Social Action
Volunteering of one's time and expertise is not only a recognized Jewish value, but one that is highly prized in our Temple community. The concept of Tikun Olam (repairing the world) reflects the Jewish values of Justice (tzedek), Compassion (chesed) and Peace (shalom), and has come to symbolize the quest for social justice, freedom, equality, peace, and the restoration of the environment. It calls us to repair the world through social action and thoughtful interaction with the world and the people around us. Tikun Olam recognizes that each act of kindness, no matter how small, helps build a better world.
Opportunities for Tikun Olam are numerous and diverse. Our members are encouraged to lend their hearts, souls, and minds to the needs in our community that most interest and inspire them. Beyond the immense satisfaction of assisting in organizing a program or helping an individual, volunteering is the ideal way to meet other members of our Temple Beth Am community. Some of the opportunities focus on internal (temple) programs and functions, while others focus on the community at large. Newcomers to South Florida or just to Beth Am will have an opportunity to meet people with common goals and values. The best way to get involved is to SIGN UP, and contact one of the chairpersons to discover available opportunities for involvement.
For any questions, Please Contact Sapir Roth 954-257-5275 or Steve Iskowitz 954-240-8627.
HELP US REPAIR THE WORLD!
Upcoming Events
Reverse Tashlich: On Rosh Hashanah, the traditional Tashlich service has us throwing bread into a body of water, symbolizing the casting away of our sins. Unfortunately, bread isn’t the only thing people throw in the water. An event called REVERSE TASHLICH usually takes place on the Sunday between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, aiming to remove trash people have thrown on our beaches. Because there is no Sunday between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur this year, we will be holding this event on the Sunday BEFORE Rosh HaShanah. Our Third Annual Beach Cleanup will be on Sunday 10 September 2023 at the Pompano Pier (222 N Pompano Beach Blvd, Pompano Beach FL 33062). Rabbi Goldsmith will lead a brief Tashlich service at 9:45 AM, and the beach cleanup will begin at 10 AM. PLEASE REGISTER for this event at www.repairthesea.org/participant-registration so that we have a headcount to provide sufficient supplies. Wear comfortable cool clothing, consider wearing a hat, and don’t forget sunscreen! We will provide bottled water. Expect to spend about an hour.
Mitzvah Day: (CHECK BACK HERE SOON FOR MORE INFORMATION) Tentatively scheduled for Sunday 24 December 2023, 9:30 AM - 12 noon, with lunch for participants from 12 -1 PM and a drum circle from 1 - 2 PM. As always, we hope to have various projects to choose from, off-site and on-site, to involve as many people as possible and to have each person find something enjoyable to do that also resonates with them. When ready to sign up, please read any instructions carefully. We will also ask you to fill out a REGISTRATION FORM (check back here for a link to the form) so that we know how many people will be staying for lunch. Projects currently planned for Mitzvah Day include the following:
BARC (Broward Addiction and Recovery Center) 10 am - 12 pm (off-site): We hope to be back this year running fun Bingo games and a storytelling program for the clients. We would like about 10 volunteers; please sign up (when sign-up is available) because first come, first served. Once we reach the max, no further volunteers will be accepted.
ADOPT-A-STREET street cleanup 10 am - 12 pm (off-site): We hope to be doing a street cleanup on Rock Island Road between Atlantic Blvd. and NW 18th St. our next cleanup will tentatively be scheduled for Labor Day weekend, with another tentatively scheduled for Mitzvah Day. For FAQs, scroll down to the bottom of this page. We would like about 6-8 volunteers each time; volunteers must be over the age of 12. Youngsters can get community service hours. Contact Steve Iskowitz or Sapir Roth if interested in participating.
BOOK REPAIR 10 am - 12 pm (on-site at the Temple): Our ongoing project of repairing our Chumashim. Check back here for more information soon.
CARD MAKING 10 am - 12 pm (on-site at the Temple): This was fun, and so appreciated last year! We hope to reprise our card-making for the people who receive bags of food from The Cupboard, a part of Jewish Family Services. Check back here for more information soon.
We hope to have other projects in which people can participate, so check back here soon. If you have any ideas or suggestions for Mitzvah Day projects, please contact Sapir or Steve.
Ongoing Mitzvah Projects
FOOD DELIVERIES: We continue to partner with Goodman Jewish Family Services (JFS) of Broward to assist with their monthly food deliveries. They have two Sunday deliveries and one Tuesday delivery every month. Food is delivered to Holocaust survivors and other Jewish people in need. You MUST put in a short application with JFS to be vetted to do the deliveries; follow this link -- www.jfsbroward.org/,click on GET INVOLVED, click on VOLUNTEER, then click the blue rectangle marked "VOLUNTEER APPLICATION". *Be prepared to upload photos of your driver's license and insurance card. If you need help with this or if you have any questions/problems, please contact Steve or Sapir for further details.
DONATIONS: There are boxes in the Temple lobby for toiletries for JFS RAK-PAK and food for JFS Cupboard. Feel free to drop off donations at any time. FOOD MUST BE KOSHER AND NON-PERISHABLE.
The LITTLE FREE PANTRY in our parking lot is by the community, for the community. It is dedicated to providing food to people in the community. Please put somthing in there when you pass by! Food must be NON-PERISHABLE, does NOT need to be Kosher, and cannot be in glass containers.
The LITTLE FREE LIBRARY in our parking lot is right next to the Little Free Pantry. Like the Pantry, it is by the community, for the community. It is dedicated to providing books for swapping among people in the community. Please put something in there when you pass by!
Future Projects
CHALLAH DELIVERY AND DISTRIBUTION: We hope to schedule a challah and food distribution and deliver prior to Rosh HaShanah. Check back here for more information soon.
SILVER POLISHING: We didn't do any silver polishing last year... let's try for this year! Contact Steve or Sapir if you're willing to participate. We are looking for 6-10 volunteers, tentatively scheudled for Sunday 10 September 2023.
Little Free Pantry
Social Action program has partnered with B’nai Torah Synagogue in Boca for this program.
The pantry is a brightly painted wooden cabinet with a clear door mounted on a post at the southwest end of the temple parking lot near the bus stop on Royal Palm Blvd.
The success of the pantry includes community participation. The concept is that at any time, anybody can donate non-perishable items (food, personal care products, paper goods, school tools, etc). In turn, anybody in the community who needs these items can come and take them.
If you would like to donate but are unable to physically come to the pantry you can still donate using the Amazon wish list:
https://bit.ly/TBALittlePantryDonation
The items will be delivered from Amazon directly to the temple, and they will be placed in the Pantry.
While the pantry is on Beth Am’s property, this is really a community project. We have facilitated a way for neighbors to help neighbors.
Do a mitzvah! Support Social Action!
For any questions, please contact Contact Sapir Roth 954-257-5275, Steve Iskowitz 954-240-8627 or Maxine Szmulewitz at maxinepaula@gmail.com.
REPORTTHATPANTRY.ORG - see the status of the pantry (full, half-full, empty).
Little Free Library
The Little Free Library is also a brightly painted wooden cabinet with a clear door mounted on a post next to our Little Free Pantry at the southwest end of the Temple parking lot near the bus stop on Royal Palm Blvd.
The success of the library includes community participation. The concept is that at any time, anybody can donate books and magazines. In turn, anybody in the community who needs them can come and take them.
While the library is on Beth Am’s property, this is really a community project. We have facilitated a way for neighbors to help neighbors.
Do a mitzvah! Support Social Action!
For any questions, please contact Contact Sapir Roth 954-257-5275, Steve Iskowitz 954-240-8627 or Ivy Tenenbaum at tenenbaumi9@gmail.com.
ADOPT-A-STREET
As part of our Social Action program, we have partnered with the City of Margate to host street clean-up events at least twice a year, and in exchange for this, the city has posted signs at the north and south ends of our designated route (Rock Island Road, from NW 18th Street to Atlantic Blvd).
Anyone over the age of 12 is welcome. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE. Please see the FAQ section below as it answers some common questions.
FAQs:
Q: Who is in charge of this project?
A: Heidi Carmel is the designated leader for this project and has completed all the prerequisite training.
Q: Where will the event(s) take place?
A: TBA has been assigned to collect trash along the 1-mile section of sidewalk on Rock Island from NW 18th Street south to Atlantic Boulevard. We have agreed to collect trash on BOTH SIDES of Rock Island Road to help keep our city clean. Participants should be physically able to walk 2 MILES (one mile up and one mile back), carrying a bag of trash. Participants must stay together and walk AGAINST TRAFFIC. Collected trash will be left at a designated area.
Q: How long will it take?
A: Approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours, depending on how many people participate.
Q: Can we just show up or do we need to sign up (register) to participate?
A: The City requires a week’s notice of our intent to hold a cleanup event. We will need people to SIGN UP (register) on the Temple website so we know how many participants we can expect. Please note that participants must be over the age of 12.
Q: Where will we get the trash bags?
A: The City provides trash bags, gloves, and vests for all participants. Participants are encouraged to wear weather-appropriate clothing, protect themselves from the sun (bring hats and sunglasses, use sunscreen), and bring their own water to keep adequately hydrated. YOU MUST WEAR CLOSED-TOE SHOES.
Q: Do we need to pick up trash in the gutters/street?
A: NO! We are NOT to go into the street (i.e., where the traffic is). We are also discouraged from picking up anything that seems dangerous (Your Project Leader will go over all this prior to the start of the event).
Q: I am diabetic/have heart problems/use a walker/get sunburned (etc). Can I participate?
A: People who may be prone/susceptible to dehydration, low blood sugar, fainting, dizziness, migraines, shortness of breath, heat rashes, and/or any other medical problems, should not participate, and the Project Leader reserves the right to refuse participants. All participants must sign a release/waiver (on site, prior to participating), holding the City of Margate free of liability.
Q: What if I can only come for an hour? What if I can’t walk the whole way?
A: We hope people will come for the whole event, but this is a voluntary event and you do not have to complete the whole thing. If you can’t complete the entire distance, or you can’t stay the whole time, you can participate for as long as you can, and leave when needed. We encourage people to complete the full event to make this the best cleanup possible.
Q: How will I know when a cleanup is scheduled?
A: Cleanup events will be announced the usual ways: The Weekly What’s Happening, email, website, Shabbat bulletin, Shabbat announcements. Stay tuned!
Q: I still have some questions. Whom can I call?
A: Please call the Temple office (954.968.4545), Steve Iskowitz (954.240.8627), Sapir Roth (954.257.5275) or Heidi Carmel (954.260.5305).
