Social Action

The Social Action Committee is dedicated to helping our communities in need. We encourage you to participate in the many projects that we sponsor throughout the year.

We are always looking for new committee members, new ideas, and volunteers for our Social Action projects. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to socialaction@bnaitorah.com.

Family Table Donations

Support families in need! Buy these food items and place them in the Family Table box located outside the front of the building:

• Canned salmon (small or large size cans)
• Kosher raisins (packages of small boxes or large containers)

Our Projects

Pearl Street Cupboard & Café - Monthly

Pearl Street Cupboard & Café supports individuals and families who are experiencing economic and personal challenges, by providing food assistance and programs that promote self-sufficiency. Congregation B'nai Torah had been sending 10 volunteers once a month to serve a meal, sometimes drawn from specific groups (e.g., students, committee members), and sometimes from the entire congregation community.  This has stopped due to Covid but we plan to resume as soon as Pearl Street resumes serving meals.  HOWEVER, in the interim we are helping by collecting food each week and collecting these donations in bins located outside the front doors of the temple. Get more information and check out the monthly calendar.

Family Table – On-going

JF&CS Family Table is New England's largest kosher food pantry, providing healthy food on a monthly and emergency basis to individuals and families in need. Please contribute canned salmon (small or large size cans) and/or kosher raisins (packages of small boxes or large containers), and place them in the Family Table box in the temple lobby.

Also, volunteers are needed every month to help sort and/or deliver to needy families, on a specific Sunday of each month. See the JF&CS distribution day schedule for details (look under the "Waltham" column).

To sign up, please contact Lisa Katz at Family Table by e-mail at familytable@jfcsboston.org or by phone at 781.693.5593. For more information contact Rachel Seliber at racheselib@gmail.com.

Diaper Project – May

Donate diapers and wipes for families in need to A Place To Turn Food Pantry in Natick. Sizes requested 4, 5 and 6 are the most needed. Donation Bin is located in the temple lobby.

Shower for Shelters – March

The Shower for Shelter is a drive to collect much-needed items for families who are victims of domestic violence, to help them transition from emergency shelter to their own homes in our local communities. We are partnering with the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable to solicit donations from members of our congregation. 

Early Intervention Program – May & June

Criterion Middlesex Early Intervention Program in Framingham supports families with children ages 0 to 3 who have developmental delays. We are collecting baby formula, baby biscuits, crackers, Gerber’ s Graduate Puffs, Beach Nut Fruities, (pouches of pureed fruits), Swyback Bars and rice snacks. Donation Bin is located in the temple lobby.

Family Promise – January And November

This program supports homeless families housed by Temple Shir Tikva for two weeks in January and two weeks in March by helping to provide a meal, deliver food, or shop for food and supplies. Volunteers can also stay overnight. Contact Rachel Seliber at: racheselib@gmail.com

Build A Backpack – August

Parents and Grandparents shop with their children to pick out a back pack for a child of elementary school age and bring it to Jewish Family and Children's Service (JF&CS) and fill it with school supplies.

High Holiday Food Collection – September

Shopping bags are handed out at the end of the first Rosh Hashanah service and returned with your donated non perishable groceries on Yom Kippur to be distributed to four local food pantries: Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, Sudbury; The Pearl Street Cupboard and Café (The United Way) Framingham;  A Place to Turn in Natick, and Family Table (JF&CS in Waltham). 

Honoring Our Veterans – November

Volunteer to serve at the Sudbury Senior Center for a luncheon to honor our veterans. Food has been donated by The Wayside Inn. Contact Dori Mariasis at: dwmariasis@comcast.net

Cradles To Crayons – November and December

At Christmas / Chanukah time, through a coordinated effort with the Religious School and individual CBT members, we donate new winter clothes to children in need. For more information contact Leslie Stern  leslie.stern917@gmail.com.

Social Action Committee members

Bob & Tammy Weiser (Co-Chairs)
Rabbi Lisa Eiduson
Robin Berman
MarieAnne Bloom
Margaret Guyer
Dori Mariasis
Leslee Olender
Rachel Seliber
Amy Siegel
Leslie Stern