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 works 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.
There are many ways you can participate. Check with event organizers for the latest information or send an email to
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 and other 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. Contact: Caren Silverlieb
Sukkot Harvest Food Drive – We conduct an annual food drive for families in need during the Fall. Money is collected and distributed to local food pantries. Donations can be made to Social Action with Sukkot Harvest Food Drive in the memo.
Community Cooks – Beth El members meet once a month in the BETC kitchen to make a meal for those in need. We cook on the second Sunday of the month, between 11:30am and 1:30pm. It's great fun for cooks and aspiring cooks of all ages. Contact: Jeri Weiss
Mitzvah Day – A day of tikkun olam and hands-on community service for the entire Beth El Temple Center community on October 22, 2023. 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. Contact: Lori Lander
Literacy Tutoring – Members of the Beth El community tutor children at Tthe Plympton School in Waltham. Working with Greater Boston Jewish Coalition for Literacy, volunteers are provided training and support. The time commitment is one hour per week from October to May. Contact: Fern Kaplan
Welcome Blankets – quilters, crocheters, sewers, and crafters meet monthly to create beautiful blankets symbolizing how we extend the warmth of our community to others. The blankets we make go to the Refugee Immigration Action Center (RIAC), which distributes them to newly-arrived individuals and families. Participants can choose to make one (or more) 10 x 10 inch squares, or complete a 40 x 40 inch blanket individually. No experience is needed and all ages are invited. Contact
Refugee Response – Over 150 members of the Beth El community have come together in recent years to learn about the refugee crisis and think 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! Contact: Arlyn Roffman
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 |
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
