More than 1,500 volunteers of all ages filled B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton on Sunday, Nov. 8, for Mitzvah Day, a morning of hands-on service open to the public. The event was hosted by the synagogue’s Meryl & Ron Gallatin Tzedakah, Learning & Chesed (TLC) Program.
More than 50 local community organizations ran volunteer stations at the synagogue. Participants donated blood, made sandwiches, mixed spices, cleaned sneakers, arranged flowers, wrapped toys, painted rocks and packed care packages for neighbors across South Florida.
Summer Faerman, director of the TLC Program, said the event drew grandparents, toddlers, teenagers and first-time visitors working side by side. Volunteers also swabbed for kidney donation and decorated cards for children with serious illnesses.
The TLC Program, founded by the congregation in 2012, runs year-round projects on hunger, homelessness, literacy, elder care and support for people with special needs. Residents who want ongoing opportunities can find them through the program’s page at btcboca.org.
B’nai Torah describes itself as the largest Conservative synagogue in the Southeastern United States, with more than 1,300 member families.
