The World Zionist Congress (WZC) elections, occurring every five years, present a unique opportunity for Jews worldwide to influence key decisions affecting Israeli society and global Jewry. From March 10 to May 4, 2025, American Jews can cast their votes to determine the direction of significant institutions and the allocation of substantial funding. HOW TO …
For six months, Theodor Herzl took up residence at the Bernard Museum of Judaica, inviting thousands to immerse themselves in his life, his vision, and his enduring legacy. Through original documents, photographs, artifacts, and memorabilia drawn from the world’s foremost Herzl collections—including the Theodore Herzl Archive at the World Zionist Organization, the YIVO Institute for …
For more than 55 years, Diane Bialick has had a clear goal for her students at Temple Emanu-El’s Religious School: “I want to make sure they really love Judaism,” she said. Since Diane began teaching at Temple Emanu-El in the late 1960s, she has viewed her time with students as a special opportunity to spark …
Where do we place our focus? Every day we are relentlessly bombarded with negativity and divisiveness. This onslaught of manufactured messaging distorts our perspective, distracting us from foundational, anchoring constants which are so close that they are easy to overlook. For example: The world is filled with wonder. The human heart is oriented towards goodness. …
Mark Willner teaching at Temple Emanu-El’s Religious School in 1968 Since 1965 Mark Willner has shared his love of Jewish history with students in Temple Emanu-El’s Department of Lifelong Learning. Over thousands of Sundays, Willner has taught about the Holocaust, the state of Israel, and other major moments in Jewish history. Many current religious school …
As over 140 volunteers assembled packages, longtime Tikkun Olam volunteer Eileen Melniker could not remember how many Mitzvah Days she has participated in during her 35 years of membership. Instead, she focused on the bustle around her. The religious school students zipping through the package assembly stations. The families with young children taking in Mitzvah Day for the first time. Providing guidance to volunteers. Reflecting on what the day meant to her.
“Whatever the temple needs, I am here to help,” Melniker said. “[Participating in Mitzvah Day] shows how blessed I am. When people think I do it for them, yes I do. I could tell you, it’s not 50-50. I get 51. I get more out of it, by doing it and knowing how lucky I am to be able to do it and to be part of the temple for so many years that affords us the luxury to have all these things given for other people. It’s a blessing.”
Across Wise Hall, Dana Covey oversaw a flurry of activity. When the day began, the tables at her station were filled with hats, gloves, and scarves. An hour later, it had all been packed up, ready to be delivered to New Yorkers in need. Covey, a longtime Mitzvah Day volunteer, never envisioned becoming a regular participant in Temple Emanu-El’s Tikkun Olam programming. She came to Temple Emanu-El for religious school for her son. While waiting for her son, she was recruited to help pack Mishloach Manot for soldiers. Ever since she made that first Mishloach Manot package, her involvement in Temple Emanu-El’s Tikkun Olam programs has become a cornerstone of her Temple Emanu-El experience. She has volunteered at many Mitzvah Days and has been involved with Project Prom for 12 years.
“I love being able to do something here that has an impact,” Covey said.
Temple members of all ages — toddlers with their parents, religious school students, and adults — contributed to Mitzvah Day. They created care packages for organizations such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Mount Sinai Pediatric Departments, Hour Children, DOROT, The Urban Outreach Center, The Bowery Mission, Temple Emanu-El’s Project Prom, Part of the Solution, Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter, and New York Center for Children.
As Melniker, Covey, and the other Mitzvah Day volunteers packed up their stations, the screech of packing tape pierced the air. Volunteers and staff prepped packages for their journeys to every corner of New York City.
A few days later, the packages began arriving across New York City. They immediately began changing lives. “These donations could not have come at a better time,” said Monique Phillips, program director for Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter. “The essential kits are really great and will be so helpful and useful to the families at New York Center for Children,” said Christine Crowther, executive director of New York Center for Children.
To learn more about Mitzvah Day, watch this report from PIX11 News.
Looking for a fun and engaging way to connect with others, hone your skills and contribute to a meaningful cause? Women of Emanu-El’s Canasta Tuesdays are back for the Winter 2025 session! Whether you’re a seasoned player or a beginner eager to learn, this program offers something for everyone while raising funds for the JBI …
By Cindy Cutler Chief Development Officer Last week, I volunteered for our Sunday Lunch Program, which has been providing meals to people facing housing and food insecurity for more than 40 years. I had never attended before, and I was excited to participate in this beautiful Emanu-El initiative. That particular Sunday was bitterly cold, and …
By Vivien Hoexter Deputy Executive Director I look for holiness in small acts every day. It has taken me a long time to learn to do this. When I was younger, I was in a hurry all the time and barely stopped to say “hello” to the friendly door people I passed or the superintendent …
By Gabrielle Savoldelli Director, Nursery School My favorite Chanukah book as a child was Chanukah is Here, originally published in 1953. The simple four-color drawings illustrate the traditions of Chanukah: prayers by the menorah, the mother in the kitchen wearing an apron frying latkes, and the brother and sister spinning the dreidel. This book’s charms …
Rabbi Josha M. Davidson’s op-ed featured in the Daily News on December 29, 2024 The festival of Chanukah commemorates the Maccabees’ victory over the Syrian tyrant Antiochus IV, who had conquered Jerusalem and seized the Temple in his efforts to Hellenize Judea. Resisting assimilation, the Maccabees defeated the Syrian army, and reclaiming the Temple, they kindled again …
By Mike Witman Director of Lifelong Learning As we light the fourth candle, I’m struck by the miracle of Chanukah. When the Maccabees reclaimed the Temple, they discovered only a small jar of oil—enough to light the menorah for just one day. Yet, despite their uncertainty, they chose to light the menorah anyway.This simple act …
