TIKKUN OLAM    —Come Help Those in Need _________________________________ GET INVOLVED Blood Drive: Sunday, Feb. 5 9:00 – 1:00 PM Join Kol Shofar as we come together with the Marin community to feed our homeless neighbors. We need volunteers to serve food, welcome our guests or prepare dishes to drop off.  Upcoming Opportunities to help at our Winter Shelter meals: Feb. 12: Teen Night March 11: Beit Binah (religious school) April 1: Open to all To help on any of these dates please RSVP to Hagar Ben-Eliezer, hben-eliezer@kolshofar.org or 388-1818 ext. 111.  Mitzvah Drives: Join us this year as we do our part to help keep our homeless neighbors warm and dry. Bring your donations to the shul and we will get them to St. Vincent De Paul.  Jan. 20-29: Bring in new or gently used sleeping bags. Jan. 30-Feb 12: Bring in unopened toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, hotel amenities). Feb. 13-Mar 5: Bring in new or gently used men’s socks. To help on any of these dates please RSVP to Hagar Ben-Eliezer, hben-eliezer@kolshofar.org or 388-1818 ext. 111.    Kol Shofar is proud to partner with Marin Interfaith Council (MIC) Marin Interfaith Council brings religious leaders and members of various faith communities together for study and celebration throughout the year.  Participants experience one another’s prayers, meditations and music.  MIC believes in advocating Justice and community building. For more information about events and programs go to www.marinifc.org or call (415) 456-6957 KOL SHOFAR COMMUNITY GARDEN TAKING ROOT: Want to help? We are planting the seeds of loving kindness in our new community garden to be located on the site adjacent to the preschool playground. Our garden, will be dedicated to growing fresh produce by sustainable and organic methods that will be distributed to community food banks and served at lunches for the homeless. It is our hope that the space will cultivate Jewish learning and meaningful relationships with the earth.  Our congregant, Nathan Zack has developed this wonderful new project which will involve volunteers from across the generations including our preschool, teens and adults. We want to get it started asap. If you have ANY  of the following interests – we want YOU! Want to learn something new and meet new friends Garden and want to share your skills Want to be inspired by the earth and learn to garden Love to coordinate projects or people Can commit to only a couple of hours per week to volunteer Love the outdoors Please contact either: Nathan Zack or Nancy Drapin, Exec. Director at ndrapin@kolshofar.org GET INVOLVED – KOL SHOFAR KIDDUSH NEEDS YOU! To learn more about how you can help, see our Kiddush page. Community Announcements More opportunities for Tikkun Olam can be found in the community announcements.... Download this file (PDF) with information about what's going on in the wider Jewish community. Plus, check out our Helping Hands page.    COMMUNITY SERVICE KS participation in the Procession of Lights Fourteen Kol Shofar members were among the 150 people who participated in a candlelight march through San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood on December 15th, 2011. Each participant held a candle symbolically and literally illustrating the need to “bring light” to make this area safer at night. Along with other members of the eighteen religious and civic institutions who are part of the Marin Organizing Committee, Kol Shofar members sought to bring awareness to the fact that this densely populated area of Marin lacks basic streetlights, crosswalks and traffic signals that can guide motorists through traffic safely and keep pedestrians out of danger.  We’re all aware that well lit thoroughfares also act to deter crime. The “Procession of Lights” was particularly timely coming at this the darkest season of the year, appropriately fitting in with Jewish and Christian traditions that include bringing in light during the winter season. The candle-carrying KS members included:  Gail Dorph, Richard and Flor Emert, Stephen and Joan Fierberg, John and Madeline Florence, Newt Harband, Ruth Jaeger, Steve and Bonni Schiff, Eric Schmier, Ellen Tobe, and Marjorie Gans Walters. San Rafael City Council members Marc Levine and Andrew McCullough participated in the march and agreed to work on these infrastructure improvements.  This event appeared on the front page of the IJ on 12/16/11, and was reported on Spanish TV (Univison). HELP FEED THE HOMELESS – MILL STREET SHELTER A group of Kol Shofar members provides a meal for the residents of the Mill Street homeless shelter once a month. We rotate our shifts so that each food provider delivers food to the shelter only once every two months. We are in need of another KS member to help out. If you're interested in this wonderful mitzvah project please contact Esther Stadtler through the Kol Shofar directory or through the Kol Shofar office. Thank you! See the letter, below, about the Mill Street Shelter project and see the Photo Gallery by clicking here. PANIM EL PANIM AND MARIN ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Panim el Panim (face to face) has actively worked on building relationships between Kol Shofar members, between members of Kol Shofar and other MOC (Marin Organizing Committee) organizations, and with state and county public officials. Learn more here, on the PANIM EL PANIM page. GREEN CHAVURAH Kol Shofar’s Green Chavurah is a dedicated and enthusiastic group of individuals, committed to transforming the synagogue into a model of eco-sustainability. Please see our Committees and Chavurot page for more information. January, 2012 Hagar- Thank you so much for the opportunity to serve the meal on Sunday night. I found it to be a powerful, humbling and perspective-building experience.  For me, I know that we are very fortunate to have shelter and food, but it is often hard to remember/appreciate that fact.  Also, I feel like I want to "help others" and yet I rarely have a hands-on way to do so beyond maybe mailing an annual check to a jewish organization or two.  Your program allowed Sonia and I to help out a bit, and also provided us with priceless value in terms of gaining some life perspective and compassion. I can't thank you enough for providing us with that opportunity and for the chance to have a look outside of our little bubble.  Even though I found it challenging (heartbreaking) emotionally to absorb the acute need of these folks, I would hope that I will grow from the experience and that I will have the moxie to do it again and by doing so maybe I can become a more compassionate and giving human being. Kudos to you for actually providing a specific and attainable way for all of us to engage in gemilut chasadim.  You have made us into better people. Thank you. Regards, Eric (and Sonia)  Homeward Bound Community Service Days January 31, 2010 Hi All, I want to thank each of you from Homeward Bound for your dedication, hard work and open attitudes to working hard despite the small space and other limitations. I was very moved by the spirit of the day and especially the overwhelmingly generous gifts you as a group provided. The families we serve are in crisis when they come through our Emergency Family shelter and the simple gesture of cleaning, painting, and furnishing the rooms they live in reminds them that the community cares about their best interests and wants to support them. Thank you for your generosity and hard work as well as for the chance to get to know each of you. I learn so much from the volunteers I meet and work with and this group left me feeling energized for all the future projects I hope to plan at the Family Emergency Center! So thank you all and I hope to be in touch with you in the near future.   Warm Regards, Dominique Legnitto Volunteer Coordinator Homeward Bound of Marin 415-382-3363 x212   I am writing to express deep thanks and appreciation to Jo and Phil, who managed to carry out a transformation of two rooms at the family emergency shelter in a very short time with far too many volunteers for the space. The two of you were incredible in having a vision and making it happen step by step -- with on the spot problem solving at every turn.  It was a great experience for everyone who participated.  Thanks to Dominique, Mark and Hagar as well and to everyone who contributed room furnishings, fixtures, bedding, appliances, etc. and who volunteered their time.  It could not have been done without the experience and skill of Phil and Jo -- who were a great team.  The rooms looked wonderful -- well, the one room where we did the complete makeover did and the other one looked much brighter and cleaner.   THANK YOU!!!  Liz Arnold Westminster Church Volunteer coordinator   The event went very well.  We had plenty of volunteers and actually finished early.  Phil Walters was a complete stud (and even stud finder on one occasion).  Both the cooperation and the outcome were quite impressive and rewarding to all you volunteered.  I am sure the residents at HB are most appreciative.   Mark Swoiskin, Panim el Panim Chair Photo Gallery: click here. July 12, 2009: Tikkun Olam Project with Westminster Kol Shofar and Westminster Presbyterian Church teamed up to paint the Family Emergency Shelter of Homeward Bound in San Rafael. To read about it and see photos, see the write-up here. You can also take a look at the Homeward Bound Facebook fan page.