Caring

Social Action

Chesed

ARZA-Israel

Woodlands Community Temple

50 Worthington Road

White Plains, NY 10607

914-592-7070; wct@wct.org; www.wct.org

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SOCIAL ACTION

SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE

ABAYUDAYA PROJECT – Abayudaya@wct.org.

Coordinators: Jeanne Bodin and Roberta Roos

The Abayudaya are an African Jewish community in Uganda. Abayudaya means "sons of Judah" in Luganda, the community's native language. Their founder was Semei Kakungulu, a Ugandan governor who founded the town of Mbale, now the third largest city in Uganda. In 1917, he began to study the Bible. He was originally converted to Christianity by British missionaries, but was inspired by the study of Torah. By 1919, he and his followers circumcised themselves and declared themselves to be Jews. They began to observe Shabbat and the festivals. In the 1920's, contact with two foreign traders expanded their knowledge of Jewish law and the Hebrew language.  They are now over 750 strong, and raising their fifth generation.

Moses Synagogue Associate Membership Project: Early in 2002, Gershom Sizomu, spiritual leader of the Abayudaya (and now a rabbinic student at the University of Judaism in Los Angeles - his brother Aaron is acting rabbi of the community until Gershom's return), spoke at a Shabbat service at Woodlands. Inspired by his story, we established the Moses Synagogue Associate Membership Project to help the community in its struggle to become self-sufficient and more connected with world Jewry. Currently, we are focusing on women’s literacy as a means of achieving this goal. Participation in the Associate Membership project is by an annual donation of $50 per family. Checks should be made payable to Woodlands Community Temple, with "Abayudaya Fund" on the memo line, and sent to the temple office.

Miremba Kawomera Coffee Project: In addition, we support the Mirembe Kawomera kosher, Fair Trade and organic certified coffee program by making this coffee available for purchase by our members. Mirembe Kawomera (“delicious peace” in Luganda) is a multi-faith coffee project initiated and developed by the Abayudaya community and Kulanu. This cooperative of Jews, Muslims, and Christians that grows this coffee is a rare partnership. Uganda's history of religious and tribal divides is put in the past by this cooperative's emphasis on respect and diversity. The Mirembe Kawomera Cooperative has a strong leadership, with all three faiths serving on the executive board. Mirembe Kawomera Coffee is available through the website of the US distributor, Thanksgiving Coffee, at retail prices - $10 per 12-oz bag ($11 for decaf) plus shipping.  Woodlands, however, has made arrangements to make the coffee available to our congregants at the same price, shipping included, but with a $1 per bag deduction for current Associate Members of the Moses Synagogue.  The coffee is also available in 5-lb bags at $43/$48 (However purchased, Thanksgiving Coffee will be giving the Mirembe Kawomera Coffee Cooperative $1 per bag in addition to the Fair Trade cost of the coffee.) Orders for Chanukah gift-giving should be submitted by November 4. Order forms are on our website at http://wct.org/tikkun/socialaction/mirembe_kowamera_coffee_order_form.

Celebrate A Woman! To honor women in our own lives while helping the women of the Abayudaya community, Woodlands offers Celebrate A Woman cards. For an $18 donation, this lovely inspirational card will be sent to your honoree.  Order forms at http://wct.org/tikkun/socialaction/abayudaya/celebrate%20a%20woman.  This is an especially appropriate Mothers Day gift!

Visiting the Abayudaya Community:  Several Woodlands congregants will be visiting the Abayudaya community this winter (December 31, 2007-January 15, 2008). Information is available at http://www.kulanu.org/trip/travelflyer-08.pdf or contact Jeanne Bodin. For a comprehensive report on what is going on in the community, see http://www.kulanu.org/newsletters/2007-spring.pdf.

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SOCIAL ACTION

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SOCIAL ACTION

 ARCS THANKSGIVING TURKEY COLLECTION: ARCS is the largest organization solely dedicated to providing HIV/AIDS services to people in New York’s Hudson Valley region. It provides case management, client advocacy, emergency assistance, education, outreach, and prevention for adults, children, and families, as well as the general community. Woodlands supports its food pantry through our Food of the Month program and High Holy Days Food Drive In addition, we collect turkeys from our congregants to help ARCS families celebrate Thanksgiving.  Please donate a turkey or team up with another family to provide one. Watch for collection dates. Coordinators: Caryn Donocoff and Roberta Roos

CHILDREN’S VILLAGE BOOKS FOR BOYS: A bin stands in our collection area, ready to receive the gently-used books your kids no longer need that would be suitable for a boy at CV. Coordinator: Pam Allyn

FOOD OF THE MONTH: The shopping cart in the entry to our synagogue collects food to be distributed to needy recipients through ARCS, Friends of Karen, the Greenburgh Interfaith Caring Community, Midnight Run and Westhab. Each month, we designate a particular food to be collected that month. Our schedule for the next few months (subject to change if an emergency need arises): September – juice boxes; October – small cereal boxes; November – soups; December – kids’ snacks and large boxes of cereals.  Coordinators: Diane Adler, Sandi Lieb-Geiger, Cherie Sapan.

FRIENDS OF KAREN BACK TO SCHOOL COLLECTION: Friends of Karen is an extraordinary organization. Its mission is to provide emotional, financial and advocacy support to children with life-threatening illnesses and their family. Woodlands has been involved with Friends of Karen for a while now in various ways. One of these is the Back to School Collection, conducted each June and July to provide school supplies for Friends of Karen families. Watch for the list of specific items that are needed. Coordinator: Karen Blumenthal. Several of our congregants have taken on an additional project and find it very rewarding - so much so that we want to be sure that all the rest of you know about it and have the opportunity to participate. It is the Holiday Adopt-A-Family program for filling the wish lists of Friends of Karen's special children or filling holiday stockings for them. There is a range of options so that you can select the extent of involvement that is appropriate for you. For information, call Friends of Karen at 914-277-4547. 

HIGH HOLY DAYS FOOD DRIVE:  Each year, at Rosh Hashanah services, we distribute a sheet that contains a list of food items needed by our recipient food pantries (ARCS, Friends of Karen, Greenburgh Interfaith Caring Community, Midnight Run and Westhab). We ask you to take the list to a supermarket, purchase some of the items and bring them – preferably in cartons – to the food truck outside the tent on Yom Kippur. We very much appreciate the help that Woodsy provides for this project, but we do need additional support. Let us know if you can make a monetary donation to help us rent the truck we use, take a half-hour shift at the food truck on Yom Kippur while folks are dropping off the groceries they are donating, help with deliveries on the Sunday or Monday following Yom Kippur. Coordinator: Sandi Lieb-Geiger.

HOLIDAY GIFTS: We provide holiday gifts for the boys in Williams Cottage at CV as well as for some children whose families are being helped by Hospice and Palliative Care of Westchester. Both organizations provide us with a wish list so that we know what the children want. Coordinator: Jeanne Bodin.

LET’S READ: We collect gently-used books to distribute to children in New York City schools, enabling these kids to have their very own books. Coordinator: Ann Zeliger.

SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE: WCT continues to SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE with Saunders High School by donating high school study aids and test preparation materials, as well as college guides.  When your family has finished exams, please bring your Regents, SAT, AP, and other books to the temple.  We will pass them along to the library at Saunders for use by its students.  It may seem like a small contribution, but it is a boost for kids who can't buy their own. Coordinator: Maxine Howard.

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SOCIAL ACTION  

DARFUR

Coordinators: Roberta Roos and Cherie Sapan

Woodlands is a leading participant in the Westchester Darfur Coalition and works to end the genocide in Darfur as well as provide relief for its victims.

·         Advocacy: Our congregants are kept informed of events relating to Darfur and what they can do to make a difference. Our advocacy campaigns involve phone calls to public officials, petitions, emails, letter-writing as well prayer vigils, rallies and demonstrations. We make available green bracelets and Dolls for Darfur pins to spread the word about Darfur.

·         Humanitarian Relief: Woodlands, along with its partner groups in the county (Ardsley Middle School 8^th Grade Class, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue, Bet Torah, Congregation M’vakshe Derekh, Dobbs Ferry Lutheran Church, Larchmont Temple, Pleasantville Community Synagogue [joined by Pleasantville Interfaith Clergy], Purchase Friends Meeting, Scarsdale Friends Meeting, Solomon Schechter School of Westchester, Temple Beth Abraham, Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester, Temple Israel of New Rochelle, Temple Israel of Northern Westchester, Temple Shaaray Tefila of Westchester, and Westchester Reform Temple) has, thus far, raised over $50,000 to provide solar cookers to families in the Iridimi Refugee Camp.  Our partner, Jewish World Watch, can now start to provide the same relief to folks in the Touloum refugee camp, and we will support this effort.  Our work continues. $30 will provide a family with 2 solar cookers, pots, hay baskets for heat retention, and training to solar cook. Donate the cost of cookers for a family – or part of the cost. To send solar cookers to the Touloum Refugee Camp in Chad - and then for other camps after every family in Touloum has received cookers, pick up a form from the Social Action table or find one at http://wct.org/tikkun/socialaction/solar_cookers.  Just think of the hope we can bring to these people who have suffered so much.

·         More Information: To receive information and alerts from the Westchester Darfur Coalition, email WestchDarfur@aol.com and indicate that you are from Woodlands.

ENVIRONMENTAL TASK FORCE - Environment@wct.org.

Coordinators: Alan Harmon and Cherie Sapan

Social Action’s newly formed Environmental Task Force is adding to its already successful Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb project by beginning a very exciting project for Sukkot.  The week of Sukkot will have an environmental theme which will include using sustainable materials and locally grown produce for the building and decorating of the sukkah, preparing foods for the Sukkot Barbecue using locally grown products, environmental learning activities for our religious school kids, educational displays, and an environmental Shabbat service.  We invite everyone to bring items to decorate our sukkah – please visit your local farmstands* and greenmarkets for produce to hang and to use for the preparation of side dishes and desserts for the barbecue.

Throughout the year, we will be bringing our congregants information on how to act environmentally responsible, fulfilling the mitzvah of caring for the Earth, how to be responsible consumers, how to be respectful of resources – both human and material - and how to work for a sustainable world. 

• Important Dates (partial list):
• September 26 - Sukkot Barbecue
• September 28 – Environmental Shabbat
• January 21 – Tu B’Shevat Seder
• May 4 – Environmental Fair
• Order Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs at http://wct.org/tikkun/socialaction/cfl.
• Local farmers’ markets*:
• Dobbs Ferry – Cedar and Main Streets and Train Station at Waterfront: Wednesdays, 10 am-4 pm/Fridays, noon-6 pm; until October 22
• Hartsdale – Train Station: Thursdays, 9 am-2 pm; until November 18
• Hastings – Library lot off Maple Avenue: Saturdays, 8:30 am-2 pm; until November 17
• A comprehensive list of Westchester County greenmarkets is on our website at http://wct.org/tikkun/socialaction/farmers_markets.

 You are invited to join the task force and/or work on this project.  

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SOCIAL ACTION

GREENBURGH INTERFAITH CARING COMMUNITY

Representatives: Michael Hess, Lloyd Roos and Roberta Roos

Along with our neighboring churches and synagogues, Woodlands belongs to the Greenburgh Interfaith Caring Community, an organization that promotes interfaith good works in our community. Through it, we work together across religious lines, to make the world a bit better. In some cases, GICC initiates programs; in others it teams up with individual congregations or facilitates several congregations working together; and in yet other cases, it serves as a vehicle to promote the activities of individual congregations. Its meetings are open to all of our congregants and provide a wonderful opportunity to get involved in interfaith efforts.  Meetings are listed on the Woodlands calendar and are open to all our congregants.

HAD GADYA PROJECT

Coordinator: Dayle Fligel

Had Gadya is Woodlands’ Passover project to help a family in the developing world become self-supporting by sending a goat – or other animals – to that family through Heifer International. If you don’t want to wait until we have our annual campaign, you can get started right away by visiting Heifer International’s website, www.heiferinternational.org.

KNITTING PROJECTS

The hands of Woodlands knitters (and crocheters) are busy repairing the world in several ways:

CHEMO CAPS: Hand-knitted haps are very much appreciated by folks undergoing chemotherapy at Westchester County Medical Center.  Pick up an instruction sheet from our Social Action table, complete your hat, and leave it in the collection box. Coordinator: Dawn Gayer.

HATS FOR THE HOMELESS: We continue this project to knit hats for folks without homes which we distribute through Midnight Run as well as through shelters in Westchester. Coordinator: Dottie Miller.

ORPHANAGE SWEATERS: For the most part, children in orphanages lack basic needs, individualized attention and stimulation. Some of these children are incredibly lucky and become part of families that love and nurture them, in turn bringing much joy to their families.  We are concerned about the children who are not so lucky and are left behind.  A new Woodlands program will provide home-made sweaters for these babies and young children. We will send the sweaters to the orphanages with folks who are traveling there to bring home their new children. Our first group of sweaters will be going to Russia.  So, start your knitting and crocheting now. Use your own instructions or the ones on the Social Action Table. We can't make all children our own, but we can give many of them a very special gift. (And if you – or someone you know of – are doing foreign adoption, let us know so that you can be our shaliach and take baby sweaters with you.) Coordinators: Dayle Fligel and Roberta Roos.

FOOD BANK FOR WESTCHESTER (formerly Food PATCH)

Each year on Yom Kippur, in addition to collecting packages of food, we ask our congregants to make a financial donation to Food Bank for Westchester.  A certified affiliate of Second Harvest, the largest domestic hunger relief charity in the United States, the mission of Food Bank is to alleviate hunger and minimize food waste in Westchester County. It solicits and administers donations from both the public and private sector, distributing food through local agencies, who, through various programs meet the needs of individuals and families. Food Bank for Westchester’s core activity is the collection and distribution of donated, government and purchased food with an annual distribution of 4 million pounds. It also provides technical assistance and resource development for its distribution network comprised of qualified food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, residential and other feeding programs. Look for the special envelope to use for your Yom Kippur donation – or just send your donation to Food Bank for Westchester, 358 Saw Mill River Road, Millwood, NY 10546.

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SOCIAL ACTION

MIDNIGHT RUN - BREAKFAST RUN

Coordinators: Caryn Donocoff, Wendy Eliezer and Jane Wachs

Through Midnight Run, based in Dobbs Ferry, we distribute food, clothing, blankets and personal care items to the homeless poor on the streets of New York City. Woodlands does both Saturday night Runs and Sunday morning breakfast Runs.  In addition to providing food, we provide conversation, understanding and caring. Watch for announcement of our next Runs and then sign up to join us. But, whether you go on a run or not, we depend on you to bring the stuff we distribute, and you can start to bring in some of them now: Food: individual cereal and juice boxes, small bottles of water, grain bars, fruit/applesauce cups; Clothing: Men’s shirts (NOT dress shirts) & t-shirts, sweaters, sweatshirts; Women’s NEW underwear; socks; Toiletries: individual-size soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant; toothbrush, washcloth, razor, shaving cream, lip balm or moisturizer, women’s sanitary items.

MONTH OF DESSERTS Coordinator: Joyce Bluestone, joyceblue@optonline.net

Each year, we have provided dinner desserts for the residents of the Valhalla Residence (a local shelter for homeless men and women who have medical problems in addition to their homelessness) every day for an entire month – except that this is such a popular activity that our “month” has lasted 8-9 weeks.  So, this year, we decided to really make it 2 months: November and February.  Each family – or group of families – signs up for a week (you can do this on your own or sign up with a friend – or ask us to pair you with someone). Contact Joyce now to let her know that you are interested (and specify the month, if it matters to you). The fresh fruit or homemade (or, in a crunch, purchased) desserts we provide help the shelter residents develop a sense of self-worth – if we care so much about them that we are spending our time and efforts, then they must have value as individuals.

OVERCOMING THE ODDS

Coordinator: Karen Blumenthal

Each year, Student Advocacy, Inc. presents awards to four students who have overcome significant obstacles to continue their education towards a high school diploma. These students serve as models to inspire others. Student Advocacy (a non-profit organization whose goal is to help children overcome obstacles to school success) looks to the community to provide a bag of gifts to each student.  The Social Action Committee provides some of these gifts and welcomes contributions to the Social Action Fund to facilitate these gifts.

PROJECT EZRA

Coordinator: Mickey Milbauer, mickeymilbauer@aol.com, and Sandi Lieb-Geiger, 674-9377 or sandi.LG@gmail.com

Project Ezra is an organization operating out of the Educational Alliance through which Woodlands opens its doors each year to the elderly Jewish population living on the Lower East Side. Congregant families join together to bring a dairy lunch that they share with the guests. The lunch that we provide these folks is important to them, but no more important than the companionship we share. This year’s lunch will be on November 18. We also do a Passover collection so that these folks can celebrate a sweet Kosher Passover.

SOCIAL ACTION/TZEDAKAH FUND

It is through funds donated to the Social Action/Tzedakah Fund that the Social Action Committee feeds the hungry, shelters the homeless, clothes the naked and pursues justice.  Donations should be make payable to Woodlands Community Temple, with Social Action on the memo line.

VALHALLA RESIDENCE

Coordinators: Caryn Donocoff and Roberta Roos 

In addition to the Month of Desserts we provide for the folks at the Valhalla Residence, we prepare dinners for them from time to time. The Confirmation Class will be preparing Thanksgiving Dinner (working at the temple on Thanksgiving morning so that the kids will be finished in enough time to have dinner with their families). The Social Action Committee members will be preparing dinner for Sunday, January 27 – we will be working at the temple on the evening on January 26, having our own pot luck dinner as we work.  Congregants are welcome to join us; this could be a really fun way to introduce yourselves to the work of the committee. 

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SOCIAL ACTION B'NEI MITZVAH PROJECTS

Social Action Committee B’nei Mitzvah Projects

Activities:

Children’s Village: Participate in several Woodlands visits to our adopted Children’s Village cottage and play with the boys there or do a project with them. Help plan and then implement a holiday party for the cottage. Diana and Henry Asher, Dianaasher@aol.com.

Children’s Village Holiday Guests: Provide holiday gifts for a child at Woodlands’ adopted CV cottage. You will receive the child’s wish list from which you can make your selection.  You will need to shop for and wrap the gifts. Jeanne Bodin, Jeanne.Bodin@gmail.com.

Dolls for Darfur Pins: Have a pre-Bar/Bat Mitzvah pizza party with your friends so that you can raise money for Darfur humanitarian help and advocacy by making Dolls for Darfur pins and either selling them or distributing them to your Bar/Bat Mitzvah guests. Show a video about Darfur at your pizza party so your friends will understand the good they are doing. www.DollsForDarfur.org.

Midnight Run: Collect travel-size toiletries and package them in plastic zip-lock bags to distribute on a Midnight Run in which you participate. (soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, washcloth, razor, shaving cream, deodorant, lip balm or moisturizer) Caryn Donocoff, cld9255@aol.com, and Jane Wachs,ejwachs@aol.com.

Project Ezra: Each fall, Woodlands invites elderly Jewish people living on the lower east side of NYC to a luncheon at our synagogue.  Take responsibility for being host at one table at which you will provide a dairy meal (about 5 guests, plus you and your family). Mickey Milbauer, Mickeymilbauer@aol.com.

Sales: Include in your invitation an order form for products from organizations working for social justice. Have them send back the form to you, with payment; place the order and have it ready for your guests to pick up on the day of your Bar/Bat Mitzvah.  Some things you might offer:

• Mirembe Kawomera Coffee.  This coffee is grown by a cooperative of small Ugandan coffee farmers started by a member of the Abayudaya, the Jewish community of Uganda.  For more information, see the separate page on the Abayudaya.
• Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs. These light bulbs use up to 75% less energy than regular incandescent light bulbs, while lasting 7-10 times longer.  This means less production of greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and toxic waste. Andy Farber, arf34@columbia.edu.

Shelter Desserts: Participate in Woodlands “Month of Desserts” for the Valhalla Residence, a 19-bed shelter for homeless folks with medical problems. Sign up for one week and make the desserts for the week’s dinners with your family or a group of your friends. Joyce Bluestone, joyceblue@optonline.net

Shelter Dinners: Sign up to prepare one Sunday’s dinner for the Valhalla Residence.  (The 4^th Sunday in each month is available for you to choose from.) Design the menu and then invite your friends to join you at your home so you can prepare the dinner together. Caryn Donocoff, cld9255@aol.com, and Roberta Roos, RMRoos@aol.com

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SOCIAL ACTION B'NEI MITZVAH PROJECTS

Collections/Tzedakah Opportunities:

Collections:

Either on your invitation or on a card included with your invitation, ask your guests to bring:

• Men’s underwear                                                                            for Midnight Run
• Canned food                                                                                    for ARCS or Friends of Karen
• Books                                                                                              for Children’s Village
• Pet supplies                                                                                     for Elmsford Animal Shelter
• Sports equipment                                                                             for Children’s Village
• School supplies                                                                                for Friends of Karen or Westhab
• Cleaning supplies                                                                            for Northern Westchester Women’s Shelter

Tzedakah:

Either on your invitation or on a card included with your invitation, as your guests to make donations in your honor to:

·         Woodlands Community Temple                   for Solar Cookers for Darfuri refugees in the camps in Chad

·         Woodlands Community Temple              for turkeys for you to purchase to donate to ARCS (AIDS-Related Community Services) for Thanksgiving dinners

·         Heifer International                                      to send an animal to a family in a Third World country to enable that family to become self-sufficient. (Heifer International allows you to set up your own registry so that your friends and family will know which animals you want to send - http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.476835).

Centerpieces:                                                                                                                                    

Instead of floral arrangements on each table, let your centerpieces by a basket of items needed by local organizations.  Choose your theme based on your own interests or relate it to an organization you care about. After your Bar/Bat Mitzvah, make an appointment to bring the items to the place that will be receiving them.

Examples:

Food Basket for ARCS or Friends of Karen might include catsup, tomato sauce, cooking oil, canned fruit, nuts, mayonnaise, boxed cereals, canned fish or meat, rice, flour, cake mixes, sugar, tea, coffee, canned milk OR you might choose kids’ snacks as your theme.

Sports Basket for Children’s Village might include soft balls, bats, soccer balls, jerseys, sports magazines.

Pets Basket for Elmsford Animal Shelter might include Dog and cat food, food and water bowls; Dog and cat toys, scratching posts; Towels, comforters, carpets or scatter rugs, pillows and rags; Leashes, collars, and brushes; Bandages; Crates and animal carriers.

SOCIAL ACTION B'NEI MITZVAH PROJECTS

B’nei Mitzvah: Abayudaya Mitzvah Projects

There are a number of ways in which you can help the Abayudaya become self-sufficient as well as strengthen their ties to the rest of the Jewish world.  Because there is so much poverty in Africa, many of the needs of the Abayudaya can be addressed with money.  According to Maimonides, the highest degree of charity is to form a partnership with the needy person or give in a way that helps the person become self-supporting.  With that as our guide, along with our desire to help the Abayudaya in their determination to live Jewish lives, we suggest the following projects:

Activities – Collections. Some of these projects provide the Abayudaya with Jewish educational material and ritual objects, not available for purchase in Uganda.  It is important for you to remember that you will need to think about how you will send these items to Uganda and how you will pay for the shipping.

·         Mezuzot – provide mezuzah cases (with kosher scrolls) that can be distributed to families to put on their doorways.  These mezuzot should be substantial enough to withstand rains.  One possibility is to purchase unfinished wooden mezuzah holders (available by the dozen at www.1-800-Dreidel.com).  Either by yourself, or with some friends or your family, paint the mezuzot, and then protect all surfaces with a sealant.  Ask your guests to bring kosher scrolls for the mezuzot – or raise the funds to purchase the scrolls yourself. 

·         Music – Does your synagogue have a choir?  How about your religious school?  Tape them when they are singing Jewish songs (be sure to get their permission first).  Put the music together on an audio tape and prepare a list of the songs, along with the words, and write a paragraph for each song explaining something about it (history, when it is sung, etc). Be sure to acknowledge the singers/musicians/composers.  Send the cassette (or two) to the community along with several dozen copies of the written material you have prepared.  Cassette players and other electronic equipment often need to be supplemented or replaced, so it would be very helpful if you would also make a donation to Kulanu to go toward the purchase of this equipment, as the community needs it.

·         Jewish Educational Materials – Among the needs here are: picture books of Jewish history, Hebrew nursery rhymes and songs, Hebrew alefbet posters, Hebrew alefbet stencils, Hebrew flashcards, Jewish sticker books,  Hebrew folk dance instructional tapes, Hebrew instructional books, Hebrew calendars, Israeli flags , Jewish games.  It is important, however, with items such as the Hebrew instructional books, that you get the specific titles that are needed.  So . . . if you are going to ask your guests to bring these items, contact us before you send out your list so that we can tell you exactly what is needed at the time.

·         Mirembe Kawomera Coffee – The Abayudaya are leaders in the formation of a cooperative of Abayudaya, Christian and Muslim coffee farmers.  This Fair Trade coffee is roasted in the U.S. and available from Thanksgiving Coffee.  Supporting the coffee not only helps the Abayudaya become self-sufficient, but it fosters good relations between the Abayudaya and other faith communities. Here are two activities from which you can choose, both of which introduce your guests to Mirembe Kawomera Coffee: (1) Purchase packages of coffee from Thanksgiving Coffee and distribute them to your guests as they leave (along with an informational sheet explaining the value of sales of this coffee); (2) When you send out invitations, include an order form for Mirembe Kawomera Coffee – be sure to ask that the forms (and payment) be returned to you at least 3 weeks before your bar/bat mitzvah so that you will have time to place and receive the order without being rushed in the last few days when you are polishing off your bar or bat mitzvah speech.

Tzedakah Projects. These projects provide funds that can be used to fund programs as well as to purchase items needed by the community; in some cases, you can collect the items and send them directly to the Abayudaya – BUT – since they are available in Uganda, generally for less money and without the added shipping expense, your deed will do more good if the money is provided to the community (checks payable to Kulanu, specify project on memo line – with your name – and mail to and send check to Kulanu, c/o Harriet Bograd, treasurer, 165 West End Avenue, 3R, NY, NY 10023).

·         Education (for both Hadassah Primary School and SK High School): school supplies, text books, art supplies, educational games and instructional materials, calculators, maps, teacher salaries, dormitory equipment, classroom construction

·         Abayudaya Women: small business loans to Abayudaya Bank so women can start businesses ($50-$10,000); women’s conferences where women can organize and share skills ($300 per conference); vocational education ($1,000 student/year); computer training; fund Kiddush fund for Shabbat and holiday gatherings

·         Adult Literacy Project: Many of the Abayudaya adults, as well as their community, are illiterate. Donations are needed for the Adult Literacy Project (funded initially by a grant from Woodlands Community Temple)

·         School Nutrition Program: Kids who come to school hungry cannot learn.  Funds are needed to provide school kids with meals.

Higher Education: It costs $2,000 to send a student to Ugandan college for a year.  Information on supporting this project is available from Rabbi Jeffrey Summit, Hillel Director at Tufts (jsummit@tufts.edu).  

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CHESED

CHESED CARING COMMUNITY

OUR ACTIVITIES INCLUDE HELPING OUR CONGREGANTS BY

• Providing rides to doctor appointments
• Picking up drugs at pharmacies when needed
• Cooking and delivering a meal to congregants who are ill, when a family emergency arises or during or after the shiva period.
• Visiting homebound congregants
• Driving children to or from Religious School when their parents are unable to do so.
• Respite when a short break from taking care of an invalid or a child is needed.
• Household assistance to those who need help with routine chores like changing a light bulb, hanging a picture, or minor repairs.

HOW YOU CAN HELP OTHERS IN THE WOODLANDS FAMILY

·      If you are not one of the many members who have already volunteered, we welcome you to join us. 

• As a result of a questionnaire sent out two years ago, many of you have volunteered to provide such help when called upon and we deeply appreciate it.  
• Shortly after the High Holy Days we will distribute a new questionnaire to bring our list up to date.  To assure all our info is correct, all members are requested to complete this new form -- whether you returned the previous questionnaire two years ago or are responding for the first time.

HOW CHESED CAN HELP YOU

• Don’t be reluctant to call us. We’re family. We’re here for you.  Too many of our Woodlanders are reluctant to let us know they are ill, or undergoing a stressful time; that they could use a visit, a meal, even just a phone call that could make their lives just a little better. 
•  What we often tend to forget, is that when we allow another to do a mitzvah for us, we are doing a mitzvah for them.  If we never allow others to help us, we are denying the chance for those we call ‘family’ to meet their obligations of performing mitzvot! 
• We have a long list of volunteers, who would be delighted to offer any of the services mentioned above.   It’s not an imposition to call on us.  That’s what makes Woodlands a true caring community.   All calls are confidential.  Only the person(s) who actually help are aware of the request and they are all aware of the need for discretion. 

Just call the Temple office or the Chesed Hot Line: 592-7070. Ext. 30.

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CHESED 

OTHER CHESED ACTIVITIES

• We are working with the Youth Group to enable their members to help congregants who need minor repairs or maintenance for their homes or apartments that they no longer can do themselves.

• We coordinated a program in which children in our school created greeting cards for various occasions, which our committee mailed when appropriate.

• Last year volunteers from both the adult congregation and the youth group cooked a batch of lasagnas, froze them and over time distributed them to families of members when needed.

• Job seekers can get counseling on resume writing and job interviews from experienced human resources professionals.  A portfolio of articles and a CD on job finding can be obtained from the Temple Office.

• We have sponsored or co-sponsored with the Social Action Committee several workshops over the past few years including understanding the new Medicare drug benefits program, working with special-needs children, end-of-life planning, and sandwich generation challenges. 

• We are a growing committee and welcome congregants who wish to join our group as full-members who can attend meetings and share ideas or as part-time members who can devote some time on the phone or by e-mail to augment the work of the Committee.

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ARZA 

ARZA-ISRAEL COMMITTEE

·         ARZA “CHECK-OFF”:

Over 70 Woodlands families are already members of ARZA. The dues they pay (either through the “check-off” that is part of our regular congregational dues or through direct membership) support Israel education, programming and advocacy here in the US and, in Israel, assist both the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (and its 25 congregations) in demonstrating that there is more than one way to be Jewish and the Israel Religious Action Center in struggling for religious and civil rights in Israel. If you have not already joined ARZA this year, you can still do so by sending a $36 check to Woodlands Community Temple, with ARZA on the memo line.

·         ARZA AT WOODLANDS:

On July 15, Shimon Peres, the new President of Israel, addressed the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, and presented his vision of what Israel could and ought to be.

Israel must not only be an asset but a value. A moral, cultural and scientific call for the promotion of man, every man. It must be a good and warm home for Jews who are not Israelis, as well as for Israelis who are not Jews. And it must create equal opportunities for all segments of the population without differentiating between religion, nationality, community or sex.

As Israel enters its 60^th year, Woodlands is re-invigorating its ARZA Committee. We invite congregants to be part of this process, working together to figure out what we at Woodlands can do to help make this vision a reality. Our first organizational meeting will be held on Sunday, November 4, 7:30 pm, and we hope you will attend. Let us know that you will participate by emailing ARZA@wct.org or calling David Griff, 366-6166, or Roberta Roos, 693-3518.

·         RABBI ANDREW DAVIDS – October 5, 8 pm:

Rabbi Andrew Davids, Executive Director of ARZA, will be joining us at services on Friday, October 5. Rabbi Davids has been involved in Jewish organizational leadership and informal education for more than 20 years. We hope that you will attend and learn from him what we can do to enhance Israel as a pluralistic, just and democratic Jewish state. (Note: Rabbi Davids is very interested in helping us revitalize our ARZA Committee – those who indicate their interest in being part of the committee will have the opportunity to meet with him at dinner prior to services to discuss how we can define and pursue our goals.)

·         REFORM JEWS AND JUDAISM IN ISRAEL:

o        There are now 25 Reform congregations throughout all of Israel, including two kibbutzim in the desert north of Eilat. Many Israelis attend events in these synagogues because they see them as attractive alternatives to the traditional Israeli option of "Religious" or "Secular" where "Religious" meant only "Orthodox." Some are drawn to the feeling of inclusiveness, others to the egalitarianism, others to the creative approach to worship, and others simply to the idea that Jewish values, beliefs and ideas can matter in a non-Orthodox setting. In short, to quote a marvelous poster produced a few years back by the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (IMPJ), "There's more than one way to be a Jew!"

o        There are now 48 Reform rabbis who grew up in Israel, studied at the Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem, and were ordained there. This is an Israeli movement, not just a transplanted branch of an American movement!

o        The Israel Religious Action Center (the IRAC) is the Israeli Reform Movement's legal arm. It employs 10 full time lawyers who work tirelessly in the courts (including the Supreme Court) and in Israeli society at large to guarantee the rights of Reform Jews and of other groups that have been historically marginalized in Israel. The IRAC celebrates its 20th birthday this year!

o        Reform congregations have entered into strategic partnerships with the municipalities of Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Modi'in to develop joint programs that will improve the quality of life for these cities.

o        The Reform Movement's Kibbutz Lotan has pioneered environmentally friendly ("green") construction methods and developed environmental awareness and education programs that make it a leader in Israel's young environmental movement.

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ARZA

·         LEARN MORE:

o        Join us for “One Heart Two Homes,” an exploration of the relationship between American Reform Jews and the State of Israel, both collectively and on a personal level. Some of the questions we will consider: How do we feel about Israel? How fundamental is Israel to Judaism and Jews - and to me? What joins and what separates us? What is our responsibility to Israel as it is and to the kind of country Israel can become? (A very brief introductory essay to be read prior to each session will be on the WCT website.) May 1, 8, and 22. Cosponsored by the ARZA Committee and the Adult Education Committee.

o        Visit ARZA’s website – www.arza.org; Sign up for ARZA’s newsletter by emailing arza@arza.org.

o        Learn about the Israel Religious Action Center at http://rac.org/advocacy/irac; Click “About IRAC” to sign up for IRAC newsletters.

o        Join the WCT ARZA Committee, and help us define our role.

A HIGH HOLY DAY ARZA MESSAGE

TESHUVAH: RETURN TO YOUR HOMELAND

The days from Rosh HaShanah to Yom Kippur are called Aseret Y'mei Teshuvah, the Ten Days of Teshuvah. The usual translation of "Teshuvah" is "repentance," but the word's root meaning is "return." So these are the Ten Days of Return. The question is, return to what? Or to where? As individuals, we normally think of Teshuvah-return as being a return to some earlier, purer version of "me" that was more thoughtful, more ethical, or more spiritual. We would like to imagine that such an earlier version of "me" is there, "archived", ready to be re-activated through the Teshuvah activities of introspection, prayer, requests for forgiveness, and tzedakah. But we realize, upon reflection, that all previous and current – and probably future – versions of "me" are flawed and imperfect. The best I can do is come to terms with my imperfection and resolve never to stop working on the gradual improvement of whichever version of "me" is running at the moment.

Just as each of us is engaged in a quest for personal return, so the Jewish People have been engaged in a national return, to the land of Israel, for roughly two thousand years. And just as individuals first imagine that Teshuvah can re-activate an earlier, pristine self, so our people's return often first leads us to imagine that we will find in Zion a perfect place of peace, harmony, Jewish fulfillment and human dignity. But as with personal Teshuvah, our people's return soon reveals an Israel reality that doesn't quite match our dreams; Israel, we realize, is flawed and imperfect. How should we respond? In the spirit of the Ten Days of Teshuvah, the answer is clear: Come to terms with Israel's imperfection and resolve never to stop working on the gradual improvement of our land and the society that our people build in it day by day.

This Rosh Hashanah, ARZA, the Association of Reform Zionists of America, urges you to embrace the Teshuvah model of Zionism. Just as we would never walk away from our imperfect selves during the High Holidays, but instead resolve to create better selves, so too, do not walk away from Israel, no matter which of her imperfections you encounter. Commit yourself to a vision of Israel that is truly inspiring, and then decide how you can help her become that vision.

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