Temple Sinai

Social Action

Judaism understands that we can improve the world through a sacred partnership with God — Tikkun Olam  or “repairing the world.” Our Social Action Committee guides our congregation as it pursues this goal through education, advocacy and gemilut chasadim, “acts of loving kindness.” At Temple Sinai everyone is welcome to attend and participate in the important projects the Social Action committee organizes.

Mitzvah Day
This annual TSG event allows everyone from religious school students to seniors in our community to get a hands-on opportunity to participate in social action. Each class does their own special project to help repair the world. Projects we’ve done include stocking shelves at the SOVA food pantry, making paper flowers and serving lunches at the Glendale Senior Center, helping with local park cleanup, sewing tote bags for the homeless, sorting and bagging toiletries for battered women, and many more.

Tzedakah Fair
During the religious school year, students are encouraged to bring monetary contributions each week. Once a year, the Social Action Committee organizes a fair where volunteers from outside organizations staff tables to explain to the students about important causes. Each class then decides which organizations they want their tzedakah money to go to at the end of the year.

The causes we support break down into the following categories:

LOVING KINDNESS – GEMILUT CHASADIM

  • Meals for the Homeless – Help prepare and deliver meals to residents at the Ascencia Homeless Services Center in Glendale. Also, volunteer to make dinner for homeless families at our partner congregation, First Presbyterian Church in Burbank, who house homeless families for a week about four times each year via Home Again L.A. 
  • Shoe Drive – Donate shoes to Shoes that Fit, a local organization that provides new shoes for low income children attending Glendale public schools.
  • Food Drive – Help fight food insecurity in our community by donating canned and dried food to SOVA Food and Community Resource Program

REPAIRING THE WORLD – TIKKUN OLAM

  • Racial Justice – Proudly work with the religious school and the Glendale Community on further the cause of Racial Justice
  • Advocacy on Immigration – Temple Sinai is a member of the HIAS Welcome Campaign and has raised funds for this important organization.
  • Jewish World Watch: Combating Antisemitism – Participate in the yearly Jewish World Watch walk and other activities

GUARDING THE EARTH – SHOMREI ADAMAH 

  • Environmental and Climate Justice – Temple Sinai participates in this URJ program, encouraging our members to “go green” and take personal steps to reduce their carbon footprint
  • LA Faith and Ecology Network – TSG is a participant in this program, working with other faith groups to fight climate change.
  • Green Power Initiative – Temple Sinai is proud to use solar energy produced from solar panels on our sanctuary building.

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