Social Action

If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I?
And if not now, when?  - Rabbi Hillel
Pirkei Avot 1:13

Social action may take a variety of forms:

• Serving the less fortunate in our community;
• Contributing resources to a world-wide, national or local relief effort;
• Advocating for causes which reflect our Jewish tradition, by contacting local or national legislative leaders;
• Educating our congregation about current issues and events that call for us to respond based on our tenets of Judaism.

Temple Avodah’s involvement in social action includes:

• Holding an annual Mitzvah Day, when our congregants participate in many activities aimed at helping people in our community;
• Sending a group of congregants who volunteer their time to work at a local hospital on Christmas Day;
• Providing congregants to assist at a local soup kitchen on a weekly basis;
• Sponsoring community blood drives;
• Collecting food for distribution to local food banks;
• Donating money that is collected in our sanctuary Tzedakah box to human resource organizations that serve the community;
• Participating in the Oceanside Interfaith Council, an organization that promotes communication and joint community projects, such as preparing and serving Thanksgiving lunch to over 400 people in our area who are less fortunate and in need of company;
• Informing congregants about current public policy issues which are concerns of the Reform Jewish community.

We encourage participation from the entire congregation in all of our activities. We welcome suggestions and ideas that would enhance our Temple’s mission to fulfill the mitzvot of tikkun olam (repairing the world) and k’hilat tzedek (creating a community of justice).