Spring Mitzvah Day involves congregants, neighbors at Temple Habonim

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On April 8, congregants and neighbors came together and shared in acts of tikkun olam, healing the world. More than 100 volunteers worked to maintain trails at a land preservation park, prepared meals for the homeless and cooked to raise money for textbooks being donated to South Sudan.

Postcards were sent to state representatives, food was donated to a local food pantry, and congregants were educated about food insecurity. Cards were made for victims of gun violence, and bookmarks were made for nursing homes.

The learning that comes from sharing personal stories was also part of Temple Habonim’s Mitzvah Day. Alex Muller, a seventh-grader from Barrington, was part of a large group of people who listened to a presentation as newly arrived high school-age immigrants describe life in the East Bay.

Alex said, “The student told us that in his old country, if his mom wasn’t home, he would just go to a neighbor’s house and stay there, even for dinner. It was hard for him when he came to Rhode Island because it was so different here. I had never thought about that before.”

“I like how Mitzvah Day is inclusive of all ages,” reports another Mitzvah Day participant.

“It’s a learning experience where we can do something that is interesting and out of the ordinary,” says another.

Temple Habonim’s next scheduled Mitzvah Day is Oct. 8, when the congregation will join forces with other local houses of worship for “Beyond Our Walls,” an interfaith, intergenerational volunteer experience. 

Submitted by Temple Habonim

 

Temple Habonim