A Night of Giving
Giving to those in need and taking care of others are among the core values of Judaism. Chanukah presents a perfect opportunity to put those values into action for both our children and ourselves. This Chanukah we are starting a new tradition - “The 5th Candle of Chanukah, A Night of Giving Back”. On Monday, December 14, consider “giving back” by donating a toy or a book to a child in need. Anne Frank said, “No one has ever become poor by giving”. It could be said that one becomes richer for doing so.
Highlighted below are 3 local organizations that do valuable work with children and who would benefit from our collective giving. If you prefer to give to another group, please do so. You can be sure that wherever you donate your gift will be appreciated.
The Children's Room in Arlington provides support services for grieving children, teens and families. Among the opportunities they offer are craft activities with children who have experienced loss. With all groups now meeting virtually, The Children’s Room mails out art supply kits to every family allowing each child participating to have new supplies and the same supplies as one another. Each kit costs $36. Let’s help The Children’s Room fill 100 kits. Click here to donate. Once on the site you can indicate the dollar amount of your donation and also that the gift is in honor of Temple Isaiah, or at the bottom you can write Temple Isaiah in the comment section.
Casa Nueva Vida (CNV) in Boston is a family homeless shelter that offers educational and supportive services helping families break the chain of poverty. Temple Isaiah has had a strong relationship with CNV for 20 years, providing gift bags for women and school supplies for children. They currently have 110 kids across 3 houses and would be grateful to receive gifts to give the children over the holidays. Click here to go to the Amazon wish list where you can make a selection that will ship directly to Casa Nueva Vida.
Belmont Books in Belmont recently started Read It Forward, a program that brings new books to children and adults in need. The staff at Belmont Books handpicks books in consultation with educators, and delivers the books to schools and seniors. This is a for profit program so donations are not tax deductible. Your donation serves two purposes, it helps keep Belmont Books afloat while serving communities that most need support.
