At Congregation Beth El Fairfield we take our sacred obligation of “repairing the world” to heart. For decades we have taken responsibility for supplying cooked meals to Operation Hope the last few days of every month, and we regularly organize groups to volunteer at the Connecticut Food Bank. And in addition to sending funds to various local, national and international charities, we conduct major collections throughout the year:

• Winter Coat Drive
• Food Drives during the High Holidays and Passover
• School Supplies Drive for Mercy Learning Center and Bridgeport Public Library’s Literacy Volunteers
• Toy & Crafts Drive to benefit Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital

Instituted in 2015 to take advantage of our beautiful built-in tzedakah box, we feature a Tzedakah Box Initiative “Charity Of The Month”. Selections are made by the 7th grade B’nai Mitzvah class in an annual contest designed to teach students how to evaluate a charity’s reputability and mission, and identify which Jewish values the charity embodies. The students research and present their selected charities for an opportunity to have their choice be named as Charity of the Month for the month of their Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

In past years we have also conducted major fundraising drives in times of great need. At a height in the Palestinian conflict, for instance, we raised $120,000 to provide Israel with two mobile intensive care ambulances. Similar or greater amounts have been raised for a variety of worthy charities both here and abroad, to benefit immigrants, families in need of early intervention, the homeless, and more.

For more information on volunteering, tzedakah, or any other tikkun olam initiatives, please contact Committee Chair Lois Ravage-Mass at tikkun-olam@bethelfairfield.org.