SOCIAL ACTION

 

There are many activities going on at Mishkan Israel under our Social Action banner.We sponsor speakers and special Shabbat services throughout the year on social justice topics. In addition, there are many activities and special events. We hope you will take the time to become acquainted with and join in our many worthwhile projects. Each month brings a different opportunity.

Last October, in collaboration with the Jewish Community Relations Council, we presented Al Gore's documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" as a kick-off to projects we'll be doing to fight global warming (see below). December brings the annual Mitzvah Mall and January brings our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. service. Below you will find a list of our other ongoing projects.

In addition to participating in our programs, the Social Action Committee encourages individuals to take a stand for social justice issues. If you have not done so already, you can send a postcard to President Bush urging him to take strong steps to stop the genocide in Darfur. More information is available at savedarfur.org.

GLOBAL WARMING

SOUP KITCHEN

CLOTHING DRIVE

MITZVAH MALL

PE’AH PROJECT

NORTH HAVEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING (NHOAH)

 

For more information about any of these ongoing and special events, please contact the Synagogue Office 288-3877.

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GLOBAL WARMING

In an ongoing effort to focus on the concerns of global warming, the Social Action Committee is working to develop different educational vehicles to share with the congregation. The Committee has hosted the presentation of two nationally acclaimed documentaries: Al Gore’s "An Inconvenient Truth" and Thomas Friedman's "Green: The New Red, White & Blue." They partnered with the JCRC and b’nai mitzvah students to sell energy efficient lightbulbs and encourage individuals to sign up for renewable energy. They are working with the Building & Grounds Committee to explore ways in which the synagogue could be more green. The Committee encourages all members to think about simple things each can do in their own lives to help in this effort.

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SOUP KITCHEN

Are you looking for a meaningful family project? Volunteer at the Downtown Soup Kitchen on the first Sunday of every month. Children must be 8 years of age and older to participate.

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CLOTHING DRIVE

Are you busy clearing out your closets and getting them organized and ready for the cold weather? Bring unwanted coats and other warm clothing items to the Temple and place in the clothing bin located in the coat closet. The clothes will be donated to the Immanuel Missionary Baptist Church in New Haven.

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MITZVAH MALL

The Mitzvah Mall is a longstanding annual tradition at CMI, co-sponsored by the Religious Education and Social Action Committees, which raises over $5,600 for charities. Adults and children are given the opportunity to experience the true meaning of tzedakah at the holidays. Children and adults stroll around booths that are set-up by a variety of local community social service agencies. Instead of purchasing a gift, children and adults make a donation to specific agencies. For 50 cents, $1.00, $2.00, $5.00, children in the religious school buy such items as food for a hungry family, books for health clinic patients, or collars for dogs in an animal shelter. They make the donation in the name of a friend or relative, who receives a card from the agency informing them of their contribution made in their honor.

The Mitzvah Mall is a wonderful opportunity for children to learn that they can help others, that there are people (animals) in need, and that there are agencies in the area that help them and need our help to do so. Families and teachers are encouraged to discuss the meaning of tzedakah prior to the Mitzvah Mall to help children understand and appreciate the event and how the agency will benefit from their donation.

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PE’AH PROJECT

The Pe’ah project was started more than a dozen years ago by Miskhan Israel. The garden is located behind the synagogue. It has 15 plots, and each plot is divided in two, with half of the crops harvested for area soup kitchens and the other half for personal use. The congregants begin with study of the Biblical and Rabbinic laws of “giving” and implement these over the course of the summer. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet other synagogue familiesand contribute to a community “mitzvah” by supporting the soup kitchens. You needn’t opt out because of summer vacations, as long as they don’t last all summer!

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NHOAH UPDATE

Over thirteen years ago, a group of North Haven residents (members of eight local churches and of Congregation Mishkan Israel) began to meet. Concerned about the lack of affordable housing for families in the town, they formed a non-profit organization called North Haven Opportunity for Affordable Housing Inc. and began to plan the first affordable intergenerational housing to be built in North Haven.

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