Why Social Action on High Holy Days 2025? As we gather together as a community for the 2025 High Holy Days, we can reflect on the past year commemorating and celebrating EMJC’s Centennial. Looking ahead, we have an opportunity to consider meaningful changes we can make in our own lives and impactful actions we can each take to practice Tikun Olam, healing the world, one action at a time. In years past, millions of Americans experienced food insecurity, went hungry, and were forced to skip meals and choose between spending on food or much needed medication. And this year is no exception. More and more in our community have experienced overwhelming economic challenges and food insecurity evidenced by long lines at food pantries. On Yom Kippur we choose to skip meals and go hungry as part of our Jewish tradition. But, we are blessed to have the choice. Even if our hunger lasts only a day, it is enough to make us aware of the challenge hunger presents to those who experience it on a daily basis and especially to those who have experienced this because of the pandemic. This year, you can take your experience with hunger and turn it into meaningful action. Please participate in EMJC’s 2025 High Holy Days Food Campaign from September 21-October 17. How to participate? You can take home a Trader Joe’s paper shopping bag from the table in the EMJC lobby. Fill it with healthy, non-perishable packaged and canned food items and bring the bags back to EMJC when you attend HH services or at any time through the end of Sukkot. Also, you can write a check, for any amount, made out to East Midwood Jewish Center, with a note in the memo that it’s earmarked for the 2025 HHD food campaign. Or, you can make your donation by credit card on the EMJC website. Click DONATE and make sure you indicate it’s your donation for the food drive. Your donations will help support local food pantries. By participating in EMJC’s 2025 High Holy Days Food Campaign, we can work together to begin to offer help to others who are food insecure, especially at this most meaningful time of the year for us. As we know, our ethical obligation to perform acts of tzedakah ( ‏צדקה) connects to righteousness, fairness, and justice. Together, we can begin to change the harsh reality of hunger and food insecurity, and promote justice for all those who are hungry in New York City. Rabbi Cantor Sam Levine samlevine@emjc.org Sally Hipscher sally@emjc.org Click here to donate: https://www.emjc.org/support