Social Action
תיקון עולם
Tikkun Olam
Literally translates to "world repair" and has come to
connote social action and the pursuit of social justice.
The Social Action Committee would like to involve you in our continuing efforts to "repair the world." We work on projects and activities that address human needs, including food, shelter and security for families and children in our local and global communities. Please share your talents, energies, and interests with us. Join us in our already scheduled activities, some of which are listed below.
The need to repair the world is greater than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are many ways you can participate, and because of health concerns, most programs will be modified. See the list of 2020-2021 Activities and check with organizers for the latest information.
Our Tikkun Olam (Hands-On Service) programs include:
Family Table – Beth El is committed to delivering 45 cans of tuna and 45 cans of low salt vegetables each month to Family Table, the Jewish food pantry operated by Jewish Family & Children’s Service to help Jewish families in need. Leave donations in the SAC closet, across from the main coat closets. Temple members volunteer to deliver our monthly food donation and once a year, to help sort and deliver groceries.
High Holiday Food Drive – We conduct an annual food drive for families in need during the High Holidays. Food is donated to Family Table, the Belmont Food Pantry, and the Boston Food Bank.
Second Sundays Community Cooks – Join Beth El members making a meal for the Heading Home shelter in Cambridge which shelters approximately 25 men and women. Cooking takes place in the BETC kitchen. It’s great fun for cooks and aspiring cooks of all ages.
Mitzvah Day – A day of tikkun olam and hands-on community service for the entire Beth El Temple Center community, usually scheduled the second or third Sunday in May – Participate in one or more of 18 hands on service projects inside and outside the temple. Projects include: cooking a meal for a local homeless shelter, working at a community garden, sewing blankets for infants with special needs, painting flowerpots for elderly in nursing homes, painting onesies for at-risk new-borns, making birthday cards for Temple elders, making Welcome Baskets for newly arriving refugee families and much more.
Literacy Tutoring – Many members of the Beth El community tutor children at Tobin Elementary School in west Cambridge as part of the Greater Boston Jewish Coalition for Literacy - The time commitment is one hour per week from October to May. Training provided.
Refugee Response - In January over 150 members of the Beth El community came together for a meeting to learn about the refugee crisis and begin thinking together about ways that we can help support refugees. What emerged was a clear commitment to build a formal program for addressing the cause of refugees and providing support for those displaced by war and oppression. Find out about our Refugee Response Team and join in on this important act of Tikkun Olam!
Worship
Social Action Shabbat - Each year we create a Social Action Shabbat service to share with the community.
Collecting Immigrant Stories
| As we continue to focus our social action work on immigration and the support of refugees, we are enriched by the opportunity to share stories. Do you have a story about your own or a relative's journey to America? We would love to hear it! We are gathering stories from members of our congregation, in hopes of printing a "Coming to America" collection. Register to include your or your family member's story here or send an email with any questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. |
Did you miss our recent program? Watch it right here.
Recounting Our Journeys
Several congregants shared their stories with us -- describing how they, or members of their family, were once strangers in a strange land. The storytellers had expert help in crafting their stories from Jeff Korn, who is a distinguished trainer, actor and BETC member.
White Supremacy, Anti-Semitism, & the Role of Jews in the Movement for Black Lives
facilitated by Greg Jobin-Leeds and Dove Kent
Hear from skilled storytellers from our temple congregation about how they, or members of their family, were once strangers in a strange land. The storytellers had expert help in crafting their stories from Jeff Korn, who is a distinguished trainer, actor and BETC member.
