Temple Har Shalom's Knead to Feed Wins Prestigious Fain Award

Recently at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism’s biennial Consultation on Conscience (April 26-28), Temple Har Shalom of Warren, NJ was one of nine Reform Movement congregations to be honored with an Irving J. Fain Award for outstanding social action programming.

“For thirty years, the Commission on Social Action’s Irving J. Fain Award has recognized outstanding synagogue social action programming,” said Susan Friedberg Kalson, chair of the Fain Award Committee, and Barbara Weinstein, Director of the Commission on Social Action. “This year, the diverse array of programs that engage in the work of tikkun olam - repairing the world – at home and around the globe highlight our Reform Movement’s fundamental commitment to social action.”

This year’s winning programs addressed critical issues from racial justice to environmental activism, to education and mentoring of underprivileged youth. Each program has helped to make our world a better place, and we are proud to spotlight them with the hope that other congregations will learn from their example.

Kneed to Feed at Temple Har Shalom was born out of a sermon delivered by Rabbi Randi Musnitsky about the plague of hunger and food insecurity in New Jersey. What resulted was congregants coming together to bake nearly 100 loaves of bread a month, fostering a stronger sense of community and engaging members of their congregation through the exploration of Jewish culinary art. As the loaves are sold, every bite of the fresh challah goes to fight hunger, and – to date – the congregations has raised nearly $10,000.

“Temple Har Shalom connects with our members in ways that has meaning for them,” said Rabbi Randi Musnitsky. “Our congregation’s response to learning about hunger in New Jersey has been powerful for both our members and those we serve. Knead to Feed has been able to provide thousands of meals through something as simple as baking challah, and the program has helped build relationships between congregants and with the greater community.”

Temple Har Shalom is one of 13 Reform Congregations within the Movement to be honored this year for outstanding social action work. As we read in Pirkei Avot, “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” This year’s Fain Award winners are a powerful lesson in how congregations around North America can engage in the critical issues that confront us as Jews and global citizens. They are an inspiration to the Reform Movement and beyond.