|
|
Mitzvah
Day spreads good deeds throughout community, overseas
By ROBIN FOSTER
|
|
|
|
Mitzvah Day
at Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism on
Sunday was a flurry of activity as more than 100 members n young and old gathered
to perform good deeds for others.
Food and clothing were collected and packaged. Heart-filled wish banners were
created for the Turning Point Center, which serves elderly homeless, and Seven
Acres retirement community. Children and grown-ups both colored holiday cards
for U.S. soldiers overseas. Gift
bags were assembled for patients at M.D. Anderson. Even the
animals at SPCA will receive gifts this year n in memory of the late Craig
Johnson.
“It’s really a wonderful day, and it pulls our whole community together,”
said HCRJ’s Rabbi Steve Gross.
Gross kicked off the projects by first teaching the group a song, “Mitzvah
Goreret Mitzvah,” instructing that one good deed leads to another, while one
missed opportunity to do a good deed leads to other missed opportunities (“avera
goreret avera”). To elevate his enthusiasm for the lesson, a young ensemble
jumped in with animated “woo’s” and “uh-oh’s.”
The temple, located at 801 Bering near Woodway,
is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The congregation was founded by
37 families, who came from two larger Reform congregations. Currently, the
congregation includes about 200 families. Among founding members still with the
temple are Edward Oppenheimer, Etta and Israel
Naman, Julie Finger, Deedie Butler, Beverly Painter, Irwin Levy and Rabbi
Michael P. LeBurkien.
This is the third year for HCRJ to celebrate Mitzvah Day. Gross said other
temples hold them at different times of the year extending the Jewish
community’s outreach throughout the year. “Mitzvah” translates to
“commandment” or “good deed,” he explained. It’s a religious
obligation to take care of the world around us, he said.
At HCRJ,
some of the mitzvah projects are on-going, such as needlepointing panels that
depict the 12 stained-glass windows by artist Chagall at the Hadassah Hospital
in Jerusalem.
The panels will be framed to hang in the temple’s Jeanette D. Naman Hall,
where many of the mitzvahs took place on Sunday.
One of HCRJ’s pet projects is tending the vegetable garden at the Turning
Point Center in Spring
Branch. Sunday’s work at the garden was postponed because of heavy
rains the day before.
Formerly known at the Rehab Mission, the center supports and assists the elderly
homeless. Since 1988, it has provided basic services such as shelter, clothing
and rehabilitative services for homeless men and women over 50. A renovated
apartment complex is home to more than 90 residents. Across the street, the
center’s garden has provided fresh fruits and vegetables for more than 10
years.
Other beneficiaries this year include SEARCH, Dress for Success and Suited for
Success as well as local homeless organizations.
|
|
|
|
“We’re
doing different projects this year. We have some of the same beneficiaries, but
SPCA is a new beneficiary,” said Nicole Gibson, who co-chaired HCRJ’s Mitzvah Day with Ann Cooper.
“We want to make a difference in the lives of as many people as we can,” she
said. “I think we’re making a lot of difference in a lot of small ways.”
(top
of page)
