Tikkun Olam-a-thon is a day of social action at Temple Shir Shalom

At Temple Shir Shalom, serving the community is both a priority and a privilege. For over five consecutive years, Shir Shalom has hosted Tikkun Olam-a-thon, bringing over 400 members of the community together for a morning of social action. The 2016 Tikkun Olam-a-thon will take place on Sunday, January 17, 2016. Participants will meet at Shir Shalom at 9:30am, attend a short assembly in the sanctuary, then divide into different volunteer project groups.

Since its start, Tikkun Olam-a-thon has been taking place the Sunday before Martin Luther King, Jr. day. Shir Shalom’s religious school associate director, Sarah Allyn, explains that “rather than spending the long weekend sleeping in, we come together as a community to make the world a better place.” It is a wonderful way to honor his legacy and continue to promote activism in our community.

Of the numerous organizations that Temple Shir Shalom works with for Tikkun Olam-a-thon, a number of them have been involved for multiple years, as participants have thoroughly enjoyed their volunteer experience and being able to contribute to their causes. These organizations include Yad Ezra, the Ronald McDonald House, The Michigan Humane Society, and more. Each year, participants are surveyed about their experience at Tikkun Olam-a-thon, and the results are used to help find new organizations to work with the future. According to Allyn, “the goal with projects is to give volunteers the opportunity to participate in a wide range of social action, so we try to make sure there’s something that interests everyone.” Volunteers can help feed those in need by creating snack packs for Gleaners Community Food Bank, provide shelter and entertainment for kittens by building kitten forts for the Michigan Humane Society, and spend time with the elderly at the Jewish Community Chaplaincy Senior Living, along with many other opportunities that will be available.

The many volunteer and children groups at Temple Shir Shalom contribute to Tikkun Olam-a-thon by initiating special projects. One beloved tradition and unique community service project led by the preschool is making birthday cake bags. Designed for children ages 0-6, this project involves putting together bags of cake mix, frosting, sprinkles, candles, which are then donated to HAVEN house. This is a great way for children to participate in social action and begin to instill in them a sense of social responsibility. “Children learn about empathy at a very early, especially through things that they can enjoy and relate to,” says Marsha Mitnick, Director of Early Childhood Development. The 7th and 8th grade Madrichim program runs their own volunteer project through Repair The World. Temple Shir Shalom’s Social Action Committee, led by Sallyjo Levine, will be putting together winter care packages, including gloves, hand warmers, flashlights, and more, to donate to a shelter.

The Social Action Committee will also be helping out Tikkun Olam-a-thon by ordering project supplies and leading the set up on the Friday before the event. They assist with coordinating the event from start to finish. On the topic of why people should sign up for Tikkun Olam-a-thon, Levine says, “to me, it’s a great opportunity for people to volunteer for just a couple hours and really make a difference.”

To register as a participant for Tikkun Olam-a-thon, please contact Sarah Allyn at 248-406-4255. Registration closes January 14, 2016.