I spent Sunday morning at Temple Israel’s Mitzvah Day. Mitzvah is a word used in Judaism to refer to the 613 commandments given in the Torah and the seven rabbinic commandments instituted later for a total of 620. The term mitzvah has also come to express any act of human kindness.
The place was a beehive of activity with folks making cookies, sandwiches, no-sew blankets and kits of all kinds for area agencies such as MIFA. Others were off-site painting, landscaping, distributing, visiting and performing acts of human kindness all over the city. Some were even whipping up homemade dog biscuits for needy canines at the animal shelter. The whole operation is extremely well-organized and attracts people of all ages and abilities.
I enjoyed a few hours of knitting with the Temple Love Cap knitters and crocheters. (Don’t you wish you had a job that required going around town and knitting with people?) These ladies are an emerging force to be reckoned with in the Love Cap program, taking third place in the cap division this year.
Here are the awesome Temple knitters enjoying a productive morning
Hmmm I wonder what fascinating thing Anita has spotted off the side?
In addition to Love Caps, these ladies also make the most adorable teddy bears for the Mother Bear Project. Take a look at some of their creations
In another part of the building, a team was assembling and decorating birthday goodie bags for recipients of Home-Delivered meals.
All those who receive MIFA meals get an extra treat on their birthdays. For some recipients, this is the the only gift or acknowledgement of their special day. People of all ages enjoy making birthday goodie bags and it has even been an activity at kids’ birthday parties. For instructions about how to assemble bags, contact MIFA’s Volunteer Coordinator Charlie Nelson at 529-4514 or cnelson@mifa.org.
Thanks to the members of Temple Israel for your service to MIFA and to our community!
