Sunday, Oct. 25, 1:30–4:30 pm, Sandler Family Campus
All ages. Free and open to the community. Register at www.JewishVA.org/mitzvah-day
Last year’s inaugural Mitzvah Day attracted more than 300 community members who leapt at the opportunity to do mitzvot (good deeds or commandments).
Projects such as a cleanup of the Beach Garden Park and the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes were held in various areas of Virginia Beach, in addition to several that took place at the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community.
With the conviction that even more community members would want to volunteer this year, planners decided to choose a central, handicapped-accessible location for the 2nd Annual Mitzvah Day.
All projects will take place at the Sandler Family Campus. The day of service is scheduled to begin after local synagogues’ Sunday School classes, and are suitable for the very youngest, and most senior, of community members. Kosher food will be available for purchase at the event. Community Service hours are available for helping.
Five very diverse Mitzvah projects are planned for the 2nd Annual Mitzvah Day: Blankets for the Homeless, Thank Israeli Soldiers, Havdalah at Home, A Gift of Music, and the Children’s Art Project.
Mitzvah Day Details
Blankets for the Homeless: Mitzvah Day volunteers will cut, tie and roll no-sew fleece blankets that will provide warmth and comfort for hundreds of Hampton Roads homeless residents. Additional items such as food and clothing are also being collected for distribution by the Virginia Beach-based non-profit of the same name.
Thank Israeli Soldiers: Specific, often-requested items will be collected and packaged for shipment to Israel where they will be distributed in care packages to active duty soldiers. Mitzvah Day volunteers will create and write thank you cards to send in the care packages, showing support for the young men and women risking their lives to defend Israel.
Havdalah at Home: Create a braided candle and an aromatic spice packet to use at home for your family’s Havdalah (end of Shabbat) ceremony. Do a mitzvah and learn a mitzvah when you participate in this project; you’ll come away with handcrafted Judaica, a copy of Havdalah prayers, and a better understanding of this beautiful service. (Space is limited. Preregistration is recommended.)
A Gift of Music: Donate and help package gently used or new musical instruments to ship to Pardes Katz, Israel where children, who have passion and talent, but no means, will cherish the opportunity to learn and express themselves musically. Sheet music brass, wind, string, electronic, and most percussion instruments, with the exception of drums, are wanted.
Children’s Art Project: Our youngest Mitzvah Day participants can exercise their creativity to make placemats that will brighten the tables and trays of residents at Beth Sholom Village.
To ensure adequate supplies are on hand for volunteers, and for participation in the Havdalah at Home project, organizers encourage participants to register as soon as possible.
For more information, see a list of items needed, and to register for the 2nd Annual Mitzvah Day, visit www.JewishVA.org/mitzvah-day, email apomerantz@ujft.org, or call 757-965-6136.
by Laine Mednick Rutherford