Co-Chairpersons: Patrice Grossman and Ilene Zelniker
The Tikkun Olam Committee organizes social action, caring and environmental activities that help other congregants and the community-at-large. The committee is a great way to get involved in the synagogue, whether you participate in an ongoing mitzvah, one activity or many.
Community Service
In 1997, “Mitzvah Day” was established at North Shore Synagogue, where once a year our congregants participated as a caring community in various mitzvah projects throughout Long Island. Quickly realizing that once a year was not enough, the Mitzvah Committee was formed. Later it was renamed the Mitzvah/Caring/Environmental committee to reflect its broad mission. In 2013, the committee was renamed the Tikkun Olam Committee, recognizing its role in helping to “repair the world.”
The Tikkun Olam Committee now provides our congregation with the opportunity to volunteer their services all year round by performing mitzvot for those outside the synagogue community.
Caring
The Tikkun Olam Committee also performs Mitzvahs within our Synagogue and is committed to reaching out to our fellow congregants in times of need.
Members of our Committee visit bereaved families with a Shiva baskets lovingly prepared by both our 7th Grade Religious School students and Tikkun Olam Committee. Members of our Committee also work with our clergy in providing our families with Shiva leaders for minyans in their houses of mourning. There can be no greater kindness than to show support and compassion for those who have suffered a loss and we are committed to helping our families at such time. The Committee is always looking for volunteers to help those in need and we will gladly train you to be a Shiva leader.
Environmental Action
North Shore Synagogue believes that we have an obligation to minimize our impact on the earth. Some of the changes implemented include: printing the High Holiday booklets on 100% recycled paper; printing the Shalom monthly bulletin on 30% recycled paper; purchasing 30% recycled paper for the office, Religious, and Nursery School use; recycling all white paper discarded by the temple offices; consolidating flyers to save paper, ink, and postage; continually collecting techno-trash in the Religious School lobby; using organic products for lawn care and landscaping; and encouraging Nursery and Religious School students to bring snacks in reusable containers to reduce trash as part of our “No Waste” Campaign.
Some of our mitzvah activities include:
Our “Shiva Mavens” help mourners in preparing to sit Shiva. They can provide loaner coffee urns, a list of of helpful recommendations of items you may need during the Shiva period. In addition, they will pick up leftover food from the Shiva and deliver it to the needy through programs like Mercy First.
Don’t just sit there reading! Join the Tikkun Olam Committee! Help sponsor a new mitzvah! Volunteer your services to help us “repair the world.”
Come join us as together we build a better world, a world with the blessings that come from performing acts of loving-kindness.
For more information, contact the office, extension 105.
Tikkun Olam Highlights
