn more, please visit http://www.SaveDarfur.org

Temple Beth Sholom's social action programs have focused on the needs of the hungry and of children in our community.We collect food during the year for the Hamden Food Bank.We serve meals at the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen one Sunday a month. We have adopted a social worker at the Department of Children and meet her requests for beds, clothing, household items, school supplies, and holiday gifts.We provide fruit for the women living at New Haven Home Recovery, Inc. We participate in the Walk Against Hunger to raise funds for the Connecticut Food Bank.We also send Hanukkah gifts to Jewish men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. This year we are planning additional projects.  We want to help teens at a children's home in Israel celebrate their bar or bat mitzvahs and prepare bag lunches to be distributed to the homeless in New Haven.  We'd also like to develop…

The holidays remind us of our obligation to Tikum Olam, repairing the world, and in this spirit we ask each family to bring non-perishable food items to the Kol Nidre service on Friday evening, September 21st. Your donation will be given to the Hamden Food Bank, which is a community project our Temple supports year around.