Adath Israel Congregation builds community with Mitzvah Day

More than 15 organizations will get a helping hand from Adath Israel’s upcoming Mitzvah Day. Volunteers can fight hunger, pack school supplies for needy children, or choose a project closer to their hearts on Aug. 26, from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The event is open to the community.

“Mitzvah Day shows the community who we are and what we believe in,” said Adath Israel Congregation’s Rabbi Irwin Wise. “It’s a call to action before the New Year and a unique way for Cincinnati’s Jewish community to reach out to its neighbors in need. It’s an experience where you truly do give a little and get a great deal in return.”

For the first time, the event includes a drive to collect iPods and MP3 players for the Lone Soldier Center. The electronics will be given to soldiers serving in the Israeli Defense Forces who don’t have family in Israel. This year, soldiers from six Adath Israel families will serve far from the comforts of home.

The Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation also is celebrating its first appearance at Mitzvah Day. The registry offers hope to 30,000 patients suffering from leukemia and other blood related diseases by matching them with potential donors.

Cincinnati’s furriest residents will be on-site—puppies, kittens, dogs and cats all seeking loving families through the SPCA. Other organizations benefiting from the program include: Over the Rhine Drop Inn Center, AIDS patients, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Jewish Hospital, Vitas Hospice, Cedar Village, Dragonfly Foundation, Linus Project, Tender Mercies, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and the Council on Child Abuse.

Mitzvah Day is organized by the Adath Israel Social Action Committee sponsored by the Kreines Family Endowment Fund.

Volunteers can register to participate in specific projects by visiting their website or calling the synagogue. Drop-ins are welcome. Those planning to join in the “after-event cookout” are asked to RSVP ahead of time.

Located in Amberly Village, Adath Israel Congregation is a Conservative Jewish community, that supports congregants during significant life events, and in their journeys to become more involved, knowledgeable and spiritually fulfilled Jews.