Temple Emanu-El continues a tradition of ‘tikkun olam’

Congregants of Temple Emanu-El and followers of the Jewish faith are encouraged to enact “mitzvahs” or acts of charity and benevolence in order to fix an otherwise broken world.

The concept, known as “tikkun olam, is preached year-round, though the members of Temple Emanu-El culminated their efforts into one day of goodwill on April 29 during their fourth annual “Mitzvah Day.”

“We try to touch on as many aspects of the community as we can,” said Rabbi Daniel Bar-Nahum, explaining that the congregation’s “Mitzvah Day” aims to benefit local charitable organizations and inspire the community to become more involved with them.

Among their many mitzvahs, the congregation capped off its food drive for Island Harvest, created care packages for the Mary Brennan Interfaith Nutrition Network in Hempstead, quilted blankets for the Bethany House homeless shelter and, throughout the day, members provided entertainment at local assisted living homes.

Rabbi Bar-Nahum said that his congregation aims to carry out Jewish principles such as feeding the hungry, welcoming in the stranger and not standing idly by while one’s neighbor bleeds. To carry this out, the congregation advocated for the following:

• Federal protections of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

• National aid for refugees from troubled areas through the efforts of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society

• Gun reform through the goals set forth at the March for our Lives, at which members of the congregation were present.

With regards to the world’s refugee crisis, Rabbi Bar-Nahum said, “As a descendant of Holocaust survivors, I can’t not advocate for this country letting people in who have nowhere else to go.”

Temple Emanu-El plans to bring its “Mitzvah Day” to Temple B’Nai Torah when the two congregations merge this summer. “This is how we answer God’s call to make our world better,” Rabbi Bar-Nahum said.

The merger will be official on June 10 when Temple Emanu-El congregants walk their scrolls about four miles southeast to their new home in Wantagh.