Tikkun Olam

TBH is very involved in social justice work in our community. These are some of our major Tikkun Olam (repair of the world) projects.

High Holiday Food Drive (Fall): Our congregation takes seriously our obligation to provide for those in need. From Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur, we collect bags of healthy, nutritious food which is donated to the Thurston County Food Bank. We also collect monetary contributions as the Food Bank can buy wholesale, stretching the purchasing power of our dollars.

Mitzvah Morning (1st Sunday after Yom Kippur): On the Sunday after Yom Kippur, members of the TBH community do service projects around Olympia. Project sites have included  the Food Bank, Left Foot Organics, GruB, and the Kiwanis Garden Project.  We have made lunches for members of Camp Quixote, a tent city. The Chesed Corp makes soup for TBH members in need. We help our community and put Tikkun Olam and Tzedakah (charitable giving) in action.

Winter Outerwear and Blanket Drive (Nov-Dec): Many people have trouble keeping warm in winter. Each winter we collect clean blankets, winter coats, sweaters, hats, mittens and other outdoor gear. The donations go to St. Michael’s Clothing Bank which gives them at no charge to anyone in need of clothing.

Purim to Passover Product Drive:  On Purim we celebrate Vashti, who stood up to the King, and Esther, who risked her life to save her people. On Passover we celebrate the midwives Shifrah and Puah who defied the Pharaoh’s order and Miriam who led her people to freedom. We celebrate these women by supporting women in need today. From Purim to Passover, the TBH Tikkun Olam Committee is holding a Product Drive to support the YWCA Other Bank.

FORKids (Monthly): FORKids is a program of the Thurston County Food Bank that provides food for hungry, often homeless, kids during the school year. Bags of nutritious, easy-to-fix foods are sent home on Fridays to provide food over the weekend. There are hundreds of homeless children in our community. Members of TBH meet monthly at the Food Bank Annex on Mottman Road in Tumwater to pack bags.

Chesed Corps: The TBH Chesed (“lovingkindness”) Corps provides soup for those in need of a little help and comfort–whether it is recovering from an illness, or in mourning or even welcoming a new baby and in need of a quick meal. Cooking parties are held several times a year so there is a ready supply of soup available.