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Social Action

(View a Description of Our Projects)

In keeping with the Jewish teachings of G'milut Hasadim (acts of loving kindness) and Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), Or Atid's Community Service Committee provides opportunities for members to be engaged in community service and social action activities. The Committee organizes and mobilizes the Or Atid community in such activities, and provides information concerning other opportunities for members to volunteer time for Jewish and other causes in the greater Boston area.

Helping The Homeless
The Community Service Committee engages in a variety of activities during the year. In the fall, we collect winter coats and warm clothing for the homeless. We also collect linens and toiletries for the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, participate in the effort to provide emergency medical supplies and canned goods for survivors of such catastrophes as Hurricane Mitch in Central America, and provide clothing to those in need (i.e. Kosovar refugees).

JF&CS’ Family Table
JF&CS’s Family Table, now in its 13th year of operations, currently serves in excess of 155 households. Many of the recipients work full-time but are just not earning enough to make ends meet. When this happens, recipients are forced to make difficult choices on a regular basis: pay rent, seek medical care or put food on the table. About 40% of recipients are the "working poor." It is hard to imagine that in these times of economic prosperity and low unemployment, Family Table, like other food pantries, is experiencing an increase in demand for food aid. Hunger exists in nearly all communities - including the Jewish community.

More than forty-eight congregations, day schools and other community locations currently serve as collection sites. Each site is assigned one or two items to collect at congregational gatherings, worship services and/or meetings, and through the religious school. Members of the social action committee, school, youth group, or other congregational arms have been enlisted to deliver all collected items to Jewish Family & Children’s Service, Family Table Food Pantry at 1430 Main Street in Waltham one Sunday each month, between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Once at the pantry in Waltham, Family Table volunteers will unload the collection and place it in the pantry. Volunteer drivers arrive at the Waltham Family Table Pantry between 11a.m and 12:30 p.m. and after a brief orientation and sensitivity training, volunteers are provided with food-sorting guides and are instructed to place various items into shopping bags for delivery to Jewish families in the Greater Boston area. Challah and Shabbat candles are delivered every month to strengthen and enhance the recipients' connection to Judaism.

Special foods and other ritual items are included in deliveries that correlate with the various Jewish holidays throughout the year. Feeding the hungry is an important mitzvah, and Or Atid is very proud to be a part of this program.

"Where there is no bread, there is no Torah"
-Ethics of the Fathers, 3:17

Purim Celebration
Each year in celebrating Purim, we collect food and assorted items to assemble Purim baskets. The baskets are distributed by Or Atid families to elderly people in the Metrowest area who are being serviced by Jewish Family Services. This program is coordinated with our Religious School where students help bake Hamentaschen, make cards for the recipients, and work to assemble the baskets with parent volunteers.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Community Services
In the spring, we arrange for our students who are approaching their Bar/Bat Mitzvah to serve a meal at Bristol Lodge in Waltham. In addition, we work closely with this class and their teachers, providing information to students and their families about community service projects in which students engage during the year before their Bat/Bar Mitzvah ceremony.

For more information or questions regarding the Social Action Programs, contact Or Atid at info@congregationoratid.org, or fill out our Contact Form.