Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By richards on August 24, 2017

Mitzvahs recently abounded at Temple Beth Torah Sha'aray Tzedek in Tamarac.

Some of the projects the volunteers participated in during TBTST's recent mitzvah day/open house included decorating Rosh Hashanah apple plates for needy Jewish residents, bringing school supplies for children in foster care and assembling sandwiches for a local feeding program.

Jody Glass, a coordinator for this mitzvah day/open house, said, "We started doing the combination of the open house/mitzvah day three years ago because we realized that just having an open house doesn't really show who we are."

"By having the community come in, since this is open to everybody, they get a chance to do something good for the community, see what we do for the community and meet us," Glass continued.

The congregation was happy with the event's turnout of approximately 150 people.

"We have our youth group, our sisterhood, our Hebrew school and our younger children all here and having them all here on a variety of projects puts us in a good light," said Rabbi Michael Gold, the synagogue's spiritual leader.

Some of the local organizations the congregation and the volunteers helped that day included Covenant House Florida, Broward Partnership for the Homeless, Broward Cooperate Feeding Service and Harvest Drive.

"We're helping all these different organizations and we have people in the temple who are volunteers for these different organizations that we're helping," Glass said.

Another organization that the congregation helped during the event was Goodman Family Services of Broward County's The Cupboard, a kosher food pantry aiming to help wipe out Jewish hunger in the county. Volunteers made 75 apple plates for the needy Jewish residents served by The Cupboard so they can enjoy them for Rosh Hashanah.

"Many Jewish families will buy a new item to place on their holiday table to enhance the beauty of the table. These items are handed down from generation to generation to continue to beautify the next generation's table and to remember those who passed and are no longer around your holiday table," Glass said regarding the apple plate project. "I feel that someone who, due to their circumstances, needs to ask for help to put food on their table will appreciate that another person has not only provided the essentials but also provided that one item that will make their holiday special."

Volunteers who participated in this apple plate project commented on their experience.

"This is going to help somebody have a meal on their dinner table and it feels good to do this mitzvah that is also fun," said Amy Dockler, adviser for the congregation's United Synagogue Youth.

Hunter Gold of Plantation said, "It makes me feel empowered to know that others are going to get helped as well."

Robin Wyckoff of Coral Springs said, "I'm an artist so this is great and it's extra special for me that this is going for a good cause."

Another project the event's volunteers took part in was creating dog shoes for dogs at the Humane Society of Broward County.

Jackie Jaffe, 17, of Plantation who took part in this project, said, "I volunteer there so I know that making dogs feel more at home at the Humane Society makes me feel good."

Lawrence Jaffe, Jackie's father who also took part in this project, said, "I'm very proud that my daughter is spending time from her busy schedule to come here and it's very good to support the temple on Mitzvah Day and it's very important for the Humane Society."

Visit tbtst.org or call 954-721-7660 for more information on the congregation and its programs.

See the original post here:

Good deeds performed during Tamarac synagogue's Mitzvah Day - Sun Sentinel

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