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Tikkun Olam-A-Thon

Shir Shalom uses MLK Day as springboard for giving.

Steve, Julie and Jordan Robinson, 10, of West Bloomfield and

Jordyn, 10, and Andrew Ingber, 7, of West Bloomfield

Leah Dunn, 9, and Charles Dunn of Franklin package get-well

and Kennedy David, 10, of Orchard Lake make get-well

bags for children at Ronald McDonald House in Detroit.

cards.

Keri Guten Cohen
Story Development Editor

T

emple Shir Shalom in West
Bloomfield continued its
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
commemoration tradition for the third
year in a row on Sunday, Jan. 16, as
families gathered together for a Tikkun
Olam-a-thon.
Giving back to the community in vari-
ous ways is a hallmark of the tradition
that takes its name from tikkun olam, the
Jewish concept of repairing the world.
More than 200 adults, teens and
children spent time helping others by
volunteering on-site at soup kitchens,
rescue missions and nursing homes
in Metro Detroit or by staying at Shir
Shalom and preparing lunches and
snacks for hungry families, get-well
cards and activity packets for sick chil-
dren or no-sew fleece blankets for needy
children.
Before activities began, more than 200
volunteers met in the sanctuary to learn
about the teachings of Dr. King, social
justice and the mission he shared with
Jewish people. Rabbi Michael Moskowitz
spoke about the late Rabbi Joshua
Abraham Heschel, who walked arm in
arm with King in a civil rights march
beginning in Selma, Ala., in the 1960s.
Moskowitz stressed there was still work
to be done.
Doug Pergament of South Lyon
shared a story with the congregation
about what happened to him last year
when he, his wife, Trish, sons Brian and

Conner and daughter
Sydnie volunteered
at Ronald McDonald
House in Detroit.
He noticed a young
father and toddler
son sitting quietly in
the back of the din-
ing room. He and
Sydnie approached
and learned that
Jeremy Weber, 9, of Farmington Hills, Max Grove, 12, of
his newborn had a
Novi and Justin Weber, 12, of Farmington Hills show off
heart defect and was
their
finished get-well cards.
in intensive care.
Pergament offered
Julie and Jordan Robinson, 10, of West
hugs and prayers. He asked his daugh-
Bloomfield. They were assembling get-well
ter's name and made a commitment
bags for children at Ronald McDonald
to him that he would say a prayer for
House.
Elizah every day.
"It's better to give than receive Leah
Eight months later on Thanksgiving,
as he and Sydnie were settling in to watch said as she tied a ribbon around some
small items.
TV, a commercial appeared featuring the
Her father added, "It's a small way of
young father, his wife, son and a healthy
giving back to the community, of say-
Elizah.
ing thank you for what we have. There's
"At that moment, I learned many
something powerful about giving — a
things:' Pergament said. "God hears
miracle takes place
all our prayers; miracles do happen;
The Robinsons volunteer often as
our children being to see the world in
a family. "It's something nice to do as
new ways through our actions; through
a family:' Julie Robinson said. "Jordan
acts of kindness, we can touch live we
remembers and gives back on his own!'
otherwise would not have the privilege
For example, Jordan is going with
to experience; and when we give of
classmates from Doherty Elementary in
ourselves, we not only help others but if
West Bloomfield to deliver blankets they
we're not careful, we grow through the
made to people at St. Leo's Soup Kitchen
experience."
in Detroit.
That sentiment set the tone for the
"I like giving back!' he said. "It's fun.
day of giving.
We always receive; [they don't] always
Leah Dunn, 9, of Franklin sat at a table
have a chance to receive!' Fl
with her father, Charles, as well as Steve,

Sat. ® 4pm /Sun. ® 2pm

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January 27 - 2011

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