Project Isaiah Update from CBD’s Social Action Committee

I wish you could have been with me when I delivered the clothing to an elementary school in downtown San Jose. The staff was thrilled as will be children who literally have no one pair of socks.

Together we donated more then 200 pairs of socks, about 75 girls underpants and 75 boys underpants. The 18 jackets and sweaters, 10 jeans, dresses etc. will be well used.

To Second Harvest Food Bank we donated 2,207 pounds. The food barrel is in the lobby when ever you care to donate.

It is even more useful to send them a check because they have the ability to buy far more food food per dollar then any of us can do.

Dorothy
Congregation Beth David Social Action Committee.

The Trunk in the CBD lobby is still there to take your donations of clothes, along with the Second Harvest barrel and Toy Drive Box.

Action Alert: KGO Radio Debate, Counter Protesters Needed, Keep Up the PR War

From the JCRC:

ACTION ALERT!

1. Listen & Call KGO TONIGHT (1/15) at 10 PM

2. Listen & Call KGO Saturday (1/17) at 7 PM

3. Join Hillel of Silicon Valley Sunday (1/18) at 12 PM in San Jose (counter protest)

4. Keep writing letters and opinion pieces!

Listen and Call KGO Thursday, January 15th (Tonight!) @ 10:00 PM The topic will be on Israel and Gaza. In recent days radio shows have received significantly more anti-Israel callers than pro-Israel callers. Make your voice heard tonight and support Israel! Saturday, January 17th @ 7:00 PM DEBATE: Consul General Akiva Tor will debate UC Berkeley professor Hatem Bazian KGO Call-in numbers: (415) 808-0810 (510) 808-0810 (408) 808-0810 (650) 808-0810 (707) 808-0810

Sunday, January 18th 12:00pm 3071 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa Clara Israel Shoulder to Shoulder Please join Hillel of Silicon Valley to counter protest an anti-Israel event in San Jose Meet at 12:00pm in the Parking lot of SAFEWAY.For more information please contact Zohar Porshyan 408-340-3491 israel@hillelsv.org

Keep writing letters-to-the-editor and opinion articles. Everyday there are anti-Israel letters and Op-Eds in the SF Chronicle, SJ Mercury and others. Don’t allow those letters to go un-answered, write a letter now! For TALKING POINTS and NEWSPAPER CONTACT information , click here.

Super 8 Hanukkah Happenings with the Hub until the oil is no more

Super 8: Hub Hanukkah Party.

Sunday | December 21st | 6pm+ | 21+ID
$8.00 Member / $8.00 Public Presale / $12.00 Public at the door
FOR TICKETS GO TO https://tickets.jccsf.org/public/auto_choose_ga.asp?area=72

Sure we could honor the eight days of Hanukkah individually but who has the patience for all that. Instead we decided to pack all eight into one big night.  

“Light It Up!” Hanukkah Party Saturday

Light It Up the (not-yet) Hanukkah Party 2008 featuring DJ-Doff

Don’t forget to bring 2 non-perishable items for Feeding America, ( formerly Second Harvest Food Bank ) they are in great need this year, and it gets you discounted admission to this off-the-hook (not-yet) Hanukkah bash.

EcoJews

I got this from IG of EcoJews of the Bay in my message box, thought I’d share it with everyone, since Congregation Beth David is a pilot synagogue for the the Conservative Movements Greening Initiative, and Jews’ Next Dor is CBD’s Young Adult Group. I hope you find something useful in these tips for a “Green Hanukkah”

EcoJews of the Bay Guide to a Green Chanukah

As we celebrate the Festival of Lights, we remember the miracle of the small cruse of oil which lasted eight days. According to Rabbi Arthur Waskow, the rabbis taught that this “‘conservation of oil’ was a Divine miracle. We might translate this to mean that it is a sacred act, carrying out G-d’s will and following G-d’s lead, for us to conserve oil, trees, water, air – all the strands of the earth.” Not only did the Maccabees fight to preserve the Jewish religion against the Greeks’ attempts to Hellenize our people, but they also kept the menorah burning with a small amount of oil. Why not approach Chanukah in modern times with the same spirit of conservation? We hope you find the following information useful and inspirational for your own interpretation of the holiday.

Check out these online resources and the tips below to green your Chanukah this year.
www.coejl.org/Hanukkah (click here or copy – please note the URL is case specific)
http://rac.org/_kd/Items/actions.cfm?action=Show&item_id=1270&destination=ShowItem
http://www.greenyour.com/lifestyle/events/hanukkah

Gift Giving

Tread lightly on the earth with these waste-free gift ideas:

• Gift certificates for restaurants, concerts, theaters, iTunes, massage or yoga classes
• Museum or nonprofit organization memberships or donations

• Plant a tree in honor of your friend or family member (Visit www.jnf.org to plant a tree in Israel, or find a tree organization in their community.)
• Give of yourself: certificates for babysitting, cooking dinner, home organizing, help a friend set up recycling/composting, etc.

• Create an electronic cookbook of your favorite recipes and email it to friends
• Donate used items to a local charity such as St. Anthony’s or Goodwill

Make your own gifts or find eco-friendly products at natural food stores and other local merchants. Here are some ideas:

• Steel water bottles
• Locally made natural soaps
• Rechargeable batteries with charger; Hand crank flashlights and radios
• Bake cookies
• Package your own spice, tea or potpourri blends from your garden or the bulk foods aisle
• Creative reuse crafts you can make at home: http://www.recycleworks.org/schools/creativereuse.html
• Create a gift basket of fair trade, organic coffees or teas with a steel travel mug

Visit these green gift events on Sunday, December 14th:

• GAIA’s Annual Holiday Party and Craft Sale at the Ecology Center in Berkeley http://www.ecologycenter.org/calendar/event.php?eventID=27621
• Urban Alliance for Sustainability’s new EcoHolidaySF: Local Shopping Experience www.ecoholidaysf.com

Instead of buying wrapping paper made from trees, try these less wasteful options:

• Old paper items such as maps, posters and the Sunday funnies make for amusing gift wrap.
• Save and reuse wrapping paper and gift bags.

• Japanese furoshiki cloths are a reusable alternative to wrapping paper. Almost any size or type of fabric or fleece — from your craft closet or a store’s bargain bin — will work. For detailed directions on how to fold and tie your own furoshiki, visit http://www.env.go.jp/en/focus/attach/060403-5.html.

• Give gifts in reusable shopping totes instead of paper gift bags.

Party Hosting & Cooking

Use reusable or compostable cups, plates and utensils. Avoid plastic and Styrofoam. Ask guests to bring their own reusable ware. Host a white elephant gift swap where no one has to buy new gifts to bring- regift or reuse only! Seek out local, organic ingredients, wine, beer and spirits for holiday meals and parties. Why not make your own applesauce for latkes with this easy recipe?

Ingredients
• 4 apples – peeled, cored and chopped (Good cooking apples include Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, Jonathan, Mcintosh and Gravenstein.)

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Optional: 1/8 tsp nutmeg, juice and peel of half a lemon (use a vegetable peeler to strip 4 lengths)

Instructions
Heat apples and water over medium heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon and optional nutmeg and lemon; heat to boiling. Allow to cool, remove lemon peel then mash with a fork or potato masher.

Take Action- Give the gift of a cleaner planet

Join our friends at Sviva Israel for Hannukah Eco Lights 2008 / 5769

Let’s celebrate Hannukah 5769 by
1) cleaning up the world!
2) sharing Jewish environmental teachings!
3) …and lighting the Hannuka candles!

On the 1st day of Hannukah, pick up 1 piece of litter and put it in the trash can / recycling container.
On the 2nd day of Hannukah, pick up 2 pieces of litter and place them in the trash can / recycling container.
On the 3rd day of Hannukah, pick up 3 items of litter and …well, you get the idea.

In the spirit of Limud U’Maaseh, every day of Hannukah, Eco Lights participants will receive a daily Jewish Environmental teaching from incredible guest writers!

If you pick up one more item each day, then by the end of Hannukah’s 8 days, you will have picked up 36 items of litter and helped make our world a better place to live (If you live in Israel, you get extra points for beautifying Israel – Mitzvat Yishuv Eretz Yisrael ) Every 28 people who join the Hannukah Eco Lights will remove over 1000 pieces of litter from our streets! So invite your friends to join in!

** Please do not pick up the garbage while your Hannuka candles are burning. Use this time to reflect on how even a small flame (or act) can light up the darkness.**

To sign up and receive the daily Jewish Environmental teachings via email or Facebook, visit http://www.svivaisrael.org/programs_en.asp?id=100#eco%20form

Same Great Mission New Name: America’s Second Harvest is now Feeding America

America’s Second Harvest Food Bank Network has changed it’s name to Feeding America. They provide emergency food assistance to more than 25 million Americans in need every year. Learn more from their Hunger Fact Sheet.

Here’s there press release on their rebranding:

This new name best conveys our mission-providing food to Americans living with hunger-and will be supported through expansive public outreach campaigns that will raise awareness of domestic hunger and our work.

Despite a 30-year legacy of fighting hunger, America’s Second Harvest has been confronted with low awareness among the general public, and a broader misunderstanding of domestic hunger. Knowing that true, monumental progress can be made when the public is fully engaged in our cause, we have researched how we can best inspire people. We found that the name America’s Second Harvest was limiting and that a new name was needed to quickly and clearly convey our mission.

Our new name, Feeding America, directly conveys that we are providing access to food for people who need it.  It also communicates the positive power of food to be a catalyst in people’s lives.  In essence, “feeding” serves as a double meaning-both providing food and enriching lives. We look forward to continuing our mission and would like to thank all our constituents who support us.

They are in great need of donations, you can donate online now, and if you’re attending Light It Up! bring food donations with you. For every $1 you donate, Feeding America helps provide 20 pounds of food and grocery products to men, women and children facing hunger in our country. Donate Now!

The Candles that Keep on Giving & Judaica Gift Shop 20% Off Sale

Safed Haukkah Candles

Today’s the day, the “double mitzvah” candles are on sale at Congregation Beth David from 9am-2pm. They are candles made in Safed, Israel that are being sold by Congregation Beth David’s Religious School’s Myuhad/Special Needs Program. The program caters to Jewish special needs children around the South Bay. These candles will do a third mitzvah when you use them for Shabbat, Hanukkah, or Havdalah. You can even make their miztvah power go further, by donating them, to JFS for their Hanukkah packages for seniors this Hanukkah. There’s a drop of box right at Beth David for these, so you won’t need to make special trip to drop the donation off. See the details on that Seasonal Mitzvah below. While you’re at Beth David this morning or early afternoon, getting your Mitzvah candles (samples pictured here, others available as well), don’t forget to stop into Sisterhood’s gift shop to enjoy 20% sale, they’s love for everything to go, to clear out inventory. They’ve got various judaica items, from tallits to kiddush cups, and candle holders for your newly purchases candles.  Today’s the day to get up, and do some good. Have a simcha to attend? Get a gift now, at 20% and not have to worry about it. Of course this sale is just in time for Hanukkah too. Refreshments will also be for sale. Open to the community.

Oh one more mitzvah for this morning, make this an even more productive trip to Beth David, by bringing a new toy, game or book, for ages 0-17 for Jews’ Next Dor & SVYAD’s annual Toy Drive which ends on Monday, December 8th at 5pm. Donations of bows and ribbon accepted as well.

Judaica Gift Shop Bazaar / Safed Candle Fundraiser

Sunday, December 7, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm, Congregation Beth David, 19700 Prospect Road, Saratoga, Ca

Safed Shabbat Candles

As promised here the info on the JFS Hanukkah mitzvah project:

Jewish Family Services of the Silicon Valley

Candles, Dreidels and Gelt for Seniors!!

Hanukkah Mitzvah project:

JFS will be assembling your donated Hanukkah candles, dreidels, and Chocolate Gelt into gift bags for our seniors.

November 24-December 15

Drop of locations can be found at Congregation Beth David, 19700  Prospect Road, Saratoga, Ca or JFS, 14855 Oka Road, Suite 202, Los Gatos, Ca

Questions? Contact Michele 357-7453 or michelem@jfssv.org

Donate What You’d be Eating on Yom Kippur: Project Isaiah Food and Clothing Drive

Congregation Beth David’s Social Action Committee brings us the return of the Project Isaiah Food and Clothing Drive this High Holy Days. Join CBD for Rosh HaShanah services, and leave with a grocery bag labeled for Project Isaiah (your own bag works too). Bring it back on Kol Nidre/Yom Kippur filled. They are also collecting specific clothing items as well. Food goes to the Second Harvest Food Bank.

Here’s all the details on what they are collecting:

Honor MLK, and Start 2008 on the Right Foot at a Community Wide Mitzvah Day January 21

“Everybody Can Be Great, Because Anybody Can Serve” Martin Luther King, Jr.

A community is too heavy for anyone to carry alone. Based on Deuteronomy 1:9

 

The Albert L. Schultz Jewish Community Center presents:
COMMUNITY-WIDE MITZVAH DAY: A DAY OF SERVICE

Monday, January 21, 2008

Projects are open to all ages, unless otherwise indicated. Space is limited in every project, and advanced registration is required

For schedule of events, please click here

For volunteers project options, please click here

For registration form, please click here

 

Co-sponsored by BBYO, Congregation Beth Am, Congregation Emek Beracha, Congregation Etz Chayim, Congregation Kol Emeth, The Friendship Circle, Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School, Hillel at Stanford, Jewish Family & Children’s Services, Keddem Congregation, Kehillah Jewish High School, and Temple Beth Jacob.

Join us for a community-wide day of “tikkun olam” (“repair of the world”) as part of a national day of service to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This intergenerational event will feature a range of hands-on service projects geared towards kids, adults, families, and seniors. Participants will work in small groups on projects addressing issues of poverty, hunger, housing and homelessness, aging, the environment, and more. Come on your own or with your family and friends! Mitzvah Day will be a unique opportunity for unity & cooperation that will bring people together for a shared mission. We look forward to working with you to promote Dr. King’s legacy of tolerance, peace, and equality and increase our community’s commitment to service & justice. This fun and inspirational day will leave you feeling accomplished and energized!

Pre-registration is required and space is limited in each service project. For more information and to register, go to
www.paloaltojcc.org/mitzvah or contact Jane-Rachel Schonbrun at (650) 852-3502.

SAVE THE DATE: Congregation Beth David Mitzvah Day is March 9th.

Spruce Up Overfelt Gardens: CBDYAG Monthly Community Service Project

 

Sunday, December 16. 12:30pm-4:30pm,
Spruce Up Overfelt Gardens: CBDYAG Monthly Community Service Project

 

We’re teaming up with Hands on Bay Area to help rehabilitate and maintain Overfelt Gardens in San Jose. It’s a 1.6 acre native plant and wildlife sanctuary. We’ll be weeding, pruning and removing non-native plants. Join park staff in this ongoing task while enjoying the beauty of nature and unique cultural artifacts in this fantastic urban park. Overfelt Gardens Park is a City of San Jose regional park dedicated to peaceful thought and meditation.

The full project address and directions will be sent to you by e-mail after you RSVP to cbdyag[at]gmail.com. YOU MUST RSVP for this event by Monday, December 10.

See the evite or facebook event