NEWS FLASH - IRVING J. FAIN AWARD The Social Action Committee is pleased to announce we have won the prestigious Irving J. Fain Award that is presented by the URJ to only 18 congregations of over 900 congregation members. The award was given for the work of our ecumenical Hunger and Homeless Coalition. This award is given once every two years.
The coalition consists of two viable committees: The Backpack Committee works on feeding the neediest children in our elementary schools on the week-ends and the Homeless Committee is very involved in finding shelter for the homeless in inclement weather. Both committees hope to expand their work in the coming year.
We thank all the volunteers from CBY who have diligently worked to make these programs a reality A special thanks to Twyla Sable, overall coalition chair who with the help of Jane Joseph wrote the presentation to the URJ. If you are interested in working on this project Contact Twyla Sable.
Social Action Committee
The mission of the Social Action Committee is to plan and execute programs that create awareness of issues in the local area as well as the United States and the world. We hope to present a positive Jewish presence in the community. Here is a list of our key activities:
Key Activities
Family Promise This is a nationwide organization that provides services to low-income families so that they may become financially stable again. As the name of the program implies, this program is geared toward families that have fallen on hard times. A coalition of local churches and synagogues have joined together to help these families find work and supply them with food and shelter. Each host and support group will house families for one week, three times a year. CBY and All Saints Episcopal Church are working together to share the responsibilities for the weeks assigned to us. The families will be housed at the church. To volunteer to help, please call Tena Graber.
Hunger and Homeless Coalition The mission of the hunger and homeless coalition is working together to create a community free of hunger and homeless people. The organization is ecumenical in nature and is now a 501C-3 organization with a Board of Directors consisting of members of each of the participating churches and synagogue. The funds to operate the coalition are from island organizations, individual donations, and grants.
There are two committees within the coalition: The Homeless Task Force and the Back Pack Buddies program.
Homeless Task Force The aim of this committee is to put a face to the homeless men, women, and children on the island as well as finding temporary housing for the homeless in inclement weather. Many volunteers of this committee work in the island soup kitchens.
Back Pack Buddies Program The Back Pack program, chaired by Janet Weingarten of Congregation Beth Yam, has chosen to work with the Low Country Food Bank, an organization that is part of Feeding America. This program will help feed children from the elementary schools on the island who otherwise would go hungry on the week-ends. Back packs will be filled withnutritional food obtained from the food bank and will be distributed to the selected children each Friday. Help is needed to fill the packs with food, help distribute the food, and/or work on committees to help promote the program. For information about volunteering, contact Janet Weingarten.
High Holy Day Food Collection It has been our tradition to collect food for Deep Well and Bluffton Self Help during the days between Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur. Grocery bags will be handed out with lists of what is needed. Please bring bags to the Jewish Resource Room throughout the Holidays. Monetary donations are also accepted. For a list of what to donate, click here.
Reading at the Children's Center Throughout the year, our reading volunteers go into the classrooms at the center and read to the children. We always need additional people especially in the Bluffton center. Volunteer days and times are flexible. If you are interested in this project contact Eve Sanker through the synagogue office.
To read the Island Packet article on CBY's Hunger and Homelessness Panel,click here
Congregation Beth Yam's 30th Anniversary Tribute to Bernice (Be) Lewin
For those who did not know her, Bernice ( Be) Lewin was one of the first presidents of CBY, serving the congregation for two terms. Under her guidance, she solidified the Jewish Community and helped our temple form many of its policies and goals that are in place today.
What Was Bernice Lewin's Contribution That Is Still Viable Today?
One of Be's contributions was her involvement in a newly formed ecumenical Hilton Head Island group known as the Charlotte Heinrich's Community Service. Be was asked to serve on the board of this organization and represent the Jewish Community. The group was formed to help those island residents "who are not quite fortunate as many of us by providing food" and helping the illiterate. The organization had an Emergency Food Closet, which helped those in need. She pointed out that fortunately none of the members of CBY needed this type of assistance. Today the group is called Deep Well.
She made sure that our congregants helped the organization by providing baskets of food during Thanksgiving (we were assigned 5 baskets at a cost of $30 each) and asked everyone to bring cans of food to Friday evening services. In each of her newsletters, she would remind congregants of the need for food for this worthy cause. The Social Action Committee has continued the tradition of helping the needy through our food drives during the High Holidays and our work with the Hunger and Homeless Coalition.
Thank you Be for leading us into such worthwhile endeavors. Let us continue with the work by donating to these ongoing programs that help those who are less fortunate in the Low Country.
Service Commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King - Jan 2012
Shabbat Service Commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King - Jan 2012 (1 of 4)
