Poltava "Twinning" Committee

Save Darfur! Committee

Urban Ministry Soup Kitchen

InnVision Breaking Bread Meal Group

Chicken Soupers

Holiday Helpers

Tzedakah Box   Project

“WeveGotUrBack” Project

Costaño Book Project - Contact: Neil Goldberg

Congregation Beth Am, in collaboration with the East Palo Alto Kids Foundation (EPAK) and the Jewish Coalition for Literacy (JCL) are proud to spearhead the Costaño Book Project to benefit East Palo Alto's Costaño Elementary School. This ambitious multi-year project aims to improve student reading achievement by improving school library services—specifically, through:

• Library revitalization, including procurement of furniture and books, ensuring that there are age- and grade-appropriate materials that dovetail with classroom curricula

• Provision of a hand-made bookshelf and an appropriate supply of books for each second grade student to take home

• Reading encouragement for students and their parents/families, including volunteer tutoring, literacy events and organized reading activities at the school.

The project needs volunteers to be involved in bookshelf building, book drives, reading encouragement/literacy programs, and fundraising.

"Pursue Justice--Vote!" (Non-Partisan Voter Registration) - Contact: Diane Rolfe

This project is dedicated to encouraging the involvement of all Beth Am members in our democratic process by voting and becoming educated about the issues and the political candidates running for office. We believe that civic engagement and understanding of voter issues are critical to strengthening our democracy and ensuring social justice. We are deeply NON-partisan in all of our activities.

This project began at Beth Am during 2004 and has continued in the months leading up to national elections. In 2008 we registered record-breaking numbers of Beth Am congregants, and our project expanded into the general community at the "To Life Jewish Cultural Festival" in Palo Alto on September 21, 2008. We also teamed up with the League of Women Voters (LWV) in 2004 and 2006 to provide non-partisan candidate forums at Beth Am that were open to members of congregation and the greater community. Several hundred people attended both of those candidate forums.

Green Team - Contact:  Max Greenberg and Mark Goldman

Beth Am’s Green Team was formed to promote environmentally friendly practices within our congregation. Currently our main project involves evaluating a solar energy system for the congregation. Very excitingly, in spring 2009 we will receive proposals from three solar installers, which we, as a congregation, will then evaluate. Future projects may include performing energy audits and eventual energy and water saving equipment retrofits, developing a community and children's garden, and other member-driven projects. 

Peninsula Interfaith Action (PIA) - Contact: Barbara August or Shaina Wasserman
The Beth Am Organizing Committee of Peninsula Interfaith Action (PIA) provides a Beth Am presence and support to PIA, which is a non-sectarian faith-based advocacy organization made up of 30 faith communities from Pacifica to Mountain View, representing almost 20,000 families. PIA enables congregations to put their faith into action by working within the political arena to effect systemic change and find solutions to problems in our communities such as inadequate access to healthcare, affordable housing, and education. Volunteers on the committee, with the guidance of PIA staff, work together to identify an issue of concern, research the issue, explore potential solutions, and hold community actions (forums) before public officials to seek their commitment of support. PIA volunteers also have the opportunity to participate in community organizing trainings and interfaith activities. The committee meets on the third Thursday of the month from 7:30-9:00 pm. 

Poltava "Twinning" Committee - Contact: Cherie Half

The Poltava Committee provides financial, spiritual, and emotional support to a new Progressive congregation in Poltava, Ukarine. Our goals are to raise money and awareness of the plight of K'lal Yisrael (the Jewish people) in the Former Soviet Union (FSU).  Beth Am has a commitment of $12,000 a year to fund Poltava in their new central city location. We meet about once a month in Palo Alto to plan fundraisers and activities, such as our annual Art and Crafts Faire, garage sales, Russian Shabbat Dinner, Poltava Parties and Ugandan coffee sales. A young families program with Poltava has begun and there is also a Bar/Bat Mitzvah twinning program connecting our youth with those who are studying to become Bar/Bat Mitzvah in Poltava.  Other volunteer opportunities include developing programs to educate the Beth Am community about the needs of Poltava and planning trips to Ukraine.

Save Darfur! Committee - Contact: Emily Wu

This Committee is dedicated to encouraging action, raising awareness, and advocating on behalf of the people of Darfur and demanding an end to the genocide. The Committee has organized Beth Am volunteers to rally for peace in Darfur at several Bay Area events, and welcomes interested congregants to join in its efforts to pursue creative approaches to advocacy on this important social justice issue.

Urban Ministry Soup Kitchen - Contact: Carole Katz or Linda King

Every 5th Sunday, Beth Am volunteers prepare and serve dinner to our less fortunate neighbors at the Urban Ministry of Palo Alto (UMPA) soup kitchen at Trinity Episcopal Church, 330 Ravenswood, in Menlo Park. This wonderful tikkun olam opportunity has been a Beth Am tradition for years. It’s a great way for families, couples, and singles to do a mitzvah together. (Children should be at least 10 years old.)

Save these Sundays for 2010: March 28, May 2, June 6, July 11, August 15, September 19, October 24 and November 28.

Tuesday InnVision Breaking Bread Meal Group -- Contact: Wendy Sinton (wendy.sinton@gmail.com)
Every 5th Tuesday of the month, a group of Beth Am volunteers makes and serves dinner at Grace Lutheran Church. This Beth Am group has been preparing dinners for years, but there are other meals that need a crew, so call or email Wendy Sinton if you are interested in helping out. Dates in early 2010 that need a crew (5 people) are January 19, February 23, and March 30.

Chicken Soupers - Contact: Sofia Zaslavsky
Join Beth Am’s Chicken Soupers in preparing, packaging, or delivering meals to homebound members of our Peninsula community who have chronic illness and/or physical disabilities. Join the fun as a family or individual - any age is welcome at this monthly event, which is held in the Beth Am Kitchen. Kitchen Soupers is run in collaboration with the Jewish Family & Children's Services (JFCS). Save the following Sundays: March 21, April 18, May 16, and June 20.

Holiday Helpers -  Contact: Holiday Helpers@betham.org                      

For more than two decades, Beth Am volunteers have enthusiastically participated in a variety of activities to help our less fortunate neighbors enjoy the holiday season.  Families and individuals have especially enjoyed helping to sort, package, and distribute food and toys to children and families through the Ecumenical Hunger Project (EHP) in East Palo Alto. We also provide opportunities to serve holiday meals in a local congregation, and hold an annual Beth Am holiday fundraising drive to support local organizations that serve the hungry and homeless among us. Last year at Thanksgiving time, we initiated a warm clothing drive on behalf of Shelter Network for homeless men, women, and children on the Peninsula. Our new preschool, in particular, did a beautiful job of helping collect clothing and donations for homeless children.

Volunteers are needed to help organize and coordinate these holiday projects and, of course, to participate in them as well.

Tzedakah Box Project -  Contact: TzedakahBox@betham.org                           

 Judaism commands us to give to those who are in need. Congregation Beth Am can help us fulfill that mitzvah. Each month, we collect funds that go to a charitable cause that serves the needy. The causes rotate each month between a local organization and one in Israel. Occasionally, when there is a natural or man-made disaster elsewhere in the world, the monthly contributions will help support reputable organizations that are already working in that country. Congregants and guests can contribute by filling the tzedakah boxes outside the sanctuary, in the Beit Kehillah, or in the Beth Am office each time they come to Beth Am. Checks are also gratefully accepted. They should be made out to Congregation Beth Am, with “Tzedakah” in the memo line. To suggest an organization that meets the criteria, please contact the program team.

“WeveGotUrBack” Project -  Contact: Andrea Taubman             

 In partnership with Beth Am’s Tzedek Council and East Palo Alto’s Costano School,

 “wevegoturback.org” is a new initiative to provide students in low-income and underserved neighborhoods with the school supplies (including backpacks) that all children need to enable their learning and bring them personal dignity in their studies. Every student that receives supplies will be asked to give a donation of their time back to their school. We are looking for individuals, families, and companies who want to adopt a grade, a class within a grade, or even a school and donate items or make a tax-deductible donation through Congregation Beth Am. Interested volunteers are also invited to assist with the project.

Links to Social Justice organizations that we support and endorse :

Union for Reform Judaism's Commission on Social Action  (URJ-CSA)

Religious Action Center  (RAC)

Peninsula Interfaith Action  (PIA) (Part of the PICO Network)

American Jewish World Service  (AJWS)

Jewish Funds for Justice  (JFSJ)

Progressive Jewish Alliance  (PJA)

Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life  (COEJL)

Hazon

Interfaith Power & Light