Social Action News

 

There have been many wonderful activities sponsored and/or facilitated by the Social Action Committee these past 6 months.

 

Honey Sale: It’s time for the annual Honey Sale! Purchase your honey in time for the holidays so you will have a sweet new year. Information is in the Israelight and on the website.

 

Food services: We served over 200 meals at the April 29 food service. It is amazingly heartwarming to see the love and care taken by our community to prepare nutritious and delicious foods for these clients. They are always so incredibly appreciative of the wonderful food. This is truly a time when “it takes a village” is not a cliché. Our next food service is July 29.

 

Food collections: We collected food for the Second Harvest Food Bank in Media on 3 separate occasions: at Passover, the Progressive Dinner, and at the Tikkun Olam award service honoring Eve Klothen. Thanks to everyone for their generosity. Our next food collection will be at Yom Kippur.

 

B’nai Mitzvah projects: This spring we had two ongoing projects helmed by Bar Mitzvah “boys” Jake Citrenbaum and Harrison Fink. Jake collected clothing for the Eastside Ministries, and Harrison collected (and continues to collect) toiletries, diapers, and cleaning supplies for the Community Action Agency of Delaware County (CAADC). Barb Kaplan is Harrison’s SAC liaison, and Elaine Feldman supported Jake and his family with the clothing drive.

 

Members of the SAC are more than willing to meet or talk with any our upcoming B’nai Mitzvah students regarding their Tikkun Olam project.

 

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service: Judy Kinman once again organized the knitting and crocheting event at BI. Hats were made for Back on My Feet (BOMF). So far we have donated over 50 hats. Elaine Wasekenas updated the MLK Day offerings throughout the area and shared them with the community.

 

Tikkun Olam Award: The committee presented the first Tikkum Olam award to member Eve Biskind Klothen on April 26 for her countless Tikkun Olam works including providing pro-bono legal services and for administering MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. Eve spoke at the service talking about what we can do regarding the elimination of hunger in our country.

Gun Control: Elaine Wasekenas has joined a committee including members from Ohev Shalom, the Methodist Church in Media, Swarthmore Friends, among others, to petition our legislators regarding gun control. She will be sharing information regarding these efforts with the community. If you are interested in becoming involved in these efforts, please contact Elaine.

Swarthmore Coop Food Service: On February 2^nd John Greenstine and 6 others prepared food for those in need in the area.

 

Future meetings: The Social Action Committee (usually) meets on the first Thursday of each month at a member’s home. New members are always welcome. Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 13 (the 2^nd Thursday to accommodate our committee chair Jean Fleschute’s return) at the home of Lauri Mansky.