What We Do
Pack lunches for Hope of the Valley Mission
Provide pack lunches for Hope of the Valley Mission and help us reach our goal of donating 13,500 lunches this year! Lunch donations are collected on the first & third Mondays of the month, with drop-off from 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. at the Temple parking lot (unless otherwise noted). You can either make your lunches early that morning (just like when the kids were in school!) or you can make them the evening before and refrigerate them overnight. This is not an expensive undertaking! Generally the components cost about $1 - $3 per lunch. We are happy to take any number of lunches. Click HERE to download the instructions on what each bagged lunch should contain and how they must be prepared.
Backpack packing for School on Wheels
Each year for more than 20 years, Social Action has packed 500+ backpacks for School on Wheels, supplying tens of thousands of students with materials they need to for academic success! In 2023, Social Action packed 624 backpacks in under 2 hours -- which were then distributed to seven centers through School on Wheels and provided to students experiencing homelessness. This was made possible with close to $6,000 in donations and the help of 50 volunteers! It was an amazing day and an amazing program. Stay tuned for next year's campaign!
Thanksgiving Meal Boxes
TJ's Social Action Committee sponsors Thanksgiving meal boxes - including a turkey - for needy local families, distributed through Family Rescue Center in Canoga Park. The cost to sponsor a box containing a full meal for a family in need is $54. You can also sponsor part of a box by donating in increments of chai ($18). Then we invite our congregants and Religious School students to take part in this lesson on gratitude, tzedakah, and tikkun olam (healing the world), by assembling components & packing the Thanksgiving meal boxes for needy families. Please consider donating to this important cause!
People of the Yarn
Social Action’s knit and crochet group meets monthly to make items for people in need, in support of the Temple's homelessness and other community outreach initiatives. We have donated hundreds of hats, scarves, and ear-warmers to Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission for people in our community in need. We are open to all temple members, family, and friends -- anyone who wants to engage in a bit of creative tikkun olam. Beginners are welcome! Just bring your choice of knitting needles or crochet hook, plus yarn. Feel free to start projects in advance (scarves, hats, ear-warmers — any style).
Green Team
The Temple Judea Green Team is a joint effort of the Social Action and Judeans for Justice committees.
We’d love to hear from you!
Interested in pursuing social action on your own? Need some ideas for a Mitzvah project? Here is a list of some of our community partners.
If you have questions, suggestions, or you’re interested in getting involved, you can contact us at
Click on an image below to navigate to another "act" page
