When:
Sunday, September 5, 2021, - Thursday, September 30, 2021,
- All Day

Location:
East Midwood Jewish Center

Why Social Action on High Holy Days 2021?

As we gather together as a community for the 2021 High Holy Days, we reflect on the past year, look to the future, and consider meaningful changes we can make and actions we can take. 2021 continues to bring extraordinary challenges for many of us because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of Americans experience food insecurity, go hungry, and are forced to skip meals every day. This year, because of the pandemic, more and more in our community have experienced overwhelming economic challenges and food insecurity.  Many of us were lucky. We only had to adjust by choosing to order our food online and having it delivered right to our doors. Many of our neighbors have not been so fortunate.

On Yom Kippur we choose to skip meals and go hungry as part of our 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 2021 High Holy Days Food Campaign. It’s easy. Just 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 2021 HHD food campaign. You can also make a donation by credit card on the EMJC website. Click DONATE and make sure you indicate it’s your donation for the food drive (you can do this on the very last page when you check out).  Your donations will help support local food pantries.

By participating in EMJC’s 2021 High Holy Days Food Campaign, we can work together to offer meaningful help to others at this most important time of the year. We can help those who have been especially hard hit during the pandemic and begin to change the harsh reality of hunger and food insecurity and promote justice for all those who are hungry in New York City.

As we know, our ethical obligation to perform acts of tzedakah connects to righteousness, fairness, and justice.

Sally Hipscher

Rabbi Sam Levine