Social Action Committee

The mission of the Social Action Committee is to increase the awareness of our responsibility as Jews, as members of our local community, and as national and global citizens. We do this by education, by sponsoring events and by making opportunities available for congregants to participate in Social Action activities. The Social Action Committee meets once a month.

Social Action Programs and Activities:

(1) We are involved in supporting Social Action in our local Newton and Boston community. Some of these activities include

a. Collecting furniture, housewares and supplies for newly established families;
b. Organizing yearly grocery collection at High Holidays to provide supplies to the Gro-Clinic at Boston Medical Center, and to local food pantries;
c. Sponsoring blood drives, in conjunction with the Red Cross;
d. Working with Family Table to support their efforts;
e. Sponsoring a coat drive every winter;
f. Collecting good clothes for the St. Francis House Moving Ahead Program

(2) We respond to humanitarian emergencies in the United States, with fundraising and collection of needed items.
(3) We consider Social Justice issues outside our nation, and respond by educating our congregation and with other support.
(4) We sponsor Social Action Shabbat speakers, focusing on global and local issues.
(5) We work with other temple committees to support their efforts as relevant to Social Action.
(6) We bring in experts to speak to our committee to educate them on issues so they can better transmit information to the congregation.
(7) We report our activities to the congregation on the monthly Social Action page in the Kadima.

Chairs:

Debbie Cutler: 617.332.2708; dcutler@hearth-home.org

Hazel Sive: 617-964-9148; sive@wi.mit.edu