Social Action Committee Programs

The Social Action Committee (SAC) provides TBA congregants the opportunity to take part in Tikkun Olam (healing the world) and perform hands-on mitzvot and activities. We have volunteer opportunities for adults, youngsters, families, and individuals. Many of our programs are in partnership with other groups at TBA and we hope that you will find something of interest and get involved either directly through SAC or through another committee, constituency group, or religious school. You do not need to join SAC to volunteer for activities. Our goal is to be a conduit for providing meaningful opportunities and experiences for Temple members and friends.

Tikkun Olam (healing the world) has long been a watchword of the Temple’s Social Action Committee. From the days in Newark to the present, through a myriad of hands-on mitzvot and activities the Social Action Committee has engaged members of all ages in acts of loving kindness and the pursuit of justice, assisting the poor and disadvantaged, dialoguing with other faiths, assuming stewardship of the environment and supporting Israel. The Social Action Committee’s Green Team led the congregation to achieving an environmental certification from the interfaith coalition GreenFaith; the designation GreenFaith Sanctuary encompasses building practices, education, worship and community outreach.

Warmest regards, Janet O. Penn  & Ruth Ross, SAC Co-Chairs

High Holy Days Food Drive 

With a greater number of families and food pantries requiring our help, we ask that you and your family participate as much as you can in this important mitzvah.

Make this a meaningful family mitzvah by involving your children in selecting the items, purchasing and packing a REUSABLE BAG or BOX with food, and bringing it to the Temple. NOTE: We will NOT be giving out bags this year. If you have reusable bags you are not using, please donate them as well.

Given the critical need at present, wouldn’t it be wonderful if each of us, even in a small way, would participate?

Below is a list of the most needed items. If you prefer to make a monetary contribution toward this effort, please contact Rabbi Vaisberg by email or call (973) 994-2290.  For any other questions, contact Janet Penn or Ruth Ross, Social Action Committee Co-Chairs.

Thank you for participating in our annual High Holy Day Food Drive. Please bring a bag of groceries to the Temple on or before Yom Kippur.

Donate unopened, unexpired packages, boxes & cans only.
Items most needed:

Toilet Tissue/Tissues
Paper Towels/Napkins
Applesauce
Breakfast Cereal
Macaroni & Cheese
Pasta
Rice and Rice Mixes
Fruit/Dried or Canned
Canned Vegetables
Baby Food
Canned Tuna/Chicken/Salmon
Peanut Butter/Jam/Jelly
Fruit Juice
Canned Soup/Stew/Chili
Canned and/or Dried Beans
Pasta Sauces
Powdered/Canned Milk
Nuts
Granola/Breakfast Bars
Flour
Sugar
Pancake/Muffin Mixes
Salad Dressing

Collected food will be donated to the Livingston Neighbors Helping Neighbors (LNHN) and The Oheb Shalom Congregation Kosher Food Pantry, South Orange (for distribution to Jews in need who keep kosher).

“Hunger is not a problem. It is an obscenity. How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” —Anne Frank

Social Action Committee Programs

         Annual High Holiday Food Drive Outreach

Virtual Shabbat Dinner in the Sukkah (joint event with Sisterhood)

Mitzvah Day

Turkey & All the Trimmings Food Drive

Women’s Interfaith Forum (virtual) (joint event with Sisterhood)