Mitzvah Day Spreads Kindness Locally, Globally

More than 800 residents from the Port Washington area participated in the 3rd Community-Wide Mitzvah Day on Sunday May 4, in Port Washington.  A total of six synagogues –The Community Synagogue, Temple Beth Israel, The Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore, Chabad of Port Washington, Port Jewish Center and Chevrat Tefillah – united as a Jewish community and worked on more than 35 mitzvah projects that benefited numerous local and worldwide recipients. 

"It was so awesome to be able to do something to make someone else's life better, even if you do not know who they are,” said Hannah Siskin, 12, from Temple Beth Israel.

The event kicked off with a Bagel Boss breakfast and opening ceremony at The Community Synagogue, led by Rabbi Zeplowitz, Cantor Franco and clergy from the other temples.  

In the next three hours, congregants and members of the larger community worked on projects and collections.  The synagogues buzzed with volunteers of all ages and interests who worked on projects and packaged necessities donated by congregants.   

After a full day of work, Temple Beth Israel hosted the closing ceremony and celebration, which included words of inspiration from Rabbi Mishkin, songs led by Cantor Blum. Four local heroes who have helped fight hunger in Port Washington were also recognized and included Sister Kathy Somerville of Our Lady of Fatima, Edna Turner of Twin Pines Co-Op, John Lamberti of Bayles Garden Center and Nursery and Sheryl Hendler, Aramark Director of Food Service for the Port Washington School District.  

Guest speaker Syd Mandelbaum, Founder of Rock & Wrap it Up, emphasized the tremendous need to continue the fight against poverty.  He stressed that donating leftover food and participating in events like Mitzvah Day are vital components to combatting hunger.  During the closing, attendees prepared 200 breakfast bags which were immediately delivered to people in need of a nutritious meal. The day concluded with a dessert reception.

Organizers said in a news release that there “was something extraordinarily powerful about seeing hundreds of people from multiple synagogues wearing the same event t-shirt and performing acts of kindness together.  In one day we enhanced the lives of those in need in meaningful ways.” 

This day would not have been possible without the participation of 30 local merchant sponsors and the generosity of congregants and residents throughout Port Washington. Organizers thanked the contributors and supporters.

Here is a sampling of what was accomplished:

• 1000-plus canned & packaged food collected for local food pantries
• 5000-plus toiletry items donated to needy recipients
• 50 backpacks stocked with school supplies for disadvantaged children
• 400 miscellaneous school supplies sent to organizations in need
• 100 survival bags of necessities assembled for abused children
• 200 breakfast bags distributed within the community
• 250 bagged lunches provided to local residents in need
• 40 families committed to Plant-A-Row for the Hungry
• 30 books recorded to entertain pediatric hospital patients
• 24 lasagnas prepared for local food pantries
• 200 suits, blazers & slacks collected for a men’s clothing pantry
• 150 coats set aside for local fall coat drives
• 293 underprivileged teens now have prom & graduations dresses
• 63 outfits for working women donated
• 210 caps knitted for infants in the neo-natal unit
• 40 fleece blankets made for pediatric hospital patients
• 50 Shabbat boxes assembled for Jewish American soldiers overseas
• 50 flower pots planted and decorated for senior citizens
• 25 placemats made for our local seniors
• 20 people donated blood for local hospitals
• 15 bicycles & 20 helmets given to Port Washington families in need
• 108 loomed bracelets made for sick children
• $1800 raised by POWTY Teen Foundation for Parent-Child Home Program
• $245 from bake & pizza sale to be donated for local food recovery
• $630 raised by shooting hoops and writing cards for Sudanese refugees
• Numerous men learned to wrap Tefillin
• Lower Main St was cleaned up for spring

Thousands of people will benefit as a result of Mitzvah Day donations to numerous beneficiaries including:

• Our Lady of Fatima
• Twin Pines Co-op
• Interfaith Nutrition Network
• Queens Children’s Advocacy Center
• Queens Jewish Community Center*
• Hatzilu*
• Rina Shkonik Food Pantry*
• FEGS Health & Human Services*
• North Shore-LIJ Health System*
• Cohen Children’s Hospital *
• Tikkun Alliance of the North Shore
• Young Israel of New Hyde Park clothing pantry
• Hagedorn Family Resource Center
• Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services*
• Jewish American soldiers  
• New York Blood Center-Long Island Blood Services
• The Gift of Life
• Nothing But Nets
• Children of Chernobyl
• Sands Point Rehabilitation Center
• Port Washington Senior Citizens Center
• Paren-Child Home Program
• Heal the Children
• *UJA-Federation of NY beneficiary agencies