These sisters are forever in the news for their good deeds
The Sisterhood of Bet David Progressive Synagogue in Johannesburg has received a prestigious award from Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ). The highest gold Or Ami (“Light of My People”) Award, announced in July, will be presented in December 2011. Edith Caplan, Or Ami Awards committee chairman, wrote: “Your Sisterhood’s outstanding efforts are a great source of pride to WRJ.”
The century-old WRJ is partner of the North American Union for Reform Judaism, whose nine hundred member congregations represent more than a million individuals. WRJ established the Or Ami Award in 1973 to honour service projects of distinctive character and significance.
The award will be presented at WRJ’s Biennial Conference in Washington, DC in December 2011. It is hoped that several Bet David Sisterhood members will be able to attend the event. Jo Norris, chairman of Bet David Sisterhood, has been invited to give a presentation to the international audience.
The award recognizes Bet David Sisterhood’s outstanding work in Alexandra as well as the Johannesburg Jewish community. The Sisterhood runs two ongoing feeding schemes in Alexandra, and more recently it has also organized Mitzvah Day and Mandela Day events. In giving the award, WRJ collectively named these four initiatives the “Bet David Sisterhood Social Justice Programs.”
The two feeding schemes provide daily meals for children, students and adults from the poorest areas of Alexandra. Mitzvah School principal, Lesley Rosenberg, identified the need for these schemes ten years ago, and Sisterhood members and Mitzvah School students have been collecting monthly donations ever since. Donors include both major sponsors and anonymous individuals who place items of foods into the Sisterhood’s trolleys at shopping centres.
Bet David congregants also contribute groceries on a regular basis and participate in the “Measure for Measure” (Counting the Omer) project, inspired by Rabbi Jacobs. Portions equivalent to a daily grocery hamper are purchased and donated to the schemes.
In 2010, Mandela Day saw Bet David welcoming more than a hundred orphans and street children from two Alexandra orphanages. The children took part in fun activities and ate a sumptuous lunch before being bussed back to Alexandra. On Mitzvah Day in November 2010, senior citizens from several Jewish old age homes were hosted at Bet David for an afternoon of tea, music and entertainment.
The Sisterhoods of Beit Emanuel and Temple Israel joined forces with Bet David on Mitzvah Day. On hearing of the Or Ami Award, Beit Emanuel Sisterhood sent a message to the ladies at Bet David saying, “Your Sisterhood is an inspiration to all of us to continue with the work we all do!”
Temple Israel said, “Your dedication, compassion and good works are known to all… You indeed prove to be an ‘Or’ (light) in our communities. What a proud moment for Progressive women in South Africa!” Congratulations also flooded in from other Sisterhoods and organizations.
Bet David’s Rabbi Robert Jacobs said: “The work of supporting the needs of others expresses the highest values of Judaism, through which the providers of goodness receive blessing as great—or greater than—that of the recipients. These acts of Tsedakah have been continued over the decades. They build community and combat injustice through dedication, generosity and real concern for suffering found nearly at our doorstep.”
Sisters1 - Sisterhood meeting with food collections visible on the shelves L-R Cindy Lurie, Myrna Margo, Gail Scheuble, Charmaine Levy, Lali Gerber, Molly Smith and Giddy Lief.jpg
Mazel Tov to the Bet David
Mazel Tov to the Bet David Sisterhood, may the good work continue.
Well done to Sisterhood. You
Well done to Sisterhood. You are all truly amazing people who keep enriching the lives of those less fortuante than ourselves! Kol Hakavod!