The Or Chadash Mischloach Manot program generates wonderful warmth and goodwill within our congregation, and we continue to extend that warmth and goodwill to people outside our congregation.

This year, Or Chadash contributed Purim gift bags to five clients of Jewish Family Services of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties who live in Annandale, Flemington, Whitehouse and Neshanic Station. The elderly Jewish members of our community who received gift bags were so clearly very grateful for both the gift bag, the thought behind it, and the short visit.

Please remember that in addition to giving food gifts, giving charity to the poor is an important mitzvah of Purim, so please do what you can to donate to charities that help the needy, such as Jewish Family Services, local food pantries and Mazon.

Jewish Family Services also has a Friendly Visitor Program for Seniors where you can:
* Visit home-bound older persons in their place of residence: home, assisted living, or nursing home
* Represent your caring spirit to the community
* Visit individually, with friends, or as a family
* Give as little or as much time as you can

The program offers an opportunity for learning creative, meaningful ways of interacting with older persons through training and ongoing group and individual support and supervision.

For more information, please call JFS at 908-725-7799 .

What a fabulous experience; what a great privilege to be a part of this program...

We were the chaperones for Erica Fuhrman, Zack Hahn, Josh Lehrer, Erika Lewy and Josh Tracey during the weekend of the L'Taken Seminar. The program itself was amazing, connecting an awareness of moral values, Judaism's teachings, and social action across a number of important issues. This was the largest seminar the RAC had conducted to date, including approximately 370 teens from across the USA. The structure and organization of the weekend program was remarkable, for only a well organized program could run successfully among such a large and charged audience. The enthusiasm of the participants and high quality of the final presentations attest to the success in the approaches used by the RAC during the weekend.

The program covered a number of important social issues, including gay-lesbian-transexual-bisexual rights, reproductive rights, climate change/energy, economic justice, health care, campaign finance reform, immigration, and Israel/Iran/Iraq. Students sat through poignant presentations and discussions as a group and worked in smaller breakout sessions. The smaller groups utilized clever simulations, role plays and guided discussions to develop awareness of moral issues, the positions of Reform Judaism, and the current legislative agendas. The teens were allowed to focus on issues that were most relevant to them, and the program culminated with preparation and presentation of the chosen issues to legislative aids for the senators and congressmen.

Besides the learning experience on the issues per se, the program provided an excellent example of the power of team work. Or Chadash students worked together with students from Temple Beth El on their final presentations, and worked with teens from other temples in many of the role plays and subgroups. The program stressed the importance of research, factual content, personalization and strategic planning in the development of cogent arguments. It also presented the teens with a real-life appreciation of the workings of the government, and the importance of influence, money and facts in determining final outcomes in our legislative process.

No such intensive program could rely only on academic issues for a whole weekend and expect to keep the attention of the audience. The program therefore provided the teens with time to build new friendships/connections with its casual, friendly atmosphere and planned social events such as the trips to various monuments in Washington, the Holocaust Museum, the Smithsonian Mall, and Georgetown.

We were impressed with the students overall, and especially with our Or Chadash students. They interacted well, were well behaved, punctual, friendly and respectful. Their enthusiasm, interest in and awareness of social issues was inspiring to us. The immediate families of the students, as well as our extended temple family should be proud of them.

The impact of the program on the students, thus, was very positive. What was unexpected was the impact of the program on us. We did not know what to expect from the program, especially from a group of teens since we had not been around teens for more than 15 years. To our surprise, we found our interactions with the group to be extremely rewarding both from social and academic points of view. We loved every minute we spent with them, and hope we provided them with as much inspiration as they gave to us.

The program itself was extremely moving for both Larry and me. We have experienced many of the social upheavals of the 20th Century, and while we were always aware and involved in some manner, this was the first time we actually started to probe the influences that have developed our social consciousness and made us into the persons we are. The L'Taken seminar brought into focus the moral heritage of Judaism, and tied it together with the development of social awareness in the secular world. What it means to be a Jew has never been easy to grasp. Certainly, Larry and I come from Jewish families. Certainly, we both have had some form of religious education. But the connection between the religious and secular worlds always seemed elusive. The L'Taken seminar has begun the process of tying the pieces together and has inspired us to take a deeper look at who we are not just from the secular experiences we have had, but also from the framework provided by Judaism.

We thank you for the opportunity to work with the teens and to attend this wonderful seminar. There is no question that we would like to participate again and again. However, we feel that this program is so valuable that we don't want to prevent others at our temple from benefiting from this program in the way we have.

Bea and Larry Abrams

Student Perspectives on L'Taken Seminar at RAC February 19-22, 2010 - Washington, DC

As part of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparations all of our students complete a Mitzvah Project, an opportunity to do Tikkun Olam -- repair the world. One important requirement of the Mitzvah Project is that our students must experience "getting their hands dirty!" Here is just a sampling of the diverse activities our Or Chadash students have completed or are doing in our community.

Rachel Albrecht's (March 13, 2010) mitzvah project is volunteering at the YMCA working with children ages 4 and under in childcare and in gym classes for five hours a week.

Aaron Lewy's (March 20, 2010) mitzvah project is volunteering at the YMCA's Round Valley Child Learning Center where he assists teachers in the classroom with four and five-year-old children.

Isabel Stein's (April 10, 2010) mitzvah project is volunteering regularly at nearby Independence Manor (an assisted living residence).

Zachary Waseleski's (April 10, 2010) mitzvah projects are volunteering at the YMCA with 5-7 year olds and collecting items for the solders in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Hannah and Alyson Sandler (April 24, 2010) are doing their mitzvah projects for the Hunterdon Human Animal Shelter.  They will help in the socialization of the cats, dogs, horses and goats as well as cleaning of their cages and living areas.

Max Albert's (May 8, 2010) mitzvah project includes working on a lunchproject for Elijah's Promise.  Every month, Max makes and delivers bagged lunches to Elijah's Promise in New Brunswick.  This program serves those who are unable to make it to the soup kitchen for their meals, due to work, job training or disabilities.  This program also provides meals to children at before and after school programs, who can not afford lunch.  In addition, Max is involved in the Veteran's History Project.  He interviews American War Veteran's, and the interviews are submitted to the Library of Congress.  Max then participates in fundraising efforts for American Veterans.

Todd Altshuler's (May 15, 2010) mitzvah project has been volunteering for the Special Olympics.  He is trying to promote the Special Olympics Young Athlete Program in Hunterdon County.  He presented an in-service to Hunterdon Pediatrics and is working with a couple of school districts to utilize this free program in their preschool classes. 

Erica Tevere's (June 12, 2010) mitzvah project is helping out with the 4-6 year olds gymnastics classes at the YMCA. She also volunteers as a junior counselor in the summer at the recreational camp at Copper Hill Elementary School.

Elizabeth Rebecca Rosen (November 13, 2010) reads and talks to licensed therapy dogs with their trainers in the program Paws For Reading, which aims to socialize dogs as they go into professional settings to help people who are in need. She knows their names and mannerisms and has become so dedicated in this experience of giving, that she wishes to continue doing this after her Bat Mitzvah with her family.

Ben Parilis (September 12, 2009) volunteered for an organization called "Common Sense for Animals", an animal shelter in Washington, NJ. He fed and walked the dogs, cleaned cages, and helped with various maintenance projects around the facility.

Rachel Weil's (June 6, 2009) mitzvah project was to help the Flemington Food Pantry by collecting food, and bringing awareness to her community about the needs of the Food Pantry.  Rachel held several food drives and collected over 150 bags of food which she delivered to the Food Pantry.

Sami Schwade’s (March 28, 2009)  mitzvah project is volunteering in the youth sports program at the local YMCA, playing ames and coaching younger children as well as  assisting the coaches.

Craig Tiber (May 30, 2009) is assisting a first grade special needs child, providing one on one attention, meeting him at his bus stop, playing games with him, cooking, and teaching him to ride his bicycle.

Josh Propper (February 21, 2009) participated in a program called Grow a Row by volunteering to pick vegetables at a local farm and helping deliver them to the food pantry.  He also collected over 30 bags of groceries from his neighborhood.

Megan's (April 25, 2008) mitzvah project was to volunteer at the Interfaith Hospitality Network. She cooked dinners for some homeless families , visited with some of the families and entertained the children staying at the church. This year together with her girl scout troop she Collected food for the Flemington food pantry, collected 120 boxes of girl scout cookies and donated them to the soldiers in the middle east and the Veterans Hospital and visited the veterans in the VA Hospital to deliver the cookies. Megan will also be donating some of her Bat-Mitzvah gift money to the Parkinson's Disease foundation. Megan will become a Bat-Mitzvah on April 25th.

Matthew Weinberg (June 13, 2009) in working on two Mitzvah Project activities. First, he has become the official tutor for his friends. It's amazing how often the phone rings late in the evening with an emergency homework question. Second, he makes up birthday bags for the food pantry in Flemington for youngsters to have a special treat for their special day.

As part of Matt Harvey’s (May 16, 2009) Mitzvah project he has been volunteering at the Hunterdon Outreach Program, in Hunterdon County, which serves to promote and develop different sports such as Soccer, Basketball, and Tennis for children in the Community who are physically or developmentally disabled. Additionally he has helped out at the IHN, Interfaith Hospitality Network and SHIP, the Samaritan Homeless Interim Program, and the Chabad of Morris County serving food to those less fortunate.

Megan Kahle (May 30, 2009) has chosen to enlist the help of family and friends to help her with her Mitzvah project. Megan is knitting chemo and preemie caps. Once she has finished knitting her caps and collecting the others she will donate them. Megan is thankful that she has help making her project what she wants it to be.

Sam Rosenthal (June 13, 2009) volunteered at Topsoccer Saturday afternoons assisting disabled kids learn and play soccer.  It was a perfect fit for Sam who is an avid soccer player himself.  He got to spend time doing the thing he likes while really helping other kids learn about a sport.  Topsoccer is run in the fall.  There are similar organizations run through the year for basketball, tennis and baseball.   In addition, Sam has been an active part of our family in helping deliver dinner to families in the Interfaith Hospitality Network.   Sam really excels at visiting with and making the kids of the families in the Network feel comfortable in a difficult situation.

Paul Graybeal  (October 17, 2009) was inspired by his autistic cousin to help other kids with disabilities play sports.  Paul discovered the Hunterdon Outreach Program and enjoys volunteering to help athletes have fun and succeed in a variety of sporting opportunities.

Sarah Sokoloski (October 17, 2009) volunteers at Independence Manor, an assisted living facility in Flemington.  Sarah enjoys people of all ages and thought it would be the perfect place for her. She loves seeing all the elderly people and enjoys talking with the residents and spending time with them.  

Corey Rosenblatt (September 20, 2008) volunteered on Saturday afternoons during with Buddy Ball of Edison, helping children with basketball, and with the Hunterdon Outreach Program with baseball. Both of these organizations assist children who are physically or developmentally disabled. Corey loves participating in sports, and he has really enjoyed sharing something that he is passionate about with children who are so eager to learn.

Samantha Rosenblatt (September 20, 2008) "adopted" a soldier as part of the Soldiers' Angels organization, which is dedicated to supporting men and women who have been deployed overseas. Samantha "adopted" St. Zhang, who is a Marine station in Iraq. Samantha write one letter a week and mails monthly care packages.

Hannah Altman (June 28, 2008) bakes for the Boys Home on Sandhill Road.

Erika Lewy (June 21, 2008) volunteers as a dance instruction assistant to children ages 4 to 7 at the Hunterdon County YMCA. She assists the teachers and the children and helps come up with routines.

Daniel Drill (April 5, 2008) has decided to become a "Mitzvah Person" and volunteer wherever and whenever the opportunity arises. He has assisted at the Flemington Food Pantry, Hunterdon County YMCA, and this summer will volunteer in the Child Watch program.

Jeremy Levine (May 17, 2008) is cooking weekly dinners for a family living in Flemington that was part of the Interfaith Hospitality Network. The family now lives in an apartment but could still use some assistance. Jeremy refills a cooler with food once a week to help defray the costs of their grocery bills.

Jake Altshuler (June 7, 2008) is raising a Seeing Eye dog puppy through 4-H and the Seeing Eye. Wonder came to live with the Altshuler family at seven weeks old.

Mitchell Blutfield's (September 27, 2008) Mitzvah project has included serving dinner to homeless families thru the Interfaith Hospitality Network (and stocking shelves at the Flemington Food Pantry.

Zachary Hann (February 23, 2008) volunteers for Hunterdon Outreach, an all-volunteer organization that provides opportunities for children with disabilities to learn and play sports, and the volunteers who help them are teenagers. At each session he attended, Zack worked one on one with children of varying ages to teach them sports skills and then help them play the game. In the fall, they did soccer, in the winter basketball, and in the spring baseball. They also have lacrosse and tennis. Zack plans to continue volunteering with Hunterdon Outreach once a month or more.

Rachel Brodsky's (April 11, 2008) mitzvah project combined her interest in children and education and reading. Rachel worked at the Kangaroo Kids Childcare and Learning Center, volunteering her time to work with the Kindergarteners there. She helped them with homework, taught some lessons and played with them. Rachel also asked each of her Bat Mitzvah guests to donate a children's book to the Salvation Army Aftercare Program, a program that provides a safe environment for kids in inner city neighborhoods. It was an eye opening experience and Rachel donated over 60 books to the children at the center in New Brunswick. She had visited the center before she decided to do this project and then after she collected the books, we delivered them and they had a party to thank Rachel.

Samantha Ryan’s (September 13, 2008) Mitzvah project supported The Womens Crisis Services of Hunterdon County. This provides services for victims and survivors of domestic abuse. She is collecting needed items for the women and children.