UNION TEMPLE OF BROOKLYN
Weare always collecting food
Please bring your Food contribution at the Temple Office, 3rd Floor
A Growing Response to Poverty Social Action Committee
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On November 22, 2009, The Union Temple Social Action Committee and our Religious School students sponsored a pre-Thanksgiving food drive for CHIPS, the organization in Park Slope that provides meals for the homeless.
This year our food collection took place in front of Key Food on Seventh Avenue. It was staffed by Union Temple volunteers, including our seventh graders who were responsible for running one complete shift and for preparing the posters that advertised the event.
 We had great success in collecting a tremendous assortment of nonperishable foods as well as personal care items such as shampoo and toothpaste. In addition, monetary contributions reached the sum of $190 which will also be donated to CHIPS.
Thank you to everyone who volunteered in this highly successful Food Drive. It was indeed a communal effort on the part of many of our Union Temple members. A special thanks goes out to our seventh graders—Molly Baum, Sarah Gratz, Samantha Horowitz, Abigail Marin, Martin Bernstein, Gabrielle Giles, Annie Futterman, Ben Futterman, and to their teacher Carole Gould, for their enthusiastic participation. Leo Silverstein and David Vogel were two other UT students on board to help out. Andy Mirer and his sons Erez and Lucas were instrumental in helping us set up, and Andy and John Golomb delivered the proceeds to CHIPS early Monday morning. Of course, we are most grateful to the members of our surrounding community whose generosity will help to provide for those in need.
-Beth Kurfirst and Jane Becker, Social Action Committee
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Rabbi Goodman called us all into action to stand against the genocide in Darfur and to aid its tragic victims. The work of Darfur Peace & Development includes three programs, the Schools of Peace, the Solar Cooker Program, and the Women’s Center. (Information on the DPDO and their three programs can be found at www.darfurpeace.org.)
 at the Union Temple Arts and Crafts Fair, Gayle sold ten beautiful baskets made by the women of Darfur in the refugee camps. Part of the Women’s Project, the proceeds from these baskets help the women support themselves and their children.
We are proud of the efforts of our Congregation! We are confident that our continued involvement will make it a difference in the lives of the Darfur refugees and their ability to sustain themselves as a people in the face of ongoing genocide.
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Social Action is a central part of Union Temple's mission in pursuing Tikkun Olam, the reparation of our world. Our committee coordinates a variety of projects to help the community, organizes educational and advocacy programs, and works to involve all members of the Union Temple community in our efforts. We also work with local and national organizations.
o We have an ongoing drive for food which is donated to CHIPS, a local meal provider for the needy.
o We coordinate volunteers at the Hebrew Union College soup kitchen.
o We have joined hands with Project Hope, a community social service agency which trains people to become employable and self-sufficient to collect clothing to wear on job interviews. We also volunteer our expertise to help the clients with educational, legal, psychological and social service issues.
o We support the work of MAZON, A Jewish Response to Hunger, with a suggested "3% against hunger" contribution, a small part of the cost of food for celebrations at the Temple. MAZON funds programs such as food banks and Meals on Wheels as well as organizations that advocate to end the root causes of hunger in the United States and abroad.
o We run a yearly blood drive in conjunction with Methodist Hospital.
These activities tend to ameliorate, but do not attack, the root causes of poverty and illness. Therefore, we also present educational forums on topical issues, advocacy programs to raise awareness about current social justice issues, and follow up with letter writing campaigns and lobbying visits to local legislators.
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