Tikkun Olam
Tikkun Olam (Repairing The World)
We believe that becoming a bar or bat mitzvah is more than just learning Torah and teaching Torah. We encourage our b’nei mitzvah candidates to live Torah! The Tikkun Olam Grade 7 class project is our students’ ongoing opportunity to participate in community service and social justice activities.
Currently, we are working in partnership with Ve’ahavta, a Jewish humanitarian organization dedicated to promoting positive change in the lives of people of all faiths who are marginalized by poverty. Ve’ahavta engages community members in meaningful and hands-on volunteer opportunities to support their collective mission of tikun olam (repairing the world). We are also working with Reena, a non-profit organization which promotes dignity, individuality, independence, personal growth and community inclusion for people with developmental disabilities within a framework of Jewish culture and values.
Our Temple Emanu-El program includes:
- “Food Prep Extravaganza” at Temple Emanu-El, when our class will prepare sweet and healthy snacks on Sunday morning, for distribution to people who are homeless that same afternoon;
- Presentations (“Tikkun Workshops”) by expert educators from Ve’ahavta;
- Participation by each student in one shift on the Mobile Response to Homelessness outreach van, either on a Sunday (from 12:00noon – 6:00 p.m.), or 6:00pm - midnight on a weeknight. In pairs, with one accompanying parent, the students will help to distribute food, clothing, and other essential supplies to people experiencing homelessness on the streets of Toronto;
- Clothing drives with which we will collect essential items to be distributed by the outreach van to those experiencing homelessness;
- “Car Kit” packing event to enable your family to help any person you may encounter on the street;
- And active fundraising programs planned by our students to support our “Food Prep Extravaganza” and “Car Kit” initiatives and other Ve’ahavta programs;
- Visits to a neighbourhood Reena group home, where our students and their family will help the residents welcome Shabbat;
- Host residents of our neighbourhood Reena group home at Temple Emanu-El at one of our Family Shabbat Dinners.
