A Profound Impact: Join Us This Year

Temple Emanu-El is home to an extremely active Tikkun Olam committee. Each year, they seek to impact our community in a meaningful way — mitzvah by mitzvah, they work to repair the world. The Tikkun Olam committee not only betters countless lives in our city, but also creates and strengthens meangingful connections in our temple community by encouraging us to create a more just and compassionate world together. Below is an abridged list of what the Tikkun Olam Committee accomplished in the last year alone. To get involved, contact our Tikkun Olam Chair at .

• Donated 8 large cartons filled with toys and art supplies to Urban Resource Institute
• Packed 12 large cartons filled with diapers, first-aid supplies, glucerna and tarps for the Hurricane Florence Drive.
• Donated 25 pet blankets to Urban Resource Institute, the only domestic violence shelter that accepts pets
• Donated 38 personal hygiene products to the Jan Hus Outreach Program
• Supplied 45 stockings filled with stocking stuffers as well as decorations and desserts for the Good Shepherd dinner
• Sent 50 Haggadahs and 50 boxes of matzah to troops in Okinawa, Japan
• Accepted 50 backpacks filled with school supplies from Saint Francis Food Pantries which were donated to the Kravis Center at Mount Sinai Hematology/Oncology
• Welcomed 51 seniors from the Carter Burden Center for the Religious School 5th Grade Dinner
• Donated 60 specialized ports to help alleviate anxiety for children during chemo treatments at Mount Sinai Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
• Assembled 72 snack packs for the Children at New York Center for Children
• Distributed 94 Thanksgiving turkeys to our partners
• Donated 96 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies to the New York Center for Children, in partnership with Saint Francis Food Pantries
• Created 96 “warm winter” packages for the Bowery Mission residence
• Sent 100 decorative pails filled with chocolate and 100 chocolate roses to Brooklyn VA veterans
• Donated 111 gift cards through the Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter
• Donated 118 lbs. of fresh fruits and vegetables to DOROT HPP
• Assembled 150 Mishloach Manot packages for the troops in partnership with the Jewish Chaplains Council
• Assembled 192 backpacks for the Children’s Village to distribute before the start o the 2019 school year
• Delivered over 200 coats to New York Cares
• Collected over 200 toys for young children undergoing medical challenges from the CHAM (Children’s Hospital at Montefiore) Toy Drive
• Hosted over 200 guests at our annual Thanksgiving Dinner
• Hosted over 250 children and their foster parents for the Children’s Village Annual Holiday party
• Donated 336 leftover snacks from Project Prom to Temple Emanu-El’s Sunday Lunch Program
• Donated 350 pieces of clothing and jewelry to Children’s Hospital at Montefiore
• Delivered over 350 meals through the Sunday Lunch Program
• Donated 390 kosher food items to the City Harvest Passover Food Drive
• Donated $500 in gift cards to the New York Center for Children

On Mitzvah day alone, temple members assembled over 2,300 packages for those in need, including:

• 48 cooking bags for the residents of DOROT HPP
• 48 packages for seniors that will be moving into their own homes with DOROT
• 48 diaper bags for young mothers in collaboration with Project Sunshine
• Welcomed 50 seniors from the Carter Burden Center for a delicious buffet Brunch and Bingo
• 72 Birthday gift boxes for DOROT Seniors
• 72 packages for children at Pediatric Department at Mount Sinai Hematology/Oncology
• 72 comfort totes for Mount Sinai’s Department of Pediatric Cardiology
• 72 gifts for childrens’ caretakers at Mount Sinai Department of Pediatric Cardiology
• 72 activity kits for Child Advocacy Center of Manhattan, The New York Center for Children
• 72 bags for the Urban Resource Institute
• 72 Art Kits for children undergoing hospital treatment
• 75 “Prom Shoe Wishes” for young girls
• 96 comfort bags for young girls who are living in a Foster Care residence
• 96 cold weather packages for Urban Outreach Center in Manhattan
• 96 packages for children COAC/ New York Center on Adoptable Children
• 96 Hanukkah packages for low-income Holocaust survivors
• 200 meal bags for New Yorkers at the Jan Huns Neighborhood Center, and the Bowery Mission
• 100 comfort totes for women undergoing chemotherapy at the Evelyn Lauder Breast Center
• 150 bags for the Children’s Village
• 200 freshly baked cookies and organic milk boxes at the New York Center for Children and Jan Hus Outreach Program
• 300 essential items for the Bowery Mission, for those who are in a cycle of poverty; the kits included items such as dental floss, hand sanitizer and shampoo
• Hundreds of cards and bookmarks for children decorated by Temple Emanu-El children
• Hundreds of spice cups for DOROT HPP

For the sixth year, Project Prom helped 300 underserved New York City high school seniors celebrate their academic achievements. Working together, we:

• Provided free prom ensemble including dresses, shoes, jewelry, bags, and make up for 300 students
• Created a two-day personal shopping “boutique” experience to help the high school seniors shine at their graduation ceremonies and spring proms
• Received over 600 dress donations from Faviana, Dessy Group, B Darlin, Levy group, Bill Levkoff, Alex Evenings, Jay Godfrey, Kelly Faetanini, Adrianna Papell Group, Jasmine Bridal, Mestiza-NY, Kleinfelds, Jovani, Mori Lee, Universal Standard, and Cachet
• Accepted jewelry donations by Lee Angel, Lovers Tempo, The Jewelry Group, Deepa Gurnani, Susan Alexandra, Clover, and Lulu Frost. Received shoes and evening bags from Nina Footwear Corp., Me Too Shoes LLC, Calars, Vionic, Steve Madden, Sondra Roberts, Basha Accessories LLC., Estee & Lilly, LaRegale, Happy Socks, and the Accessories Council. Accepted cosmetic donations from Bobbi Brown, Babo Botanicaks, Cover Girl Makeup, and the Estee Lauder Companies

Congregation Emanu-El has a long history of helping others, and our monthly mitzvah projects as well as yearly Mini Mitzvah Day events create opportunities for our Religious School families to practice Tikkun Olam throughout the year. In the last year alone, our students packed:

• 48 backpacks for the Children’s Village
• 72 Comfort Packages, including a fleece blanket and toiletry kit, for the Sunday Lunch Program
• 72 activity packages for the Children’s Village
• 72 “FUN KITS” for the children at the New York Center for Children
• 72 Purim packages for SelfHelp
• 96 toiletry kits for DOROT HPP
• 72 welcome packages for young adults transitioning out of the foster care system
• 96 non-perishable meal bags for the Jan Hus Outreach Program
• 250 toiletry kits for the Temple Emanu-El Sunday Lunch Program
• 144 activity packages for children at Mount Sinai Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Cardiology departments.
• A number of cards created by students to be placed in the Mishloach Manot packages for the troops in partnership with Jewish Chaplains Council
• A number of cards decorated by students to be delivered to those who receive a Passover homebound delivery bag

Get involved! Contact Susan Kaufman, Tikkun Olam Chair, at .