In a world that can feel increasingly divided, this year’s Mitzvah Day at the Liberal Jewish Synagogue’s Rimon Religion School demonstrated how acts of kindness can illuminate darkness and build bridges between communities.
From our youngest students to our teenagers, every age group engaged in meaningful projects that brought to life the Jewish values of chesed (kindness) and tikkun olam (repairing the world).
Stuart Diamond, CEO of Mitzvah Day, visited and captured our community’s imagination during morning tefillah with a powerful metaphor about how one small light can illuminate an entire cave. He challenged our young people to consider the light they bring to the world – a message that resonated deeply as our students engaged in various social action projects throughout the morning.
Speaking with our teenagers, Stuart shared his personal journey of witnessing injustice in South Africa, inspiring a thoughtful discussion about social responsibility and active citizenship. Our youngest students explored the concept of welcome by drawing their own versions of Abraham’s tent, carefully considering what would make visitors feel special and comfortable. This activity took on deeper meaning as Harriett Goldenberg, Chair of Social Action and a volunteer from the LJS Asylum Seeker Families Drop-In, shared insights about their vital work.
Since 2014, this volunteer-run initiative has provided destitute asylum-seeking families with a safe haven, offering hot meals, children’s activities, clothing, and essential supplies one Sunday each month. The morning buzzed with creative energy as children crafted personal items – frames, mirrors, bookmarks, and headbands – for the children who attend our Drop-In centre.
Our teenagers designed Chanukah cards for elderly members, bridging generations through art and care. Despite the cold rain, our Kabbalat Torah students demonstrated remarkable commitment to environmental responsibility by cleaning up the local canal.
These activities were complemented by an overwhelming response to our collection drive for the Drop-In centre, with families donating essential items from nappies to toiletries.
This practical support embodied Stuart’s message about building bridges between communities – a message that feels especially crucial in current times. LJY-Netzer movement workers reinforced these themes, leading sessions about welcoming the stranger – a mitzvah that feels particularly relevant in today’s world.
Mitzvah Day at Rimon exemplified how social action can be both educational and practical, engaging participants of all ages in age-appropriate ways. It showed our young people that everyone, regardless of age, can contribute to making the world a little better. From the smallest hands drawing welcoming tents to teenagers engaging in environmental action, each activity reinforced the same message: that individual actions, however small they might seem, create ripples of positive change.
As one light can illuminate a cave, so too can small acts of kindness illuminate our world. In these challenging times, our community’s engagement with Mitzvah Day reminded us that building bridges through acts of kindness isn’t just a nice idea – it’s an essential practice that helps create the world we wish to see.
