Beth Shalom

Mitzvah Day - A Great Success!

Despite the inclement weather on May 17th, 116 Beth Shalom congregants braved the elements and participated in a variety of mitzvahs.  Special thanks are due to the Social Action Committee--Cathy Snow, Lynn Albert, Darci O'Leary, Debbie Weiss, Jackie Weintraub, Al Slonim, and Ellen Dershowitz--for the time and energy they invested in the planning and execution of Mitzvah Day.

Please remember that, while our "official" Mitzvah Day occurs once a year, there is abundant opportunity to perform acts of Tikkun Olam all year long.  Please let me know if you have an interest in volunteering and I will help you find an organization in need of your talents.

The Carying Place - www.thecaryingplace.org

Volunteers laid down edging, weed blocker, and mulch, mowed grass, trimmed trees, created a rock garden and planted flowers.  The grounds at the Carying Place apartments now look sensational thanks to the hard work of The Carying Place team.

Special thanks are also due to the following businesses for their in-kind donations:

- Lowe's Home Improvement: 35 bags of mulch, all the edging and weed blocker,

- Home Depot at Crossroads: bags of potting soil, and plants,

- Food Lion (973 N. Harrison Avenue): gift card used to buy Roundup, Miracle Gro & drinking water,

- Garden Supply Company (Old Apex Road): more beautiful plants.

Goat Farm (Heifer International) -  www.heifer.org

This team of volunteers traveled to Auman Orchards a working farm in West End, NC to learn more about Heifer International and help worm and feed some young goats that will be going to Heifer projects in the early Spring of 2010.  Heifer animals are given to project partners who will, in turn, "pass on the gift" of  their offspring animals to other needy families.

Talent Show at Heartfields Assisted Living - www.heartfieldsatcary.com

Led by MC Lynn Albert, the residents of Heartfields were treated to an amazing talent show featuring the following Beth Shalom "stars":

• Lisa Sharp:  piano
• Danny Sharp:  piano
• Jessica Robinson: Irish Dance
• Dana Shefet - piano
• Kyle Morgenstein - paper airplanes
• Lindsey Morgenstein - fortune telling
• Jocelyn Morgenstein - songs
• Sam Feldstein - bongos
• Shayna Feldstein - poetry reading
• Jessica Higgs - song
• Morgan Higgs - jump rope
• Alicia and Seth Steiman -  original play
• Jenny Bender - song
• Jacob Allen - piano
• Jenna Levy - piano
• Kate and Aaron Steiman - cha cha slide
• Allison Merims - song
• Adam Fenton - guitar and piano
• Jordan Garrity - original dance

Stop Hunger Now - www.stophungernow.org

Volunteers mixed, weighed, packaged and packed high-protein meals that are shipped globally in response to the world hunger problem.  An astounding 6,000 meals were prepared for delivery by the Stop Hunger Now Group.

Thanks are also due to congregants, family and friends who raised the 25 cents needed to fund each meal.

Beth Shalom Activities

Garden:

Led by Mike O'Leary and David Dropkin, these Beth Shalom volunteers accomplished a staggering amount of work at Beth Shalom.  Together, they:

• Weeded the majority of garden areas & around A/C Units
• Weeded and cleaned up the area around the front sign
• Dug out a new garden area in front of building
• Cleared and mulched mailbox area
• Cleared clogged drain pipes & drainage areas
• Trimmed hedges in the front and sides of the building and in the back garden.

All while dodging heavy rain, what dedication/spirit!!
 

Housekeeping:

The next time you visit Beth Shalom, take notice of our sparkling facility!  Congregants scrubbed the floors, baseboards, doors & railings in the upstairs foyer and main stairwell, as well as all three upstairs bathrooms (including the tile walls).  The kitchen was thoroughly cleaned and reorganized.  Truly a team effort!!