News Blog

Tzedakah Counts: The Social Action Committee is introducing a new segment to the Social Action Hot Spot in the eWeekly Newsletter. We had a bit of fun with this title because when feasible Tzedakah Counts will provide the Congregation with a “count” or tally of the previous month’s community outreach collection effort. It will be good to see how we are doing.

Accordingly, for January 2015 the Collection at TOS for the North Hills Community Outreach consisted of 17 boxes of cereal and 20 cans of soup. This total reflects relatively few contributors since we are aware that several individuals each donated a number of boxes and/or cans of soup.

For February 2015 the North Hills Community Outreach has requested Mac n’ Cheese and Canned Fruit. Please pitch in with several packs/cans of one or both of these items. Contributions should be left in the labeled container(s) in the Coat Room on the first floor of the Temple, across from the Administrator’s (Jackie’s) Office. Let’s improve our Tzedakah Counts!

February is Black History Month: Many Pittsburgh Black History Month events for 2015 are listed at http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2015/02/04/Pittsburgh-Black-History-Month-events-for-2015/stories/201502010018 and http://www.carnegielibrary.org/events/programs/bhm/

February is also Jewish Disability Awareness Month: This month calls our attention to the need for heightened awareness and support to promote inclusion of people with disabilities and their families in all Jewish communities. Check out http://disabilitiesinclusion.org/topics/ and an article by Cantor Faryn Kates Rudnick at http://www.reformjudaism.org/blog/2015/02/05/heroes-come-all-shapes-and-sizes. 

Also during February, there are posts addressing disability-related topics on RJ.org.

“Crash Course to Understanding the Arab-Israeli Conflict, from 1948 to 2014”: There are 3 more classes presented through The Community Relations Council (CRC) of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. Classes will be held from 4-6 PM on March 29th at Temple David in Monroeville (“History of Wars – 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982”), April 12th at Temple B’nai Israel in White Oak (“Low Intensity Conflict – the PLO in Jordan and Lebanon, Israel in Lebanon, the Oslo peace process and the First and Second Intifada”) and May 17that Congregation Emanu-El Israel in Greensburg (“Pan-Arabism, Pan-Islamism, Israel’s current relations with Syria/Lebanon, the Rise of Hamas and Hezbollah”). They will be taught by Gregg Roman, director of the CRC and former adviser in the Israeli Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs. Those attending will gain an understanding of issues in the history of Israel and its Arab neighbors. There is a $10 charge to attend each class. More information may be obtained from Eric Probola at eprobola@jfedpgh.org or 412-992-5247.

Go Green: Tu BiSh’vat 2015 is behind us but there is on-going need to “go green”! Check out http://www.reformjudaism.org/blog/2015/01/28/beyond-bokser-11-ways-go-green-tu-bish%E2%80%99vat-and-year-round and http://www.reformjudaism.org/jewish-views-environment from the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism!

We need additional volunteers to join the Social Action Committee because the more people who participate, the more we can accomplish. I invite you to join or explore joining the Committee. Contact Mark Sanders (e-mail: sandersmh10@earthlink.net)

The next meeting of the Social Action Committee is on February 22, 2015 at 9 AM in the Social Hall of the Temple.

Mission Statement

 Mission:
A core principle of Judaism is to be righteous. Both individuals and congregations are obligated to righteousness by striving toward justice and the alleviation of socio-economic disadvantages. Our efforts are directed toward Mitzvot that address root causes of societal injustice in the world, in our region and local community and within our congregation. We hope to inspire and provide ways in which members of the congregation can fulfill and ultimately embody these Mitzvot.

Objectives:
● Facilitate opportunities for Temple members of all ages through which they may perform Maasim Tovim (good deeds)
● Facilitate individual and congregational advocacy for Social Justice and against the root causes of societal inequity
● Provide on-going, sustained efforts that bring support to those in need who are outside and those who are within the congregation
● Provide links between the Temple community and external organizations that are engaged in Tikkun Olam
● Provide information to Temple members to keep them informed of social issues and community needs, enabling them to find a place where they can make a difference
● To be visible within our communities as socially active Jews and citizens