Social Action

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.