JCC Organizes Community Mitzvah Day

Mitzvah Day, the event formerly known as Super Sunday, will be a day of community service taking place on Sunday, March 5th. Mitzvah Day combines fun with fundraising and allows volunteers of all ages the opportunity to participate in meaningful mitzvah projects. A mitzvah is an act of kindness, and collectively we will do our part to improve our community through these acts of kindness.

Beginning after 12 noon on Sunday March 5th, all around the greater New Haven area, Mitzvah Day t-shirts will be distributed and the mitzvah projects will begin. Volunteers are requested to sign up in advance to have the opportunity to choose how to help the community, with projects located in different venues including the JCC Fitness Center, B’nai Jacob, Tower One/Tower East and the Federa­tion Shoreline office. Participating agencies include Southern CT Hebrew Academy and Ezra Academy, Camp Laurelwood, and Jewish Family Service. Teens from BBYO and JTE are also participating in Mitzvah Day this year.

Although the projects involve organizations under the Federation umbrella, there are two plac­es in Woodbridge that are special to the JCC this year. “We could not have a day of mitzvot without including the Woodbridge Volunteer Fire Depart­ment and Brookdale Assisted Living” states Judy Alperin Diamondstein, CEO of the Jewish Federa­tion. She continues “the hospitality and care that Brookdale showed our Yeladim children, our staff and our displaced members after the fire was amazing. And of course there aren’t enough ways to say thank you to the fire department with their bravery and skill on display fight­ing the fire at the JCC”.

Some projects on Mitzvah Day this year will include: thank you note making for Brook­dale and the Woodbridge Fire Department, preparing toiletry kits and snack bags that JFS will distribute, Baking for Good at Tower One/Tower East, Mitzvah Fit classes at the new JCC Fitness Center, making sandwiches on the Shoreline for a shelter, and more. Project information and registra­tion will be online at jccnh.org and jewishnewhaven.org. Also online will be the collection sites for the toiletry drop off that all community members are welcome to donate in advance of Mitzvah Day.

Mitzvah Day is an opportunity to unite as a community to support those in need. All are welcome to participate. Volunteers and sponsors are needed to make the first Mitzvah Day a success! Please email Debbie Brander at debbieb@jccnh.org for more information.