26 | DECEMBER 15 • 2022 

J

ewish Community Relations Council/
American Jewish Committee (JCRC/
AJC) will mark its 26th annual 
Mitzvah Day this year, taking place on 
Christmas Day. 
The daylong event is held in partnership 
with the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan 
Detroit.
Volunteers of all ages and faiths will visit 
organizations throughout Detroit and its 
surrounding communities, providing ser-
vices to fill staff shortages or allow nonprof-
its to reduce staffing for the holiday.
“It kind of gives our Christian brothers 
and sisters a break on Christmas, and we 
fill in those gaps with volunteer opportuni-
ties,
” said Sam Dubin, JCRC/AJC’s assistant 
director/director of media relations. “So, 
everything from serving food to taking care 
of seniors and everything in-between, these 
are great volunteer opportunities for the 
Jewish community.
”
Volunteer opportunities are slated to be 
available at organizations such as Mariner’s 
Inn, Jimmy’s Kids, Canterbury on the Lake, 
Cass Community Social Services, Michigan 
Humane Society, JARC, Medow, Katzman, 
Nusbaum and Western Oakland Meals on 
Wheels.

More info on JCRC/AJC’s website and 
social media includes descriptions of the 
volunteer opportunities, a contact person 
at the organization and any requirements. 
Those interested will then register and 
finalize details directly with the selected 
nonprofit.
“We’re a convener between our Detroit 
Jewish community and the opportunities 
that exist in the Metro Detroit community,
” 
Dubin said.

As JCRC/AJC gets new opportunities, 
they’ll update that list and inform the public 
through their website and social media. 
Brilliant Detroit, another volunteer 
opportunity, already saw volunteers drop 
off unwrapped toys and gently used clothes 
between Nov. 28-Dec. 2. 
Mitzvah Day, which is historically 
the single largest day of volunteering by 
Detroit’s Jewish community, was founded 
in 1996.
“
An integral part of our mission is this 
interfaith work and dialogue, working with 
our Christian brothers and sisters, our 
Muslim brothers and sisters, the Hindu 
community — and this Mitzvah Day is an 
extension of that,
” Dubin said. “We hope 
the Jewish community will realize, especial-
ly in this time of increased antisemitism or 
increased awareness of antisemitism, that 
we have friends and allies in other commu-
nities, that they’re there for us, and we want 
to be there for them. 
“
As an aside, I think the Jewish com-
munity is philanthropic, not only with our 
dollars but with our time — and this allows 
folks, especially if they haven’t volunteered 
throughout the year, to really get out there, 
connect with those who may be less for-
tunate and hopefully continue volunteer 
opportunities not only on Mitzvah Day, but 
throughout the year,
” he added. 

For further details, visit www.jcrcajc.org and 

Facebook.com/JCRCAJC. 

OUR COMMUNITY

The list of volunteer opportunities is growing.

26th Annual 
Mitzvah Day 
on Christmas

DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER

Shawn Hunt of Clinton Township, Oliver and 
Taylor Beardsall of Novi, and David and Susie 
Kamen of White Lake pick up Meals on Wheels 
at Christ Church to deliver to families in 2018. 

JCRC/AJC

From 2020: Judah Lopatin, left, delivers a bag of gifts from Jimmy’s Kids. Patty Stelmaszak, 
right, delivers food and gift bags from Meals on Wheels.

