Social Action

Social Action Committee

“The world stands on three things: on Torah, on service to G-d, and on acts of human-kindness.”

Pirke Avot 1:2

The Social Action Committee would like to involve you in our continuing effort to “repair the world,” one of the most important ways to lead a Jewish life. We work on projects and activities that address human needs, such as food, shelter, and health security, as well as welcoming the stranger and building community connections.  Whether by joining our committee or signing up for just one project, please share your talents, energies, and interests with us. 

Ohev Shalom’s mission affirms that our congregation will “open the heart by assuming a leadership role in the performance of Tzedakah, both within the congregation and in the larger community.  Understanding that the execution of Mitzvot is not an option afforded to us, but a dictum incumbent upon us to follow, will help the Ohev Shalom community to reach toward Tikkun Olam.

Our Tikkun Olam programs for 2021-2022 will address:

Food Insecurity

High Holiday Food Drive – Penndel Food Pantry – Sun 9/12 – Sun 9/19/21

Hametz Sale & Collection – Passover League & Bucks Housing Group – Sun 4/10 – Wed 4/13/22

Cook for a Friend – KleinLife Center – 3rd or 4th Wednesday of the month starting in Spring 2022

Economic Insecurity

Book Collection – Project Home’s Gloria Casarez Home for LGBTQ+ young adults – Wed 10/6 – Sun 10/10/21

Purim Collection of Health Items – A Woman’s Place – Wed 3/16 – Thurs 3/17/22

Program with Hebrew School for JRA – Jewish Relief Agency – Spring 2022

Welcoming the Stranger

Presentation & Apartment Set-up in NE Phila – Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society – Wed 1/19/22 & TBE

Health

Blood Drive – Red Cross – Thurs 12/16/21

Blood Drive – Red Cross – Tues 5/24/22

Our recently completed and on-going 2021 programs include:

Creating Community Connections – Racial Justice Presentation by Rev. Hinsley – June 2021

Economic Insecurity Adopt a Student – Donation of new school clothes and bookbags for needy students – July 2021

In addition to Ohev’s Social Action committee’s work, there are many programs sponsored by local organizations in which you and your family may wish to participate individually.  We would appreciate your informing the Social Action Committee at ohev@ohev.org if you choose to support any of these organizations.  Here are a few:

Jewish Relief Agency – https://jewishrelief.org/volunteer-1

Jewish Relief Agency (JRA) serves over 6,800 diverse, low-income individuals across Greater Philadelphia by relieving hunger, improving lives, and strengthening our community.  JRA was founded in 2000 as a volunteer-led hunger-relief organization working to inspire volunteerism in Philadelphia, under the conviction that no member of our community should be hungry.  Today, JRA continues to create positive change by bringing people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities together to fulfill its mission.  Many of the volunteer opportunities for individuals and families are in the JRA warehouse in Far Northeast Philadelphia.

The BookSmiles Mission  https://www.booksmiles.org/

​BookSmiles gives underserved children in New Jersey and Philadelphia the opportunity to build personal libraries, starting at infancy. Founded in 2017 by Larry Abrams, a high school English teacher, the Book Smiles team collects, sorts, and creatively distributes gently used, new, and like-new books.  BookSmiles Mission also provides fellow educators with free books for their classrooms. Over 330,000 books have been distributed since the founder’s first book drive in Sept 2016.  There is a book drop-off at Congregation Brothers of Israel in Newtown.

Bucks County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. http://www.bucksvoad.org/about-us

VOAD is a resource for Bucks County: a place for nonprofit agencies to post their needs for volunteer help and for individuals to find ways to give back.  The platform serves a bigger purpose, however; to build a database of volunteers who are willing to help the Bucks County Emergency Management Agency in a disaster, when the county needs it the most.  To get involved, register on their website noting that, “Yes, you may contact me in a disaster.”

We hope you will get involved in one of our many projects.  New ideas are always welcome.  If you are interested in joining our committee, participating in our activities or if you have any suggestions for our programs, please contact us at ohev@ohev.org.

“The opposite of good is not evil; the opposite of good is indifference.  In a free society, some are guilty, but all are responsible.”

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel