February 2005

Meeting the Mitzvah Needs of Our Community

In December, members of our board and CBI members with backgrounds in social work met for lunch with Judi Turtletaub, executive director of the Jewish Family Service in Sacramento. We discussed how we could better meet the social-service needs of the Jewish community in Butte County. Many people call the rabbi and synagogue for assistance, but their needs are greater than what we can provide. This discussion was fruitful, because we found that Congregation Beth Israel can host a social-work intern who is an M.S.W. student at Sacramento State. The Jewish Family Service already supervises about half a dozen social-work interns, and one of them could potentially begin to visit Chico once a week, starting in the fall semester. This person could provide case management and referrals for people in need.

While a JFS Intern could help us greatly, it would not eliminate the need for people in our own congregation to take part in social action and mitzvoth. Even if the intern is here weekly, there are still many needs on the other six days of the week. There are sick and isolated people to visit, people who need rides, and students who could use a home-cooked meal. My hope is that the role of our Sunshine Committee will expand to provide “bikur holim” (visiting the sick and infirm) even as our Social Action Committee is getting into gear to schedule more community service and to imbue our holidays and celebrations with tzedakah and tikkun ‘olam (charity, justice and healing).

One thing that we have repeatedly requested is people who will open their homes to our Hillel students for a Shabbat or holiday meal. Too few people have stepped up to the plate or, perhaps I should say, have stepped up and offered a plate. Here's a clip-out coupon. Please fill it out and drop it in the box in the CBI lobby, or just send me an e-mail with the same information to JHDanan@aol.com.

May all of us merit many mitzvoth.

Blessings,

Rabbi Julie Hilton Danan