Social Action

Upcoming Events

Our Mission

To encourage the CEEBJ community to engage with Jewish values of social
justice through study, action and advocacy.

We will continue to work closely with Tikkun Ha-Ir of Milwaukee and other
social justice organizations. We will also continue to look to the Union for
Reform Judaism’s Commission on Social Action and their Religious Action
Center for guidance, tools and leadership. We respond to local, national
and international events.

Meetings are once a month on the second Sunday morning at 9:30am.
Please contact the Synagogue Office for the next meeting or check the
website calendar. Guests and new members are always welcome.
Please feel free to contact Reenie Kavalar at 414-659-9662 or email
rkavalar@gmail.com.

Programs and Activities

• 2022: we gathered donated supplies for the earthquake in Turkey in coordination  with Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition
• Guest Speakers – speakers visit to educate on range of issues from mental illness  to immigration, reproductive rights, refugee issues and breast cancer
• Partnered with Compost Crusader to collect synagogue food waste to compost

Volunteer Opportunities

One of the core elements of tikkun olam (repairing the world) entails feeding those  who cannot feed themselves or their families. Here are some ways you can get  involved:

• Sandwich Day – every month, congregants make sandwiches and lunch bags which are donated to the Guest House of Milwaukee homeless shelter, Meta House  and Street Angels. The materials are purchased through the Salinsky Program fund.
   
• Bimah basket donation – Donate $50 to our Bimah Basket Fund. Your donation will  be acknowledged with a sign next to the Bimah Basket at the entrance to the  sanctuary, in the service bulletin for Shabbat, and in Ha-Kol. The money will be directed to the Jewish Community Food Pantry.
   
• CEEBJ Salinsky Program
  • Salinsky Program Garden – we grow produce and donate directly to  Jewish Community Food Pantry and Tikkun Ha-Ir Chop Shop for fresh  food during the growing season. Helpers are always needed!
  • Sandwich making are made for various local organizations
• Meals for the Hungry - We make meals together for Guest House of Milwaukee, Meta House, Sojourner  Family Peace Center and Repairers of the Breach. Each location serves the homeless and people with  domestic violence and substance abuse issues.
   

• High Holiday Food Appeal - Each year for the High Holy Days, we  coordinate a food drive that supports the Jewish Food Pantry

• Food Collection - All year, contributions can be made in the collection box in the coat room. Non-perishable foods like cans of tuna and chicken, PB&J, beef stew and soups, high protein meals are appreciated.

• Tikkun Ha-Ir - CEEBJ has played a leading role in Tikkun Ha-Ir. This organization – whose name literally translates to “repair the city” –  encourages the local Jewish community to support their activities to help  Milwaukee homeless hungry and homeless families. We contribute to the  chop shop, Glean machine, and holiday gifts programs.

• Jewish Food Pantry - our congregation supports monetary funds and  volunteer time to support this small local food pantry in a inner-city  neighborhood of Milwaukee

• Mazon - A Jewish Response to Hunger - During our high holidays, we have a public appeal for people to make a donation to this important national  Jewish fund. We also ask people to consider making a donation of 3-5% of  the cost of food for their personal celebrations to MAZON.

• Blood drive - The annual Debbie Carter Berkson Annual Blood Drive is coordinated with Verisiti. Anyone who is 16 years or older, is generally  healthy, and weighs more than 105 pounds, is encouraged to donate.

• Clothing donations - From October through November, we collect winter  clothing to be donated to COA (the Children’s Outing Association) and for  their preschool reading program HIPPY.

• Passover Drive - Every year we fill up a bin in the coat room to donate  kosher food to the Jewish Food Pantry.

• Glean Machine – Once a year in coordination with Tikkun Ha’Ir, we collect new and gently used clothing and household items to be donated to  a number of social service agencies in the community.

• Sol Dorf Tzedakah Box – Our congregation proudly displays our beautiful a  Tzedakah box in the foyer of our building. Donations are made to local,  national and international crisis funds

• Mitzvah Day - In coordination of Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, every January, our building is transformed into a workhouse of variety of volunteer jobs that are delivered to community agencies. Activities for  kids, families and adults- please join us in a group project that is later  delivered to the local Milwaukee non-profit. We always need delivery people to represent CEEBJ and deliver our donations.

• Caring Committee

  • Mitzvah meals - a group of congregants provide meals to congregants who need a meal while recuperating, grieving and/or life events

  • Visitations – in order to reduce social isolation among our congregants, volunteers provide a visit to keep our congregants connected to CEEBJ

• Tikkun Ha-Ir

  • CEEBJ has played a leading role in Tikkun Ha-Ir. This organization– whose name literally translates to “repair the  city” – encourages the local Jewish community to support their  activities to help Milwaukee homeless hungry and homeless  families. We contribute to the chop shop, Glean machine, and  holiday gifts programs.

  • Holiday Gift Drive - we collect new items as part of their Holiday Gift Drive wish list, which are distributed to families in need

• Welcome Circle - CEEBJ continues to support an Afghan family of five since 2022 when they settled in Milwaukee in coordination with HIAS.  Congregants donated and helped the family settle into an apartment, set up summer camp scholarship for the two sons, assisted with car expenses,  rides to doctor appointments and transported the mother and another  refugee to ESL classes.

• Get out the Vote - For voter registration awareness, we partner with  Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice, Souls to the Polls, and WIVEC –  Wisconsin Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign

• Going Green Task Force – the environmentally friendly committee to help  implement CEEBJ environmentally friendly practices throughout the  building.

• Knitting Circle - donates homemade hats, scarves and blankets to a number of organizations throughout the winter. We are always looking for  more knitters.

Links

> Tikkun Ha-Ir of Milwaukee
> JCC Jewish Food Pantry
> Hunger Task Force
> Union for Reform Judaism’s Religious Action Center
> Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life
> Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger