Sign In Forgot Password

Mitzvah Day

Sunday, April 23, 2023 • 2 Iyar 5783

9:15 AM - 6:30 PMTBE & Offsite locations too

On Mitzvah Day, we’ll get to know each other better across generations as we work together for the greater good of the Madison community and the world. Please join us for a wide range of projects (Click here to view all projects at a glance.) suitable for all ages and abilities, as well as a donation drive, Social Justice Fair, and community dinner. 

Often referred to as “good deeds,” mitzvot (plural of mitzvah) are literally translated as commandments, the deeds that Jewish people are required to do. See the TBE blog to read more about the Jewish values of tikkun olam (repairing the world) and g’milut chasadim (acts of lovingkindness) that Mitzvah Day is all about. 

Several Mitzvah Day projects will help repair our physical world, while others will emphasize social relationships and inclusion. Picture yourself knitting at Café Panim, painting the walls at Just Bakery, or writing letters to veterans, soldiers, or children in Israel. Maybe you can see yourself cooking at the Ronald McDonald House, cleaning up the shore of Lake Wingra, or providing manicures and visiting with seniors at Capitol Lakes. These are a few examples of the many projects you can register for. Registration is first come, first served, so please register early and let Aleeza know if your plans change.  Click here to view all projects at a glance.

We’ll also have a collection drive for diapers, toiletries, food, school supplies, and yarn in the weeks leading up to Mitzvah Day. Some of these items will be used in projects, and others will be donated directly to partner organizations such as the Mt. Zion Food Pantry or Village Diaper Bank. We’re also doing a friendly competition among our Religious School grades to help collect some of these items. Learn more and donate items now.

The biggest mitzvah of all is to save a human life. Be The Match will be available on Mitzvah Day to help those ages 18–40 swab their cheeks and be added to a life-saving stem cell transplant registry. Those who are not 18–40 can help by registering people for Be The Match during Mitzvah Day or sharing this important opportunity with others. 

Thanks to our Youth Education Committee, our Religious School families will have a vegetarian lunch of pasta and sandwiches donated by Adamah and Great Dane. Students are encouraged to write letters to students at our sister congregations in Israel during lunch. Please register for lunch by April 16. 

Our Social Justice Fair from 3:00 to 5:30 pm is open to the public, so please invite your friends to come to support the nonprofit organizations selling their products, including ArtWorking (artworking.org), Just Bakery (justdane.org), and Porchlight Products (porchlight.org). For details, please visit our Social Justice Fair page. As you finish your afternoon projects, please come stop by the Social Justice Fair, then join us for dinner.

We’ll end our day of service with a community dinner in the Swarsensky Social Hall. We’ll reflect on the day, share meaningful moments, and schmooze with friends over pizza donated by Rocky Rococo. Thanks to TBE Sisterhood for helping with dinner. Please register. 

Schedule for the day:

  • 9:15 am – Religious School and Café Panim with Be The Match bone marrow donor registration and knitting for Madison Knitters' Guild
  • 9:30 am – offsite projects for teens and adults (see registration for time and details)
  • 10:45 am – PJ Library Tots and Tunes for families with kids ages 0–5, where we’ll be making cards in partnership with Operation Gratitude.
  • 11:45 am – lunch donated by Adamah and the Great Dane (please register), where students will write letters and cards for Israeli schoolchildren
  • 12:30 pm – afternoon projects begin on-site and off-site (see registration for details)
  • 3:00 pm – Social Justice Fair open to the public 
  • 5:00 pm – congregational dinner and Mitzvah Day wrap-up

Questions? Contact Aleeza A. Hoffert, program coordinator, at engage@tbemadison.org or 608-238-3123, or one of our Mitzvah Day Chairs: Lynn Renner, Linda Reivitz, and Staci Rieder.

Please register below for lunch, dinner, and Mitzvah Day projects.  Click here to view all projects at a glance.

 

Share Print Save To My Calendar
April 23, 2024 15 Nisan 5784