| Social Action Events
Social Action Committee Mission:
The mission of the Temple Sinai Social Action Committee is to educate and develop a community of synagogue members committed to social justice, consistent with the Jewish mandate of Tikkun Olam. We encourage the discussion of issues related to fairness and equality for all people, and take action, including advocacy and direct service.
Family Table Monthly: This Project of Jewish Family and Children’s Services (Waltham) is delivering two weeks of food monthly to 200 families. Each month, Temple Sinai has been providing 20 packages of raisins and 15 packages of graham crackers. Some food is collected by Religious School Classes. Additional food is purchased as a result of donations made by the Board of Trustees. The food is then delivered each month (by Sandy Ostroy) to Family Table in the week prior to the scheduled distribution. We also donated 3 x $18 (from Social Action funds) to the Turkey Tzedakah Drive. For the November delivery, another $60 was provided (from Board Contributions) for purchases at the discretion of Family Table (they purchased Apple Juice and Salmon). For the delivery of January 6 (in response to a notice from Family Table indicating they were running low on certain items), we doubled our monthly contribution. On March 9, Temple Sinai is also to provide drivers.
Environment (Mark Goldner, Chair). To enhance the recycling at Temple Sinai and to provide information that will help the greening of Temple Sinai and the community. Currently, in collaboration with Linda Katz, we have initiated the purchase of recycling wastebaskets for the Religious School Classrooms and some offices (paid for by the Social Action Committee). Linda Katz had already initiated many environmentally-friendly changes – use of only recycled paper for offices, bathrooms, etc.; where possible, change to light bulbs that were more efficient; purchase and placement of baskets for recycling. We are continuing to work on effective recycling – the current issue is the best way to be sure that the collected items are actually recycled – for example, through the company that collects the garbage, or by taking the paper and cardboard to the Brookline Centre Street recycling location, or by contracting with a recycling-only company such as Save That Stuff.
SOCIAL ACTION RELATED - PAST ACTIVITIES
High Holiday Food Drive (Katie Ullmann, Chair).
Food collected on Yom Kippur was delivered to the Growth Clinic for Children at Boston Medical Center.
Environment Education Program
. October 10, 2007, 7:30PM. An educational program on the “Basics of Environmental Science” was presented by Mark Goldner.
Adult Learning: “Tikkun Olam – History of a Phrase and Its Meaning”
presented by Rabbi Vogel on Oct 21, Nov 4 and Nov 18.
Project Ezra
. On December 25, 2007, eight members plus two guests prepared a meal and spent time with individuals at Anna Bissonnette House, whose motto is Ending Elder Homelessness. Coordinated by Sheila Shulman. Martin Luther King Weekend. Friday Night Services. Jan. 18. The Social Action Committee sponsored a talk by Rabbi Emeritus Frank Waldorf entitled “The Covenant of Harmony”.
Adult Learning: Jan 27, Feb 3, Feb 10. 11AM . "Judaism & the Environment: Perspectives by a Rabbi & an Ecologist ". Rabbi Andy Vogel and Dan Perlman.
Muslim Initiative. Feb. 29 Friday Night Services . 7:30PM. Social Action Committee sponsorship of a talk by Dr. Abdul Cader Asmal entitled “The Imperative for Jews and Muslims to Share in Dialogue”.
SOCIAL ACTION RELATED - UPCOMING ACTIVITES Adult Learning: March 2, 9 and 16. 9:30AM. “The Ethics of Giving: Tzedakah, Justice and the Other” Rabbi Andy Vogel.
March 9. Family Table
. IMPORTANT: DRIVERS NEEDED FOR THE TEMPLE SINAI ASSIGNMENT DAY AT FAMILY TABLE. We need 6-8 drivers. Responsibility: Assigned
March 28. Daffodil Shabbat . (Ellen Blinder, Chair). A project of the American Cancer Society – the purchased daffodils fill the Temple on March 28 and the flowers can be taken home or donated locally. You should have received an announcement in the mail along with a form to purchase daffodils. If you need another copy contact the Temple office (To volunteer to help contact Ellen Blinder).
April 4. Co-Sponsor with Rainbow Committee of a Speaker at Friday night services . Dr. Norman Spack, Director, Gender Management Service Clinic, Children’s Hospital, Boston) April 6. Mitzvah Day. Jewish Life Educator (Amy Salinger) and the Mitzvah Day Committee. Many activities.
SOCIAL ACTION SUB-COMMITTEES Environment. (Mark Goldner, Chair). See on-going activities above.
Handicap Elevator To improve access to the handicap elevator, keys have been chained to each of the call buttons. To avoid unauthorized access to the building, no key is available on the elevator itself. This is still a work in progress.
Healthcare (Shirley Partoll). To keep the congregation informed about implementation of the Massachusetts Healthcare Program. Information was provided on the Healthcare Informational Program that was presented by GBIO at Temple Beth Zion on October 29. Iraq War (Nancy Greene, Chair). To keep the congregation informed about on-going activities. Information was provided on the Iraq War Rally and March sponsored by United for Peace and Justice on October 27.
Muslim Initiative (Enid Shapiro, Chair, with Rabbi Vogel). To enhance interactions and understanding. A speaker (Dr. Abdul Cader Asmal) is scheduled for February 29 and further programs are being discussed.
Publicity . To keep the congregation informed of all activities related to Social Action, updated information has been provided to Sinai News and the Web-Site. When close to particular events the information has also been provided to Sinai Update.
[Report submitted by Sanford Ostroy, February 7, 2008 (2007-2008, Chair, Social Action Committee)].
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