Merry Mitzvah

Jews take on jobs for a day so Christians can celebrate Christmas.

Ruth tender of Farmington Hills, Elizabeth Kott of Bloomfield

Township and Amy Zeskind of West Bloomfield inspect cleansers while
sorting at Gleaners Community Food Bank.

Story by Ronit Pinto
Photography by Fred Levine

Merry Christmas was on the
minds of Christians on Sunday,
Dec. 25, but it was a Merry
Mitzvah Day for more than 800 Jewish vol-
unteers, who spent the day lending hands
all over Metro Detroit. Jews pei-formed a
variety of jobs held by Christians, who
were home with their families celebrating
Christmas.
The good will — a component of the
Jewish belief in tikkun olarn, repair of the
world — demonstrated the true meaning
of interfaith relations. "Jews always look

A

for people to help and this allows non-Jews
to celebrate their holiday:' said Federation
Senior Staff Associate Gail Greenberg of
Oak Park.
Chanukah didn't start till Sunday night
so Mitzvah Day volunteers had plenty of
time to brighten the day for others before
heading home to light their chanukiyot.
"Christmas isn't a big deal for Jews, but
it's important to a lot of other people," said
Elizabeth Kott, a 20-year-old Michigan
State University student.
Kott learned the gift of giving through
her bat mitzvah projects and brought her

Merry Mitzvah on page 32

December 29 2005

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