Hesed Committee
Hesed: Caring For Our Community
Hesed Committee
Adas Israel invites anyone interested in creating a caring community to become involved in the many activities of the Hesed Committee. The committee focuses on Acts of Loving Kindness to help meet life challenges among our members. Hesed is a vital part of building community at Adas. One day you might be helping someone in our community. The next day you might need help yourself and the community is there for you. Hesed provides both the joy of giving and receiving. If you have any questions please contact Hesed Committee Chairperson, Rae Grad (rgrad@comcast.net).
Hesed Mission
Olam Hesed Yibaneh – Adas Israel Hesed Committee Mission Statement
The Hesed Committee at Adas Israel is committed to fostering a caring, compassionate, and support giving community. Our sacred obligation is to help identify, understand, reach out to, and lovingly support community members in moments of joy, pain, and/or grief.
In this way, we’ll not only pursue fulfilling the immediate supportive needs of Adas members, but also simultaneously build a sustainable community-web of loving kindness that touches all centers and corners of the community.
Acts of Loving Kindness
Building on our vision of creating a caring community at Adas Israel, the Hesed Committee is a collaborative effort of our clergy, staff and volunteers to reach out to Adas members who are alone, convalescing and/or infirm or newly arrived. Our goal is to ensure that all members of our community have an opportunity to have regular, friendly and personal contact with fellow congregants. The resulting relationships enrich the entire community.
Hesed Learning
Hesed Committee volunteers will meet periodically with Rabbi Holtzblatt and others on our clergy team to learn more about the mitzvah of gemilut hasadim (giving of loving kindness), and Torah lessons to underscore the importance of this work. The Torah has a lot to say about this topic. At these learning sessions, volunteers can discuss their experiences connecting with other congregants and to create fellowship among themselves. From time to time, guest speakers are invited to address the group on different topics.
Hesed in the News!
Delicious Acts of Kindness Build Community
by Susan Barocas, Jewish Food Experience
Hesed Teams
Guided by our clergy team, our Hesed volunteers have many ways to become involved in Hesed activities. There is something for everyone. You can help as little or as much as your schedule allows. There is an activity for YOU. To sign up or receive more information, please contact hesed@adasisrael.org.
If you share your bread with the hungry, And relieve the afflicted soul – Then shall your light rise in the darkness And you shall raise up the foundations of many generations. Isaiah, 58:7.
Hesed Visits Team
The Hesed Visits Team enhances the lives of elderly, homebound or ill members of the Adas community by creating a stronger connection to the community through regular visits. This simple expression of caring through conversation benefit both those who visit and those who are visited. The visits can be a one-time activity or on-going depending upon the what is needed.
Hesed Meals Team
The Hesed Meals Team provides meals to members who may be recuperating from surgery or a short-term illness. Meals are coordinated through the Meal Train website which outlines meal delivery times and food preferences. Volunteers who prefer not to cook the food but still want to provide a meal can do so by purchasing a catered meal that can be delivered to the member.
Hesed Phone Team
Got a phone and have a few minutes to spare? Want to make a big difference in helping build and sustain community? With a few minutes and your phone, you can make someone alone feel connected. Here's how…join the Adas Israel Phone Team and help make a weekly erev Shabbat telephone call to a homebound member to let them know, they are remembered. Individuals who are called are extremely grateful to be contacted.
Hesed Baskets Team
The Hesed Baskets team provides Adas members with a caring and welcoming surprise basket for special life moments. Join us in delivering gift bags of goodies to families celebrating the birth of new babies and to welcome those who have recently become members of our community. We hope to expand our reach in the future to other types of recipients. Please share your creativity and generosity with us by joining our team.
Hesed Cooking Team
Join fellow Adas members for a fun evening of baking challah and sweet treats. The food we make will be stored in our community freezer to give to members in need, such as those who are ill or recovering from an accident or surgery, to shivah homes and to people juggling demands of a new baby.
Hesed Varsity Team
The Hesed Varsity Team provides assistance for one-time needs such as delivering a meal or picking up a prescription or helping with grocery shopping, etc. This team is a fast-acting, on-the-spot group of volunteers who assist with ad hoc requests.
Link with Social Action Council
On occasion, as with a prior Bone Marrow Drive, the Hesed Committee and the Social Action Council will work together on a project. The Adas Social Action Council is involved in a variety of interesting and important community service and social justice activities. You can find more information about SAC here.
NEW! Teen/Family Social Action/Hesed Projects
Is your teen looking to complete community service hours or a B'nai Mitzvah project. Maybe your whole family wants to participate in a service project. Take a look at our new database of projects that teens/families can participate in. Click here to look at our new database.
