Mitzvah of the Month
The Temple B’nai Abraham Social Action Committee continues the spirit of Mitzvah Day/Week throughout the year with a Mitzvah of the Month. Each month, congregant families have an opportunity to help families and individuals in Essex County who find themselves in need.
Ruth Ross
TBA Social Action Committee Chair
At a time when the community is suffering, no one should say, “I will go home, eat, drink, and be at peace with myself.
– Babylonian Talmud Taanit, 11a.
NOVEMBER 2024 MITZVAH OF THE MONTH
ANNUAL TURKEY DRIVE AND “ALL THE TRIMMINGS”
Each November, TBA members graciously contribute food to families who might not be able to celebrate Thanksgiving—the holiday of bounty.
Perhaps you get a free turkey from ShopRite because you spend a certain amount of money in the store.
Or you might shop for food items to round out the festive holiday meal.
Whichever you choose to do, thank you in advance for your generosity!
Drop off your donations on the following days: Tuesday, November 19; Wednesday, November 20; and Thursday, November 21, 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM.
Grocery List
Frozen Turkeys
Turkey Gravy – Canned
Stuffing Mix – Boxed/Bagged
Yams – Canned
Cranberry Sauce – Canned
Corn Bread Mix
String Beans - Canned
French Fried Onions – Canned/Boxed
Cream of Mushroom Soup – Canned
Mac and Cheese – Boxed
If a stranger comes and says, “I am hungry. Please give me food,” we are not allowed to check to see if he is honest or not; we must immediately give him food. — Mishnah Torah 6:6
Unopened, unexpired, nonperishable items only
DECEMBER 2024 MITZVAH OF THE MONTH
HANUKKAH CARE PACKAGES FOR THE IDF
Hanukkah (“dedication”) honors one of the first recorded fights for religious freedom and the success of this fight. It commemorates the re-dedication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem following the Jewish victory over the Syrian Greeks in 165 BCE. To honor the miracle of one night’s supply of oil burning in the Temple for eight nights, American and Israeli children receive gifts each night.
Again, as last year, the young soldiers of the IDF find themselves away from their homes and families at Hanukkah. To make their holiday special, TBA is assembling and sending care packages with sweets and snacks to be distributed to the military forces. This year, Hanukkah begins the evening of December 25, 2024, and ends at nightfall on January 2, 2025.
WHAT: Hanukkah Care Packages for Israeli Defense Force soldiers (to accompany the Hanukkah cards created by students in the Jewish Learning Program.)
HOW: Products must be purchased through the Amazon wish list as we have selected certain items and quantities, and the care packages need to be consistent. Items must be delivered to the Temple by Amazon on or before December 1, so please check delivery dates.
WHEN: Your items must be delivered to Temple B’nai Abraham by December 1, 2024.
WHO: The TBA Makom teens will assemble the care packages on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, following a presentation by our rishon D’vir about the IDF.
Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness. –Anne Frank
Previous MOTMs
October 2024
We partnered with Family Promise to support unhoused and food-insecure families.
September 2024
We partnered with NCJW to write postcards to potential voters and encourage them to get to the polls for the November election.
July 2024
We donated donated school supplies to elementary schools in the Orange School District.
June 2024
We donated menstrual products because periods don't take a summer vacation.
May 2024
We cooked and served Shabbat dinner for JESPY House residents in South Orange.
April 2024
We supported Family Promise with donations of groceries and grocery store gift cards.
March 2024
Congregant families make brown bag lunches for food insecure families.
February 2024
The Social Action Committee, Sisterhood, Teen Tikkun Olam and Makom assembled 100 after abortion care kits with NCJW-Essex for Planned Parenthood to distribute to clinics in Northern and Central New Jersey.
December 2023
For December 2023, TBA congregant families are asked to contribute a pan of meatless baked ziti or spinach lasagna to ease the food insecurity faced by our Essex County neighbors.
October 2023
TBA virtually hosted four families during the week of October 22. Family Promise (formerly Interfaith Hospitality Network) helps homeless and at-risk families by providing shelter, social services and housing assistance through a community-based approach.
September 2023
As is traditional, we collected packaged food during our High Holy Days food collection.
August 2023
Diapers & Such We collected diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream, etc., so needy families and adults don’t have to forego food, rent, and other essentials to purchase these necessities.
June 2023
PBJ Sandwich Initiative with Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors
We helped LNHN to deliver sandwiches to St. Ann’s, St. Michael’s, and St. John’s churches in Newark.
May 2023
In partnership with Sisterhood—The Women’s Connection, congregants donated menstrual products, so women and girls don’t have to forego food and other necessities to care for their personal needs each month.
April 2023
Two collections provided hundreds of pounds of fresh vegetables for a food pantry (with help from Early School and JLP families) and groceries, supplies, and support for families helped by Family Promise (formerly Interfaith Hospitality Network).
March 2023
Two collections provided paper goods for low income families (SNAP benefits do not cover them) and kosher for Passover foods for the Bobrow Kosher Food Pantry.
February 2023
TBA congregant families contribute many pans of meatless baked ziti or spinach lasagna to ease the food insecurity faced by our Essex County neighbors.
January 2023
Members generously donated 136 hats for adults and 50 children’s hats. Tara Ehrenkranz delivered them to Joi’s Angels to be distributed to homeless people during this cold winter.
December 2022
Members generously made dozens of pans of baked ziti which were distributed by Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors to local families facing food insecurity.
November 2022
Members of SAC participated in the Second Annual Journey for the Living Walk and exercise challenge to benefit the Mark Schonwetter Holocaust Education Foundation, which supports Holocaust education for students in schools around the country and provides funds necessary for educators to implement Holocaust curriculum into their lesson plans.
October 2022
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, SAC supported Comfort Project 360 by donating items for Barnabus Health's Comfort Cart, a mobile cart that delivers healthy snacks with a personal touch to patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation, and Welcome Kits filled with items to soothe the body, mind and spirit.
June 2022
TBA congregants were so generous in June. First, some 20 families made homemade meals for Family Promise, formerly Interfaith Hospitality Network. A few weeks later, a collection of baby formula, cereal and food helped those dealing with food insecurity feed their children.
May 2022
The collection of fresh fruit and veggies helped folks get ready for Memorial Day Weekend. Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors distributed the produce to local shelters and other outlets helping those with food insecurity.
April 2022
Generous TBA congregants donated 3,300 menstual pads in packages of 28, 30, 32, and 36. Donations went to Grace Temple in Newark, Isaiah House in East Orange, and Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors to be taken to a church in Newark for distribution. Stacey Abenstein was the chair of this Mitzvah project. Sisterhood—The Women’s Connection partnered with the Social Action Committee on this project.
March 2022
The March Mitzvah was a huge success. About 20 families made 50 trays of ziti and lasagne for local food pantries.
February 2022 - TBA volunteers made PB&J lunches by the dozen for distribution to those facing food insecurity.
JANUARY 2022 – KEEP KIDS WARM
TBA congregants showed up for this effort and knitted and crocheted and purchased so that kids, teens, and adults could stay warm: Grace Temple received 75 sets (hats, scarves, mittens — adults and kids); 
Cleveland School, Newark, received 80 sets (kids);
Family Promise received 10 adult and 5 kids sets;
Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors received 300 sets; Isaiah House received 60 sets.
December 2021 Mitzvah: PROVIDE HOLIDAY CHEER TO OUR NEIGHBORS
Members created snack bags, some with packets of instant cocoa, candy canes, and fruit. Others had a new pair of socks and maybe some cookies. These bags of holiday cheer were donated to Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors (LNHN), who then distributed them to St. Ann’s, St. John’s and St. Michael’s and St. Rocco’s Churches in Newark.
October 2021 Mitzvah: Keeping it Clean
A large collection of paper goods and household cleaning supplies were donated, even with the donation window shortened by inclement weather. The supplies were used by shelters and food kitchens in Newark.
August 2021 Mitzvah: Diapers and Such
Members donated 2,800 disposable diapers, 730 baby wipes, 30 tubes of diaper cream, and 10 bottles of baby shampoo and body wash. The collection was sponsored by the TBA’s Social Action Committee, the TBA Early School and its Jewish Learning Program. These items were donated to Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors (LNHN), who delivered them to three churches in Newark – St. Ann’s, St. Michael’s and St. J
ohn’s.
TBA member Helen Farber drops off her donation for August’s Mitzvah of the Month.
June 2021:
Temple B’nai Abraham Social Action Committee co-chairs Janet Penn and Ruth Ross sort packages of feminine hygiene products collected, in partnership with the Sisterhood—The Women’s Connection, for the June Mitzvah of the Month. Over 5,400 sanitary napkins were donated. These products were distributed to Newark Emergency Services for Families (NESF) and to three churches in Newark through Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors (LNHN).
May 2021: PBJ SANDWICHES & SOCKS
Congregants made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and assembled breakfast/lunch bags filled with the sandwich, a pair of socks, a piece of fruit, and a snack. Over 450 bagged meals were delivered to four Newark churches by Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors. The JLP and Teen Tikkun Olam partnered with the Social Action Committee on this activity.
APRIL 2021: PRODUCE FOR POSITIVITY. Temple B’nai Abraham’s congregants donated over 400 bags of vegetables and fruit—bagged potatoes, onions, carrots, apples, and oranges—to be delivered to food insecure residents of Essex County by Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors. Committee co-chairs Janet Penn and Ruth Ross estimated that, with an average of four pounds of produce in each bag, the total collected was around 1,600 pounds
March 2021: TBA congregant families contributed pans of meatless baked ziti to ease the food insecurity faced by our Essex County neighbors. Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors (LNHN) picked up the ziti meals from the Temple and delivered them to neighbors in Livingston and Newark.
February 2021: This collection secured warm hats for adults, teens and children, scarves, mittens, and gloves. Many, many bags were filled and Nick Santinelli from Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors (LNHN) came to TBA to collect the generously donated items for delivery to three churches in Newark for distribution. What a mitzvah!