Tikkun Olam

Caring for Ourselves While We Care About the World: Towards Individual and Communal JCOGS Action (via Zoom) (click to see all classes and themes)
Tuesday, February 4 theme: From Tu B'Shvat to Purim: Taking action and getting beyond the masks the masks

Are you ready to make a difference, both within yourself and in the world around you? Join us for a transformative monthly series that blends self-care, spiritual exploration, and community action. This series invites you to integrate your personal growth with your commitment to social change, cultivating inner awareness that makes us better community members and more effective agents of tikkun olam.  The February theme is –
Tu B'Shvat: Renewal and Growth

The initiatives below were developed during the first session of Caring for Ourselves While We Care About the World

2025|5785 Tikkun Olam Actions for JCOGS members of all ages!

1. Winter Gear Collection: 
Winter Gear Drive for local agencies.  

Needed items:

1. general winter gear
2. gently used men and women's pants
3. winter boots and snow pants all sizes
4.  sneakers and hiking boots

5. gently used bath towels, washcloths, and hand towels

2. Cooking for and Nourishing Others

Thank you to those who helped cook on Tuesday, December 17th.  Our next day in the JCOGS kitchen as we prepare meals for those in need will be January 20 during the Mitzvah Day of Service.

If you’re interested in helping to donate ingredients, deliver food, share a meal with recipients, or be involved with this ongoing initiative, please contact jcogs@jcogs.org

3. Chesed: Practicing the Art of Kindness

The JCOGS Chesed Committee seeks volunteers to help increase our communal light this holiday season and throughout the year through small acts of kindness. Are you able to:

1. Call or visit a member who has a story to share
2. Learn how to offer Reiki as part of a Healing Circle
3. Provide transportation to or from services
4. Send an uplifting message or text to a member living alone?
   Please reach out to Priscilla at priscilla.minkin@jcogs.org.

Honoring Dr. King’s Legacy through Tikkun Olam – JCOGS Mitzvah Day Recap

In a meaningful tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, our JCOGS community came together with incredible energy and “ruach” (spirit) for Mitzvah Day, involving over 50 participants of all ages—our youngest helper being a sweet baby! Thank you to everyone who volunteered, led on a project, donated winter gear, contributed food, or supported our Tikkun Olam Fund through maple syrup purchases. 

Here are some highlights from our day of
tikkun olam:

1. We made lasagna, salad, apple cake, and brownies for local shelters, Lamoille Community House (LCH) and Good Samaritan.
2. We sorted and delivered winter gear to those in need and delivered it to LCH.
3. We created vibrant Tikkun Olam t-shirts with handmade stamps.
4. Our Chesed Caring Committee made phone calls to check in on community members—and completed all the LISTS! 
5. We supported the UCC Church’s Monday warming shelter with volunteers, food, and music.
6. We visited a member at home and provided him with a meal for dinner.

7. We helped out with JCOGS projects around the building.

The day concluded with a meaningful gathering, sharing homemade soups, breads, and desserts from JCOGS members and the wider community. Rabbi David spoke on the work of Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, inspiring us to “bend the arc toward justice.” We joined together to sing “We Shall Overcome,” a fitting close to a day of service and connection.