Working together to repair the world is a value that brings many people to our synagogue and is an important part of our congregational identity, and indeed has been an important ethical and spiritual component of Reform Judaism for more than a hundred years.
Our Preschool and Religious School students learn about our community’s commitment to the Jewish principle of Tikkun Olam and find ways to work as classes and as individuals to make the world a better place. They collect tzedakah money and decide on the charities to which they will send their collections; they make cookies for the guests of our Homeless Shelter; as B'nai Mitzvah they take on significant personal projects.
Since 1983, our Homeless Shelter has been a source of pride and a reminder of the work still to be done. Over the years, an uncountable number of volunteers have participated in the work of the shelter and our programs for families and students have inspired generations of future volunteers.
The multi-year, hands-on Sefer Torah project brought our entire community together to refurbish a Torah for a Progressive Jewish congregation in Lipetsk, Russia. A delegation from BHS accompanied the scroll to Lipetsk and personally presented it to our “sister” congregation, forging an enduring relationship with fellow Jews half a world away.
The work of our Social Action Committee is driven by the concerns and commitments of the congregation. Every member is encouraged to bring social action projects to the committee. Institutional support can include organizing a congregational response to an issue of general concern, helping smaller groups of congregants pursue their social action goals and providing information to the congregation on critical issues.
Annual social action projects include a Yom Kippur Food Drive sponsored by BHGSY (our youth group), Holiday Toy and Coat Drive sponsored by the Religious School Committee, Blood Drive, Breast Cancer Walk in Prospect Park, our annual TU Bshevat tree-planting campaign through the Jewish National Fund, and of course our ongoing commitment to provide a Homeless Shelter and to continue our connections with our struggling sister congregation in Lipetsk.
Our members are involved in many different capacities as volunteers for many different organizations, and are always finding ways for us to help in the greater community.
Chesed Caring Committee
Chesed means “unconditional love” and our mission is to reach out and provide emotional and/or practical support to members of our Brooklyn Heights Synagogue community who are in need due to death in the family, illness (mental or physical ) or other life altering circumstances impacting themselves or their immediate family.
The Chesed Caring Committee provides discreet assistance to individuals who desire it, ranging from making a phone call to an elderly or homebound member, to walking an elderly member home from services, to preparing a meal for new parents, to visiting or preparing a meal for a bereaved family.
Chesed Committee volunteers may choose to spend a few minutes a week reaching out by phone to members in need or, if time allows, devote an hour or more to helping our community in other ways.
If you would like to be involved, need support, or know of a member of the community who might need our assistance, please email us at
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or call us at 718-522-2070.
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TIKKUN OLAM 2009- 2010 Reform Judaism follows the prophetic tradition, striving always to help repair the world in which we live. This is a very important part of our Jewish identity and our identity as a community at BHS; it is how we teach our children to take care of other human beings and the planet we share. Here are some of the ways in which we work to make our world a better place; please help.
Yom Kippur Food Drive: for the benefit of Hansen Place Community Services.
When our BHGSY teens ask for food contributions, please give generously. (BHGSY=Brooklyn Heights Group of Synagogue Youth)
Walk for PKD October 25: Join member Amy Epstein by funding or walking with Team Odyssey, to raise funds forr Polycystic Kidney Disease research, in memory of Jeremy. Click onto www.pkdcure.org/amyepstein.
7th Grade Mitzvah projects: a work trip to New Orleans, packing lunches for the homeless on Yom Kippur, helping in our Shelter, more.
Toy and Coat Drive: Bring new unwrapped toys and new or gently used winter coats to BHS from November 30 to December 13. We’ll have a wrap party on our 50th Anniversary weekend.
Blood Drives: each year, spring and fall, for the New York Blood Center. Watch for this year’s dates.
Women’s Homeless Shelter: Our Homeless Shelter will begin its 27th year on Monday, November 16. Any night you volunteer is a night when 10 women can enjoy a warm bed, a good meal and the friendship and respect we are able to offer at BHS. Check the shelter page of our website (www.bhsbrooklyn.org/shelter) for detailed descriptions of the volunteer opportunities, or get in touch with Barbara Deinhardt (
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) and Andrea Feller (
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), Co-Directors. In the months ahead, we hope we can count on all of you. It is a blessing to be able to perform this mitzvah. Please help in any way you can. | | |
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