metro >> around town

Helping Hands

Emanu-El volunteers
packaged food, raised
money for a local school
food bank.

Emanu-El volunteers worked together to help needy school children.

V

olunteers from Temple Emanu-
El in Oak Park, in partnership
with Norup International
School, turned out in large numbers in
mid-December for a Helping Hands for
Hunger event at the Huntington Woods
Recreation Center.
In total, the event presented by
Temple Emanu-El resulted in volunteers
putting together 185 bags of food for
a local school food bank. In addition
to the bags, Emanu-El volunteers also
raised funds for 69 gift card and an
additional $225 for the school food pan-
try to spend toward food cards for its
middle-school children. Forty percent of
elementary school children and 20 per-
cent of middle-schoolers eat only when
food is provided by the school.

❑

Rabbi Arturo Kalfus packs up a parcel of
food.

Tikkun Olam In Action

Volunteers fill bags with food.

Shaarey Zedek organized

service-based initiatives during Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

W

hile public schools had the day off in memory
of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Congregation
Shaarey Zedek families had a day "on." More
than 200 members, including children from the Southfield
synagogue's religious school as well as Hillel Day School in
Farmington Hills, gathered on Sunday, Jan. 18, for some
service-based learning initiatives.
Families chose whether to remain on site at Shaarey Zedek
or travel to one of many off-site initiatives. Some participants
prepared overnight bags for homeless children through
Project Night Night, and others created blankets for hospital-
ized children. Some families prepared and served lunch for

the homeless clients of Cass Community Social Services, and
others partnered to pack 600 lunches for the homeless in
support of Project N.O.A.H. Some of Shaarey Zedek's young-
est children made dog biscuits and cat toys for the Michigan
Humane Society.
Rabbi Joseph Krakoff discussed the traditional notions
of tikkun olam as brought forth by the Aleinu prayer, and
reflected on the significance of taking a day to perform acts
of tikkun olam in conjunction with Martin Luther King Jr.
Day.
The day of action was organized by Allison Gutman, assis-
tant director of education and youth.

❑

Seth Giles of Novi and Rachel Nakisher of Huntington

Jon, Joanna, Jacob and Aria Dwoskin of Huntington

Woods prepare food for those in need.

Woods

24

February 27 • 2014

Naomi and Zoe Laker of Birmingham

Owen, Sarah and Anna Roth of Huntington
Woods pack overnight bags for homeless
children.