January B'tzelem: Temple Judea's Response to the LA Wildfires
01.13.25 | Btzelem
TEMPLE JUDEA'S RESPONSE TO THE LA WILDFIRES
HELPING THE WIDER COMMUNITY
This may very well be the most heart-wrenching natural disaster our beloved city has ever faced, and the pain is deeply felt by all of us. Yet, even in the face of this overwhelming devastation, there is an undeniable truth: Los Angeles will rebuild and Temple Judea will be an unwavering part of that healing journey. It also serves as a powerful reminder of the strength and resilience of community, and that some challenges can only be faced through collective support. This year, Temple Judea embraced the theme of Kol Yisrael Aravim Zeh b’Zeh - all Israel is responsible for one another. This principle calls us to care for each other, especially in the most trying of times.
We are in touch with the offices of our elected officials as well as our partners throughout the Jewish and extended Los Angeles community to figure out ways that we can be of service to others. For now, we've been alerted to specific needs in the community and have set up collection bins for the following items. Please feel free to bring these items to Temple Judea and we will deliver them to Hope the Mission and various partners to be used specifically for victims of the wildfires:
- blankets
- diapers
- baby wipes
- feminine hygiene products
- masks
- new socks and underwear
- chapstick
- eyedrops
- new or gently used clothing
We also need your help!
We invite you to join Social Action today (Monday) and Tuesday (January 13 & 14) from 9-11am in the TJ Living Room to help sort donations and assemble "go bags." Whether you're an ECC parent with time after drop-off or a community member eager to pitch in, we’d love to have you! Everyone is welcome to lend a hand and make a difference.
As the needs of our community evolve during this challenging time, Temple Judea will continue to adapt our efforts. For additional resources, the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles has compiled a helpful list, which you can access here.
HELPING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY
Temple Judea stands ready to support all of our congregants, their families, and our sister congregations throughout Los Angeles, including those in the Pacific Palisades and beyond. Rabbi Aaronson recently reminded us that "while Los Angeles is a vast city, it is also a small town. And our heart is large." In the spirit of this support, we have already begun to open our doors to those in need. This past Saturday, we were honored to host Congregation Or Ami for a Bar Mitzvah in our sanctuary after their building lost power. As Rabbi Josh Aaronson recently shared with The Forward, “This is what it means to be in a Jewish community.”
HELPING EACH OTHER
Perhaps most importantly, we want to hear from each of you. Please reach out and let us know you are safe. If you need assistance, have been evacuated, or have suffered any losses, we are here for you. Your Temple Judea family stands ready to support and assist in any way we can. Please email us at
and a member of our clergy team will contact you. Rest assured, any emails sent to this email address will be treated with complete discretion, and your privacy will be maintained. We are with you every step of the way. The road ahead will be long, but together, we will rebuild and support one another.
ONGOING B'TZELEM ACTIVITIES
RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH WITH A MESSAGE OF SOLIDARITY FOR IMMIGRANTS
We begin 2025 during a month in which we remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose work has been so inspirational and reflects many of our Jewish values. May his memory be for a blessing and may our actions demonstrate our commitment to tikkun olam.
Each year, the Interfaith Solidarity Network - one of TJ's Social Action partners - hosts a breakfast to celebrate Dr. King's legacy of interfaith cooperation and non-violence in mobilizing against intolerance and advocating for justice. This year's ISN Breakfast in the Spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. "Solidarity with Immigrants" will be held Tuesday, January 21 @ 8:30am at St. Paul United Methodist Church. The event will feature Guillermo Torres, Immigration Program Director of Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE), along with Rev. Vernon Kemp, Pastor of St. Paul's UMC, music by Mylene Morris of Bethel Lutheran Church, and Migrant stories. Register Here or Learn More about ISN.
To further support our immigrant community, Temple Judea's Pathways to Citizenship program, spearheaded by Judy Rutt, is holding another citizenship workshop Saturday, February 22 from 9am-1pm @ Parish Center. Know someone that wants to become a citizen? Help them achieve that goal by sharing information about this event - details here. Want to take a more active role? Volunteers are always welcome and training will be provided! Reach out to Judy Rutt at 213-700-9363 for more information about how you can make a difference.
THERE WAS A WHOLE LOT OF GIVING GOING ON: SACK LUNCH, TOY, & CLOTHING DRIVE RECAPS
Toy Drive: The ECC Toy Drive brought in 151 gifts! Thank you to everyone who donated toys and to ECC Social Action chair Suzanne Faiman, who helped drop them off at the local fire station to donate to children in need.
Coat & Clothing Drive: We are excited to share that together we collected two truckloads of clothing for this year's coat and clothing drive for Hope the Mission and the people that they serve within our community. Thank you to Temple Judea's B'tzelem Social Action Committee for organizing, and to everyone who donated! What a mitzvah and great way to end 2024!
Sack Lunch: In 2024, our Sack Lunch program set a lofty goal of delivering 15,500 lunches to Hope the Mission to support our homeless neighbors. Thanks to the dedication of our TJ community, we delivered an amazing 13,183 lunches! Thank you to all our dedicated volunteers and lunch-makers. While we didn't reach our year-end goal -- we still provided an amazing number of meals to hungry neighbors at Hope the Mission and fulfilled the mitzvah of feeding the stranger. And, since people still need to eat, we'll be setting a new goal together in 2025! We hope you'll make a commitment to participate this year and encourage your family and friends to join in. We may not solve world hunger, but we can make a difference here in our community. Collections take place each first and third Monday of the month. The next opportunity to donate is on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 20 at 9am at the parking lot of the Tarzana Gelsons. And we'll be back collecting at Judea in February.
SPOTLIGHT ON STUDENT ACTION
Our 7th grade JTJ students finished their social justice unit on civil rights. Students learned about the plight of Black Americans during the Civil Rights movement and learned about the connection between racism and mass incarceration from a guest speaker from IPNO (Innocence Project New Orleans). In January, students will begin a new unit of learning about animal rights. Meanwhile, this month, January 30 - February 3, teen students in grades 10 - 12 are traveling with Rabbi Rosenstein on the RAC L’Taken Trip to Washington D.C. In the nation’s capital, students will have their voices heard, learning how to lobby Congress for a social justice cause they believe in that is informed by their Jewish values.
CARING COMMUNITY: A RECIPE FOR CONNECTION
SUPPORT OUR CARING COMMUNITY
As we highlighted in our last B'tzelem, TJ's Caring Community does so much to offer not only assistance, but also connection between congregants. Their ongoing efforts include making personal calls and delivering gift bags and baskets to new parents, the sick, and the newly bereaved, writing tribute acknowledgments, greeting congregants as they arrive for Shabbat services, providing meals to families in need, and honoring our High School seniors with scholarships, all in memory of their beloved founder, Judy Scharf, z'l.
To help support Judy Scharf Scholarship Program, Caring Community is now introducing community baking classes at Temple Judea on select Sundays during Religious School hours. The first class will take place on Sunday, January 26 @ 9:00 am, and participants are invited to make a small $18 donation to support the Judy Scharf Memorial Scholarship. This initiative is just one example of how Caring Community continues to engage and support our congregation. Together, we can continue to build a community of support that lifts up one another!
Caring Community depends on the generosity of volunteers and donors like you for the success of their work. There are countless ways you can help, and every contribution counts. By volunteering, you’ll experience the joy of making a real difference in someone’s life. By donating, you’ll help sustain our scholarship program and provide much-needed support to those in need.
Volunteer: No matter your availability, your time and kindness will make a lasting impact. Email to learn more about volunteering opportunities.
Donate: To make a donation, click here and, in the "Type" dropdown, select either the "Judy Scharf Memorial Scholarship" or the "Ellen M. Rose Caring Community Fund”.
UPCOMING EVENTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.jpg)
Ongoing Initiatives
|
|
All of the work we do aligns with initiatives and policies supported by the Union of Reform Judaism both nationally and in California. Every day, we are inspired by the thousands of volunteers in all of these different areas who work tirelessly to make a difference. YOU could be one! Learn more and get involved!
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT B'TZELEM @ TEMPLE JUDEA
